UPDATE: thanks for all the feedback and input! I’m keeping things as is. Looking forward to Blogging 201 and more wifi!
Should I phase this blog out and move everything over to The TumbleLees, our travel blog? See poll below. If you have any solutions, please comment.
I started blogging in 2011. First as a way for my husband and I to share about our marriage as we have a story to telI. We tried to be very transparent about our trials and tribulations. As we began to rebuild our marriage and our family, we began to travel more, so some of our marriage stories include travels. Our favorite place in the USA became the Rockies in Colorado, so there are a few blogs about it. And we discovered we both loved to hike, so we began to incorporate our hiking adventures. We never dreamed we would sell everything and begin to travel full time and hike a lot. But that happened to us over the past two years. So that blog became about our full time travels, but was done in our voices. While we do nearly everything together, and we can complete each other’s sentences, I needed another outlet for my own personal journey. And this blog was born. But it has floundered.
blogging. helps!
Enter Blogging University hosted by WordPress. What a great experience this has become, but I have not been able to focus much time or energy on this blog. And it seems our travel blog interests more people. So now my dilemma. Shut this blog down and just focus on our travel blog and just make it more my voice? In reality, my husband doesn’t write at all, we just bounced ideas around and I never published until he proof read it and offered suggestions or improvements.
So I have been through a process of trying to brand this blog, but it seems I am splitting myself in two. Coupled with the fact that I don’t have unlimited wifi – as a full time travelers, we have to pay as we go.
I’ve wanted to create a blog to share about all the bloggers I am following. They have enriched my life and I have “borrowed” some ideas from many. And as the August Blogging 101 ends, I’ve sensed a closeness and something very unique. And then I learned a core group decided to make an Alumni Group. What a great idea and it is presently open so you can enter and decide to become part of the group. Here is our fabulous Blogging 101 Community blog roll by categories!
A few observations about what makes a really good blogger to me and the ones I follow fit that category:
- A good sense of humor, to be able to write in a humorous way. What a gift! Sadly, I don’t seem to have that ability to share in my writings. So far…..
- Blogs about real life journeys.
- Sharing about spiritual matters. While I am a born again Christian, I want to know about others spiritual journeys. I am so excited about following blogs from others very passionate about their faith, but whose faith is very different from mine. In fact, i am sensing a key to world peace is if we just share our faith more and what is GOOD about our faith and how we have many similarities.
- As a fitness buff, I do enjoy inclusion of any health tips, and especially other hikers.
- And as a traveler, I also enjoy other travel blogs.
It’s amazing how many bloggers I have chosen to follow these past two months. I actually have spent more time reading their blogs and commenting than focusing on my own blogging. And I’ve learned so much!
Feeling accomplished!
Maybe you can keep this one around just for those moments when you feel the need to hear your own voice? It is also a great way for you to shed some new light on to your old posts from the Tumble Lee’s, ones that a person might miss otherwise.
Thanks! Blogging 101 has given me so many new ideas-and now I see some weaknesses and areas to work on! Maybe I’m stressing over nothing.
Maybe ☺ do you find it hard to write two blogs?
No, it’s more about lack of wifi and time while we’re helping our daughter get ready for another baby….
Oh congratulations Debbie! Thanks for answering. I have been wondering if I should set up another blog just for photos. I hope all goes well with your family ☺
If I had it all over to do again, I’d do one blog and have a good menu and categorize better. I’ve seen blogs like that.
Thank you for the advice Debbie. I appreciate it. As a new blogger, I will keep that in mind. ☺
That’s a tough call. I enjoy your thoughts immensely.
I have found (for myself) that if I try to reach in too many directions simultaneously I get worn out and nothing really thrives the way it should.
Sometimes we have to say “no” to one thing in order to say “yes” to something else.
I don’t have the heart to tell you to shut it down, but only you know how thinly you’re stretched.
God be with you!
I’m going to follow your other blog just in case you shut this one down…
Why don’t you start with a new blog. And customize it the way you like it & provide links to these two blogs as well. Or there is an option of importing stuff from blogs! You can try that!
Hi I have two of which one is a travel and have wondered if this is right for me too. I’ve decided it is because my travel audience is different and whilst a few follow both most of my travel followers are only interested in travel.
Yes it means my other blog has fewer followers but that doesn’t matter as that’s not its purpose. It is simply an outlet for me and any followers is a blessing.
What I do do though is have clear links which encourage followers to at least travel between them.
Thank you!
@thinkerv0 can help you with how to transfer blog content from one blog to another!
I just found your blog so don’t feel knowledgeable enough to vote, but what comes to my mind is the option to keep this blog but since your husband isn’t writing, make it a blog that generally only reflects your voice. When I look at the bloggers you are most interested in following it sounds like your “Let’s Help Each Other! L I F E : Love Inspiration Freedom Encouragement” interest is really important and that having only a travel blog would be really limiting.
