At the start of this week of Thanksgiving in the US, with an awareness of how fortunate I am in so many ways, it feels very much like I’m at a crossroads, although maybe just another path off the one less traveled. My blog reach has dwindled substantially over the last year plus, at times causing me to wonder what I should do differently or even if I should continue with it. (Because of needing to maintain a profile of myself as a published author, I probably will.) Throughout my life, in many ways, what works for others hasn’t for me. I have never been able to figure out why. Should I be more personally revealing, complain more, be cleverer, write more directly about current events? Am I not edgy enough, angry enough, relevant enough? Obviously, I’m not seductive enough – well, that is nothing new. I have tried to look at the success others have in attracting visitors to their blogs, but I’m still not sure what the secret is. Comparison is usually not very productive.
Mixing metaphors from my opening line, I’ve always swum against the tide; I will even admit to being resistant to going more easily with the current – that actually feels like I’m going against myself. I feel best when I express myself through my creativity and imagination. I have always felt a strong affinity with this quote by Emily Brontë:
“If I could I would always work in silence and obscurity, and let my efforts be known by their results.”
Perhaps that is the problem. I’m a very solitary person. In my physical world – and now in the virtual one, too – that seems to put people off; they like someone who is outgoing, who speaks more and louder, or is submissive to their being outgoing and speaking more and louder.
I understand. I do isolate myself. I can get lost in my thoughts and feelings and become unavailable. I’m an idea person. A head person who follows her heart.
“… let my efforts be known by their results,” I suppose by that measure, the result the efforts put into my many years of blogging (and even my writing, that has seen decades of effort) has pretty much been a failure. Saying that, I just came upon this quote today:
“Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” ~ Samuel Becket
Perhaps a new definition of success?
What’s most important is that I don’t want to lost sight of my calling to create, and, also, those who have taken the time and interest to add their support through visits to my blogs, adding likes and comments, purchasing my publications and offering reviews or their encouragement in other ways.
Please know I appreciate every ONE of you who has given my writing and artwork, my very essence your attention in whatever way comfortable for you.
I give thanks.
Not without remembering there is much yet to do
in this world that sorely needs
to become more peaceful, unified, and compassionate.
Copyright 2012 by Diane’s Mom, June
Thank you for your visit!
©Artwork and writing, unless otherwise indicated, are the property of Diane M Denton. Please request permission to reproduce or post elsewhere with a link back to bardessdmdenton. Thank you.
bardessdmdenton - author- artist 
I’ve been thinking along the same lines, especially about my blog. I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time on it, and Facebook and Twitter, and feel that I’d rather be writing – or going for a contemplative walk, or lunch with friends. I’m not good at commenting on current events, so my blog is simply a repository of my various forms of words at play. However, I don’t see it as a private sandbox, but as a public one that occasionally attracts a curious and often fascinating visitor. Some become friends. As for me, I would greatly miss the literary and artistic quality you present to the world online. Keep casting your “net.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
My apologies, Mary, for taking so long to reply. I totally relate to what you wrote about your blog and social media – every night I tell myself I will spend less time on social media and more on writing, so I have time to just live, too. I’m not good at addressing current events here, either. I’d rather just let the creativity flow out of what I observe and feel (especially curious about), imagine, even fear, so I may counter that fear in a way that adds something positive. Ideally, it is a reaching out unconditionally to whoever connects to what we offer. Thank you so much for your spirit, support, and friendship! Please keep casting your “net”, too! (Oh, and a very belated thank you for the Thanksgiving greeting you sent about caring for our animal companions. I know I wouldn’t want to live in a world without them)
LikeLiked by 1 person
You shouldn’t change, Diane. What happened to “be yourself?” The only way for me to create traffic to my blog is by visiting others. Lately though, that’s something I don’t do as often as I used to. I’m sensing a shift in many things in my life right now, some good, some to worry about, and I think blogging is on that list, as well. I still love to write and post, but my time to read other’s blogs is more limited now than when I began four years ago.There’s more to blogging than simply posting on our own blogs.
