March 22, 2012
(this is me thinking and taking notes in the middle of a beach)
It’s been a little over two weeks since I launched this new blog and I’m happy and proud of the content I’ve published so far. Has the launch gone exactly as I would have wanted it to go? Not entirely, but all things considered I can’t and won’t complain. Between mothering 2 children who still very much need me, and taking care of myself and the growing baby inside of me, some days just don’t go according to plan.
I’m at the point in this venture of blogging where I can finally admit I want this blog to be successful though. For a long time I felt nervous or selfish for saying that, but now I realize I am a better person and mother when I have an outlet of my own to take pride in and grow. I don’t know why we women in general have a hard time admitting we crave for success in something other than mothering. In trying to be somewhat successful at this blogging venture, I have had to make some sacrifices with family time to make that happen. As I write this in fact, our sitter Marin, whom we rarely used in the last year, is on a bike ride with Syd. I’m finally okay with that, and in fact quite pleased that we have someone so fun in our lives that can be there for the kids on occasion.
One of the biggest things I have learned in blogging is that for the success of this blog to happen, it can’t happen in a vacuum. Sure I could put out the content I want to publish because it is my blog, but I truly desire to create a space here that is in parts inspiring and in parts a helpful resource. Publishing weekly “lust” items that I can’t afford doesn’t really help anyone, least of all me. Sure there are filler posts that I think all bloggers publish from time to time, like the watercolor wallpaper post, but I want to limit those as much as I can. For the most part I intend to publish posts that in some way serve a purpose.
So here is the point in this post where I ask for some feedback. First, I am really curious and want to know how many of you that have been reading are from my other blog Four Flights of Fancy, and how many of you are new to this space here? That’s the question I want to know the most so if you can at least let me know that much, I’ll send you virtual kisses from California.
Second, what type of content related to style would you most like to see me publish here? Let’s be honest, my bump still looks fairly cute and I look all “glowy”, but things are gonna get scary real fast. If my hunches are correct and this baby is a girl, nearing around week 24 I’ll start bloating up like a blowfish and I’ll likely develop a case of pregnancy acne. I don’t know how good I’ll feel posting biweekly style posts. I’m going to need to develop some other style related content. Until then though, do you like seeing my pregnancy style posts, even if you’re not pregnant?
Third, do “advice” type of style posts interest you at all? Or posts where I would help someone with a makeover, or refresh their look? I’ve always been really sensitive as coming across as bossy or preachy when giving style tips, but I would hope they are never read that way. In my career I’ve literally helped dress hundreds of women and have learned some things that I hope would be of value to you. I’d love to hear what type of content related to style you’d like to see.
Fourth, I’d just love to hear any advice or thoughts you would like to share with me. I can’t guarantee I’ll always publish the exact content you long for, as I do have an overall vision for this space I’d like to maintain, but I’m always, always open to suggestions from you guys. Do you have any DIY requests perhaps?
Finally, and this is more just a thinking out loud question. Four Flights of Fancy took a long time to grow, and it’s still not at the point I’d thought it would be, or even hoped it would be. Between RSS subscriptions and “followers” I’ve reached over 1000 readers. This space has only reached about 50, about 5% of the size of FFOF. I of course knew growing this space would be hard, starting all over and all. And I of course knew not every reader would carry over. But I have to say it’s been a bit perplexing to see such a small amount carry over. Have people reached their maximum number of blogs they want to read, have they just haven’t taken the time to subscribe yet, has this space not been what they thought it would be? If any of you have any thoughts or advice on growing an offshoot blog from a previous one, again, I’d love to hear them.
Thank you so much for your support 🙂 It means a whole heck of a lot to me!
i read both your blogs, but i love the more style-y aspect of this one.
i am definitely not pregnant, and i love your style posts!
the end.
Well first- kudos for doing with your gut! You wanted a new blog and you went for it! Don't feel guilty about what it takes to make it succeed. It's like a business, right? And just like all the handmade shop owners say- if you want to have a business, you can't treat it like a hobby.
I will honestly admit, I haven't made time to read many blogs lately. At ALL. Not because of the lack of content, but because I'm in a busy season in my life. I would LOVE to read fashion advice on this blog. I take tips from people like me- who have zero actual style education with a grain of salt. I want to know what the pros say. How to wear things, pairing pieces I would not have thought of together, what new trends are hot, what pieces are classic/staples. I Love, love, LOVE that. STyle projects are great, too. Your necklace project was so fun.