BTW, I might be one of the bloggers you are looking for, ie. you said you are looking for people who are “very passionate about their faith, but whose faith is very different from mine.” I agree that that is a key to world peace!
Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m actually more comfortable for now keeping it. There may come a day when we stop traveling. Then I will be ready. I enjoy blogging and reading about other people’s Lives! I’ll check out your blog. I hope I can find the link to it from your name.
I found your blog. Aw yes, we have much in common. I’m following you now. Thanks for reaching out to me. I look forward to reading more about your journey in this life!
I look forward to “talking” with you more!
Debbie, for the personal matters, maybe you can keep this site alive. Yes it may be hard but you can. If it means that much to you to separate the two then strive to keep this site alive. If you feel that you simply just CANNOT maintain more than one blog, then you must figure out a way to transfer the audience of one blog to another and combine them. If you choose to do this, then simply dedicated your personal posts under a category or specific day or something. Make it a feature as we learned from BU 101. 😉 I’m sure you’ll figure it out in no time. You’re a bright woman, with wonderful stories and those who want to hear them will come. Promise.
Thank you for your encouragement! I’ve decided I’m going to try it. I may reblog some of my favorite marriage stories and travels just to keep this blog alive! I’m almost done with one now. We’ll start traveling in 2-3 weeks so I’ll have new posts there. Still consumed with the grandsons!
Alright! Just don’t over do it ok? 😉
Whatever you decide (or have decided… I’m a bit behind reading my email) I’m sure it will be the right decision. I’m just looking forward to reading more of your stories. They are so uplifting, and yes THEY ARE FUNNY! You have a great sense of humor. Don’t sell yourself short! God bless you, Debbie. Audrey
Ah thanks. I guess I need to update this-I’m going to try to keep on doing both! Biggest hindrance is that I don’t have wifi in our RV. Our data plan is for 15 GB. That’s not much when you want to blog every few days.
That is a shame. Wish I could send a little extra Wi-Fi your way. Love you Debbie!
Me too! Whenever I leave my daughter’s, I think about how could I “bag” some of hers! I take my computer there but it’s hard to hold a new born and blog, or fold her laundry and blog! I’m always “doing.” But we’re going to a campground next week that has wifi! Yippee!
Appreciate the Love! Isn’t the Lord so wonderful how He’s bringing us together – and His love flows between us! ❤️ u 2!
God is amazing, isn’t he? 🙂 Safe travels, Debbie! Hope you and Bill enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Oh, and I think you’re making a great call choosing the baby over the blog! They’re only small for so short a time, enjoy it! I’m sure it’s such a blessing to have grandma around and willing to help. You rock. 🙂
Lol! Thanks. But my memory is getting stale and I want to blog about some of these memories! I’m sorry neither of my grandmas left me a piece of them to read and enjoy! My maternal grandma was a beautiful Christian. I did get her worn Bible. I was 5 when she passed. My paternal grandma was an immigrant from Romania, at age 11 in 1911 with her family. She started to work and never learned to read or write. She ended up owning her own business. We lived states apart, but I saw her once a year as a child, except the 3 years we lived overseas. Then lost track of her once I married except one visit to take my daughter to meet her. She passed in 1999 at the age of 99! The stories she could tell them! Wow Chatty Cathy here! Toddler grandson is napping. We’re at our campground. He LOVES it here!
Wow, those are some amazing stories. Glad you were able to hang onto as much of your family history as you did. I’m sure the little one will appreciate it someday. Enjoy the nap 😉
I agree that this could be a confusing situation. But I am of the opine that you do not have to shut down this blog. Your travel blog got as popular as it is in time so give this blog time and I’m sure that this one will do well too! You can use this blog to write about those special moments that you specifically want to share. And at times you can blog and reblog between the 2 blogs.
Thank you! That’s about how I’ve been coached and what I now think! I appreciate your feedback!
Do what your heart tells you Debbie.
I love that picture.
Sincerely,
Anand 🙂
Always!
Debbie L, I hope you stay. I am not a traveler; however, I do enjoy blogs which include travel news or reports. But I do not deliberately choose sites that are basically travel sites; therefore, I would probably miss you. I vote for remaining flexible and versatile. Thanks for the like on my Learning Ladder. I also love the “alumni” group, and hope to spend more time there. The Commons for writing101 is also a warm friendly place to chat. Are you doing writing101? I’m following you so I guess I’ll catch you if I get caught up on my e-mail!
I’m taking Blogging 201. I didn’t think I could do both. I’m enjoying everyone’s writing assignments, though! I’ll take it down the road.
And I’ve decided to keep both blogs. I can reblog my Lifetime of forgiveness blog over to my travel blog, but I can’t do the reverse because my travel blog is self hosted. I pay extra for it and now I see it’s a disadvantage. Oh well, live and learn!
Thank you for commenting!