You’ve accomplished so much to be proud of, so if your spirits need lifting, then allow my words to help. But you just need to discern where blogging fits into your schedule and all that goes along with it. I think you should keep it, even if you don’t post for awhile. You are in the public eye as an author, so it’s probably good to keep this site alive.
Just be yourself, and don’t change for anyone. You’re a beautiful friend and talented beyond words. I hope you find your answer soon, and just know that you have not failed. Sending love and hugs xo
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much, Lauren! It is not unusual for shifts, transformations, similar challenges, even though in different forms/ways, come to those of us of soulful awareness at parallel times. I hope that whatever is happening in your life will offer fulfillment, love, and not cause you too much worry. I say that as a great worrier myself. May I offer this quote by Benjamin Franklin (which I need to heed myself! 🙂 ): ““Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” Your beautiful words have lifted my spirits and I hope the friendship and generosity they exhibit returns to you a thousand fold. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! XO
LikeLike
You don’t need to change at all, Diane. You have achieved so much already and brought pleasure to so many readers – you should be proud. 🙂 I do so hope you are still writing? Tell your mum I love her artwork! xxx
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much, Deborah! I would rather listen to your encouragement and support than those royalty checks. 🙂 And I will. Yes, this is one of my favorites of my mom’s paintings, and I’ll let her know how much you love it. I’m definitely still writing, nothing will stop me. I have made a lovely writing/art room out of our sun porch, and looking forward to the winter to really pull into my creative work. I’m halfway through my Anne Brontë story, which is turning out to be longer with more scope than I had expected it would be – I have found so much wonderful research material and fall in love with her more and more with every word I write (and one can’t write about one Brontë without becoming somewhat involved with them all). I hope all is going very well with you and all your endeavors and pleasures, and hope your parents are well, too. Blessings, love, and hugs! XO
LikeLike
The only thing I find that attracts more eyes to my blog is to comment on other blogs…which is not the easiest for me to do…Kind of odd, that, being a writer but not being able to craft a good comment…I do agree that our efforts ought to speak for themselves…I don’t know why people must be convinced to give us that chance however…Another one of the mysteries of art, I suppose…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, Michael, that is so true – visiting and commenting on other blogs does beef up traffic to one’s own, and in the early days I spent hours and hours doing so. I really understand your statement about a writer not being able “to craft a good comment” – perhaps, some of us expect always to write something creative and that can really sap the “writing” energy. That, as much as time, is why I’ve had to pull back on the blog visiting. On our efforts speaking for themselves … I just saw this quote from the artist Toulouse-Lautrec today: “I paint things as they are; I don’t comment.” It’s open to interpretation, of course, but it struck me as saying a similar thing to the Emily Bronte quote. (You have some wonderful quotes on your blog, by the way) All the best!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Emily Brontë quote resonates with me, too, another solitary soul. Sometimes I look back on my childhood when I spent hours alone in my room or alone outside in the woods, content, creating and contemplating, not even imagining the possibilities of an internet or a blogosphere. Whenever I start wondering why so relatively few people visit my blog I remind myself that I, in turn, enjoy visiting relatively few blogs myself. (And that there are plenty of lurkers out there.) I appreciate your presence here, Diane, even if I do so quietly and in the background. Please keep being your wonderful self!
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thank you, Barbara, for your lovely empathetic and heartening comment. I know what you mean about looking back – I so relate to how you describe yourself as a child. Even when I wrote A House Near Luccoli, I was very isolated and not involved with social media at all, so totally engrossed (or should I say barricaded) in its writing. But I would never complain about being published, even as it offers a new set of challenges. As you and others have pointed out, blogging does require visiting other blogs – I found that out in the early days of doing it. But then it becomes a full-time activity, and choices have to be made. I find it’s not just time, but mostly writing “energy” it can eat up. I so appreciate your visits here and taking the time to comment – I know you have your lovely family, including your beautiful granddaughter and Tim, who has had his share of illness, to concentrate your attention on. I, in turn, so appreciate your friendship and inspiring offerings on your blog, and Facebook. Wishing you a joyous healthy Thanksgiving!
LikeLiked by 1 person