Blogging Voice

via blog brunch

Happy Sunday! I hope you've found time to rest and reflect on your past week and the start to the new year. I know I've been reading a lot (and seeing several re-pins on pinterest) about all of our resolutions and the pieces of our lives that we have recommitted to in some shape or form. 

Along those lines, I wanted to share with you this thought provoking post on developing your blog's voice -- for my fellow bloggers out there who have recommitted themselves to their beloved online home. If you're anything like me, it can be tempting to adopt elements of other blogger's successes to try to make more vivid posts. It can also be stifling when you feel trapped to a certain blogging identity. There is such a fine line when it comes to your unique blogging voice and it is important to be true to that voice. Being yourself is easier said than done online, and I speak from experience when I say that sometimes it's just easier to sugar coat life and only write about the pretty, cleaned up parts of our lives. 

Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for me, hiding behind a "have-it-all-together" persona is not an option and it often damages the validity of my blogging voice and what this blog is about. Going through this process of choosing appropriate blog content has shown me why it's crucial to really discover what your voice is and what that looks like in your writing. 

I came across some valuable advice from Danielle from Sometimes Sweet about staying true to yourself and blogging for you. I have to tell you that it was such a relief to read her words about how fashion pics/tips were not her thing, and she felt strange trying to make it her thing in order to gain readership. She expresses gratitude that her blog has maintained the identity of being a mainly writing blog, and I was inspired by her authenticity. 

For those of you who know me, you know that I am not a "fashionista" and will probably never post pictures to tell you about my outfits (not that there is anything wrong with fashion/style bloggers, it just does not fit this blog). You also know that more than likely, you won't see make-up tips or thrifty finds, even though I do follow blogs that are very different from mine and sometimes fall along these lines. Finding where I belong and being true to my blogging voice means you will find a more honest writer here -- and that makes me happy. However, although my voice here is generally journal/confessional writing, that does not mean I have to stay confined in a blog box. As bloggers, we need to have the confidence to write about what we are passionate about, and there we may find an assortment of topics and little joys. 

In the future, I plan to expand and develop my blogging voice here. I plan to flesh out  some of my interests and ideas that you don't see here often for various reasons. I'm excited to share some writers' interviews and frugal living goals among other things, but it comforts me to know that as bloggers, we all have a role to play and we don't need to blog about the same things to keep readers like you reading.

Anyway, that is my Sunday rant/fine discovery; I hope you found it useful. If you find the blogging identity conversation interesting, by all means, leave a comment... I'd love to chat with other bloggers about the infamous blogging voice. 

Happy Blogging, and may the voice be ever in your favor ;)