Last year, Lindsey over at Lindsey Reads had a really thoughtful discussion post about the pros and cons of telling people about your blog. It's a topic that had also been on my mind for awhile, so I wanted to put down my thoughts on the issue, as well.
Do I tell people about my blog and talk about it in my "real" life? Yes and no. Mostly no.
Before I started my blog, I only told two people that I was even considering it: my sister and my husband. Now that I've been blogging for almost two years, there aren't that many more people that know about it among my family and friends. My parents read it occasionally; my brother and his wife know, but I don't know if they actually ever check it out.
I feel like I talk about the blog quite a bit, but my sister has become the (lucky or unlucky?) recipient of almost all my emails and phone calls about it. She's been really great to brainstorm ideas with or help me proofread upcoming posts (one of these days, I will convince her to start her own blog!).
So far, blogging has been a really wonderful experience and I'm proud of the things I've written and what I've been able to put together. Logically, I should want others to know about this hobby of mine that has actually become a big part of my life. So, why don't I talk about my blog with more people or promote my posts on my personal Facebook page?
If I'm going to be really honest, I think there is a little bit of a feeling of embarrassment. I think if I started telling people, they'd be like, "You do what?" There are so many blogs out there on every topic imaginable; it's not uncommon for people to have a blog, but for some reason, I think my friends and family might think it's weird for me to have one? Like, I don't even text on my phone, yet I've created this whole corner of the internet for myself? And even though it's a public blog and part of the reason I started it was to join this amazing community, it still feels a bit personal. Even if I'm just writing a book review, it makes me nervous to think that someone I know and see often is reading my words and maybe even judging me for my thoughts. For some reason, it's less nerve-wracking to have someone I don't know offline reading my posts.
I think a lot of my family and friends just wouldn't be interested in it. I know some of them read often, but I don't think it's on the scale and with the passion that I have for it. I don't really want to be talking about something that no one cares about. Somehow it would hurt less to keep it to myself than to tell others and not get a lot of support.
Other book bloggers just get it - we started our blogs for a lot of the same reasons; we have the same interests; we understand each other. Whether we're super excited about an upcoming release or gutted when a book doesn't live up to expectations, we all know how that feels. I love that I've been able to join this community and develop a friendship with other bloggers. I have all of you guys - most of the time I don't even feel a need to talk about my blog at work or with friends.
So, this rambled a bit! Am I overthinking this? Should I tell my friends and family about my blog? Do you talk about your blog in "real life" or do you keep it private?
Great post. I never thought about this topic before. I j tell everyone I meet that reads about my blog. I don’t really tell non readers. I know they wouldn’t care. If I know you read though especially books I read. I tell you all about and probably chaw you off in the process. I never thought of what others would think. I didn’t know some bloggers felt this way. I am glad there is a great communitt out there for support.
ReplyDeleteYes, the community has been really great! Good for you for getting your blog out there!
DeleteI can relate to this so hard. I don’t usually tell people in real life about my blog. It’s probably because I don’t care about the opinions of strangers, but I have to live with the opinions of the people in my real life. People in my life don’t read and don’t understand my book obsession. Sometimes I don’t want to deal with their judgment and questions.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
Ah, so glad it's not just me! There really does seem to be a difference between people you see all the time and people you just know online!
DeleteI told some people when I stared it - mostly to have them like the FB page. But other than that I don't talk about it much. My husband obviously knows but totally doesn't get it. I know my mom and a couple of friends read it occasionally though. I get the kind of embarrassment of people thinking i am weird for blogging about books. I will say though a lot of my friends and family found my IG book account and follow me so they probably think I am super weird lol.
ReplyDeleteHa! I don't have IG yet, but I wonder how people would react if a lot of my pictures were of books!
DeleteI don't talk about my blog much with many people. I am in a couple of book groups and they know about it. A couple of my mystery group read it. I have a few internet friends that I met before we started blogs - we met on a book site and we've continued being friends for over 20 years. My husband and daughter know. However, other people - I don't hide it, but I don't talk about books much with them. I'm known as the person who is a bit obsessed with books. Most people don't really understand about it, so I don't mention it much. Like you say, we all have each other and we all understand exactly the things you mentioned. And I think that is just 'practically perfect'. LOL
ReplyDeleteExactly! I think that's why so many of us started blogs to begin with, because we didn't have a lot of people to talk books with. So it makes sense that we wouldn't talk about it much.