OK, enough of the novel. Does this one little opinion help? PS You are so.stinking.cute. So, SO cute. 🙂
I appreciate your willingness to want to hear what the pros have to say. I often feel like my "professional background" may put people off and classify me as a "know it all" but I have to remind myself that this isn't necessarily the case. Thank YOU for reminding me of that 🙂
Well I read both. I love the style based content of this one and I love the interviews as well. What I thunk might be interesting is to post about wverday women you feel are stylish or those that love fashion as well. Also perhaps assisting in a closet overhaul? Helping women get a wardrobe that works for them, starting with items they already have? Sort if like the reverse of what not to wear??? Does that make sense?
Let me know if you need ant help with the makeover ideas…..
P.s. Don't ever apologize for having something you love that's just for you (not the whole family)that makes you proud & feel good. It's important for mothers / women to have these things in order to be content in all other areas.
Ok done ranting now…
A reverse what not to wear? I love that idea. Thanks Amber I may have to run with that suggestion 🙂
I followed you over here from Four Flights, and I love both your sites. I like the style aspect of this one (and I've really appreciated the work and effort you've put in, especially for the interviews and photos and such), but I'll always love Four Flights, too. As far as content, I love your pregnancy style posts, even though I'm not pregnant. As those become more difficult for you to do, though, I'd love to see you go into different women's closets and do a revamp, showing them how to rework their pieces into wearable, on-trend outfits. That kind of thing never gets old to me. (If that's what you mean by "advice," I'd LOVE to see some of that featured here. Like I said… It never gets old to me.) I like blogs that feature items on three different price points (you know: save, steal, splurge, or something like that), and I'd also love to be able to count on For the Love to show me wearable, seasonal trends. It'd be neat to do a feature where you go into different stores (ranging from Target/Forever 21 to Anthro to Nordstrom to other, more high end designers) and pick out items you think would be worth purchasing and integrating into a wardrobe and why. (I, for one, wish I had someone like you to go shopping with!) I also have appreciated your past posts on beauty products, and I love to see what other people are using, so that might be fun too.
Really, I've truly enjoyed the effort and time you've already put into For the Love. I'm confident that what you come up with next will be valuable and enjoyable too. This site is one of my new favorites, for sure! 🙂
Aww, thanks so much Annie 🙂 I never thought about doing the three different price point thing here, but now that you mention it I do enjoy reading those in blogs and in magazines so that's a great suggestion. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement 🙂
I came over from Four Flights, even though I don't read many other style/fashion blogs. Personally, I'm not really interested in the business side or behind the scenes of fashion. But I love helpful style tips, makeovers and advice based on pieces that are within a reasonable budget. Even though I won't be pregnant again, I love to see cute maternity clothes. 🙂 Obviously, the best kind of content is whatever you're passionate about, but I will always click over for a good makeover!
Thanks for your honesty Melissa. I knew not everyone would be interested in the Insiders series but like you said, it's something that I'm passionate about and I think some will be too. I really need to brainstorm some ideas for fun and different makeover series.
first–why no URL field? i love to be able to click over to someone's blog if i like their comment. 🙂 🙂
now the answers to your questions.
1. i do, of course, read FFOF.
2. i LOVE to read all things fashiony. i will take any kind of fashion content. 🙂
3. i don't have any kind of answer about the RSS thing, other than to say that building my RSS readership has been the slowest growing "stat" for me. much easier to get twitter followers, etc.
oh, and i love the URL idea, too 🙂
I know, this comment system isn't very robust, one of the many things I still need to tweak. Thanks for the reminder Hayley 🙂 I do wonder why building a RSS following is so tough though?
hello, sweetie!
well, you know i came through ffof. and i love you.
also, i am a hot mess, so any advice you so beautifully provide is soaked right up!
i really am blessed by your pregnant style posting 🙂 it's beautiful! i am not pregnant, nor will i ever be. but i love celebrating the joy that YOU have. and? you're too stinkin' adorable to NOT share your mama-to-be style 🙂
so, press on, follow your vision for this space and it.will.grow. and reach exactly who it needs to! you're already wildly successful to me! 🙂 xo
You are not a hot mess! I've seen you in real life 🙂 Thank you. I appreciate your ongoing support and encouragement and I will continue to press on 🙂
I read both of your blogs and am a relatively new reader of them. I love the styling pieces and love the tips- especially beauty tips! Your recent post about getting feet sandal ready was great fun. I love having trustworthy sources recommending health/beauty products. I love all that stuff but hate wasting $ which I do far to often!
Makeovers are great too.
Your writing style is wonderful and I look forward to your future posts. It's such a treat to read them and take a few minutes for myself 🙂
Thank you so very much Liz! I'm so happy and honored to have you as a new reader and am glad you are enjoying the content I'm putting out so far. That means so very much to me!