DeleteI tell people about my blog but most of them don't seem to get what the big deal is, you know? Because my family and friends in real life don't like reading at all and don't get how amazing the blogging community is. Oh well...
ReplyDeleteThat's why I'm so glad the book blogging community is as wonderful as it is! It really is such a supportive group.
DeleteI talk about my blog with very few people. Mostly the woman stuck with me at work, but I guess I like that it's this place that is apart from the rest of my life, and it's something I want to share with people who share my enthusiasm for reading.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've mentioned it to one of my coworkers because she likes to read, but I don't know that she actually checks it out on a regular basis.
DeleteI feel mostly the same. Only a few people in my real life know about my blog too (and they've only looked at it like once cuz it's just not to their interest, which is fine). I don't really have a good explanation why. But maybe it is kinda because what you said about how other bookworms get it, but the other people in my life probably wouldn't. And it does feel more like I might be judged by people who know me in real life!
ReplyDeleteI know, for some reason I feel like they might look at me differently if they were reading my writing all the time!
DeleteI don't talk about my blog much either. Like you, I talk about it the most with my husband and my sister. And also like you, I've been trying to persuade my sister to start her own blog for over a year now, lol. I don't know many other people in real life who are as passionate about books as I am so I always feel somewhat protective of my blog. I don't want to show it to people that I think either won't care about it or worse might mock what I was doing. Sometimes my husband tells people that I blog about books and I actually find myself getting a little angry at him for revealing my secret, lol.
ReplyDeleteOMG, my husband does the same thing! I think it's because he's proud of me, but I'm like, stop, they'll think I'm weird!
DeleteProtective is a good way of describing it! I actually asked one of my brothers for some technical advice once, and he just answered the question and moved on - didn't even ask what the blog was about or anything! So I kind of took that as a sign!
I am so immensely proud of the site you have put together and I look forward to each new post! I wish you would talk about it a little bit more for one overlooked reason - you never know who you will inspire. I only got back into reading a couple years ago because of you. I enjoyed it while we were growing up but definitely got out of it during college. But you persisted in giving me books you thought I would enjoy, and now here I am with a TBR list that is crazy, out of control, but in a good way. Reading is now one of my favorite hobbies and one we are passing down to Luna. There are way more people in our circle than you would think who actively look for book recommendations - and obviously your blog would be the place to go!
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you! <3 I'm so glad my nagging paid off!
DeleteI know there are other readers in our circle, I just don't know how to bring it up. With you, it's just normal that we talk about books now; with other people, it doesn't seem to come up as much.
My immediate family knows about my blog and my friends, but they don't know the details of it. But then, it's my safe space -- it's my space, you know? It's hard to explain, but it's where I don't have to think about family and friends, and how they think of me, because I know I would otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI totally get it - for me, my blog is where I can be myself, but also a version of myself that I'm sometimes too scared to be in real life. So friends and family might be surprised by some things on here.
DeleteExactly, I figure most people just wouldn't be interested.
ReplyDeleteOnly my father in law, father and husband know about my blog, most people in my family don't care otherwise so I cannot really talk to them about it. My husband reads fantasy online, but he knows I write reviews. He does tease me on some of the books I read, but I'll talk to him about some books that I find thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand, I haven't told so many people in my family. My husband isn't a reader, but I think he likes that I'm a reader; sometimes I'll read things out loud to him if I think he might find it interesting!
Deleteyou've completely expressed my feelings about blogs. it's a bit nerve-wracking to have someone you know in person read your blog, it's just so easy to judge. but I don't hide that fact I have a blog. if they ask me about my blog, yes, I will tell them but if not, well, I guess I see no reason to even bring it up.
ReplyDeletehave a lovely day.
Thanks, Lissa! You're right, it's not actually something I advertise to people, although I did mention it to someone today who I know through charity work; we were talking about a book she was reading and I mentioned the blog, but I was so nervous!
Deletep.s., I mentioned you & I quoted a part from your post in my blog, I hope that's okay.
ReplyDeletehave a lovely day.
That's great, thank you so much!
DeleteI've always told my family about my blog, but I've gotten braver about telling friends and coworkers. I feel like it's really personal too, but I write it keeping in mind that my mom or coworkers might read it, so while it can be more casual than I'd be at work, there's never anything I'd actually be embarrassed about if they saw it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good way of looking at it. I don't think I'm embarrassed by anything I've written, but I think people might be surprised by my tone or what I read.
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