Andrea, here's my two cents:
1. I'm a new and happy reader to both of your blogs.
2. Fashion content is fun, especially when you make it so relatable. I'm not pregnant but I can still get a lot out of your pregnancy style posts, and I wouldn't be surprised if there turned out to be a lot of interest in third trimester fashion posts down the road. Because not many bloggers go there, ya know?
3. Advice style posts sound really interesting to me: mini-makeover, or redoing the closet? YES.
4. Two weeks is not long. At all. Keep it up!!
3.
Thanks Anne. I'm not getting discouraged by any means and I know 2 weeks is not long, I just want to get a head start on continuing to create content that you guys will enjoy and don't want to get stale. Thanks for your 2 cents 🙂
I came over from FFOF. Maybe some people want to check it out for a while before subscribing… since it's such a huge commitment and all… LOL.
I like seeing your pregnancy style and would also enjoy makeovers, or seeing you help remix their current wardrobe with a few new pieces.
I started a new blog in January, so I can relate to the feeling of starting over. I don't have any tips for you, because I have not figured out the secret to success! But just stay true to yourself and write about what you are passionate about. Being genuine always reaches more people.
thanks Heather for your encouragement 🙂
I am reading from ff, I just have not subscribed. I usually follow your new posts from FB. I'll try to remember. : )
no worries, that was not meant to invoke guilt haha! 🙂
I think you're doing great! Don't put too much pressure on yourself. In blogging, my experience is that patience is key. It takes time to find your groove and it takes time to find your readers.
I love your style posts. Keep those up. You have an approachable CA style that isn't always seen in blogland.
you know I'm anything but easy on myself. I don't know how to not put pressure on myself, but I'm working at it 🙂
I'm mostly a FFOF reader. I do stop over here from time to time and browse (probably once a week). I love the DIY posts and think you are a great writer but fashion isn't really my thing.
And just from a "stats" perspective. I don't "follow" blogs. I've tried bloglovin', GFC, and the RSS feed at one point or another and ditched all of them. I like the act of going to each blog and reading it. And I know that there are more like me – so my advice is to not stress those numbers.
Give it time!!
I love your blog! Honestly I used to "sign up" and "follow" blogs but the list got to be too long. Now I just go to my 20 on my mac that I have bookmarked. I wonder how many people are like me in that 😉
I love the style posts & I agree with Anne, if you're up for 3rd tri tips that would probably be really helpful to a lot of people.
I like the idea of mini makeovers – will you do one long distance 😉
Keep going! Love this blog!
Came over from four flights (remember that post that practically pushed us over here?! just kidding). Love this one, too and I absolutely looooooove style tips! More,please! Oh and DIY is great, too. In my view styles not about pregnant or not, so keep it up! Some of us wake up feeling bloated and all that without a baby to show… If I want to see so-perfect-it's-scary fashion shots I'd buy a magazine, there are enough of them. Which I don't read because I prefer real life women with a real life sense of style.
Keep going!
1. I'm a newer reader of FFOF but came over here when you posted about it. I (still) read both in google reader so I have to click over if I want to comment…I'm just bad at actually clicking over.
2. I just found out I'm pregnant with my third so I'm loving your pregnancy style post and your other content but am excited to see what else you have up your sleeve. Be brave and do third tri tips. I'll need them. 🙂
3. YES to advice!
5. Didn't you go to ALT? I want to say you did? Anyway…some blogs take off, other are slow to grow. Not all blog readers carry over from one blog to the other. As hard as it is, don't look into or read your stats for a while. Just get out there and "advertise" your blog on other blogs, etc. I'm guessing a lot of people came to FFOF because of your design mom post. Anyway…I'm rambling but I guess don't worry about stats right now and focus on great content. Readers will come if it's there!
I'm new here (just found you through a link on poppytalk to your glittery neon cards) and love the content I've read so far! I subscribed in google reader. To answer your other questions, I love your pregnancy style posts (I have a seventeen month old, and although I'm not pregnant now I plan to be again at some point!) and really like your style in general so I look forward to whatever content you come up with.
I'd like to know what is worth investing in and what to buy for cheap. Also, what pieces do you really NEED in a wardrobe to make it cute and versatile, including accessories. I used to be a personal stylist, but those questions still perplex me. And I'm a sucker for a good hairstyling post, if you dare go there.
I agree, posting lists of "must have" items that very few can afford doesn't help anyone. I so admire you for seeing that! Keeping it realistic will keep me reading.