periodically the big bloggers write a post giving handy tips on how to be a successful blogger like them. (see e.g. this post from today and this post from a few days ago). i can never resist a passing bandwagon, so i'm sending this post to all the tip-starved readers in rubber hose-land.
the problem is, i'm a z-list blogger and don't have all that many tips to give (much less an audience to give it to). but i do have one, set forth in detail below. i've even numbered my tip for your convenience (ya gotta number your tips. that's what everyone does in these posts) so without further ado:
tip #1: be happy with the blog you have
the dirty little secret of blogging is that only a limited number of people will ever be hot-shot high hitters. sure, there are things you can do to improve your chances of becoming a blog sensation (like the tips in all those other blogging tip posts). but even if you do all those things, odds are you'll never make it big. it may not be fair. but that's just the way things are. sure, blogging is a platform that can give a powerful voice to people who might not otherwise have one. but most of the time, for most people, it simply gives you a platform to write a lot of stuff that the vast majority of humanity will never read.
if you can't come to terms with that, my advice to you is to stop blogging. unless you're happy with the idea of not being the next atrios, you're liable to become a twisted bitter shell of a blogger. a blogger who alternates between spamming a-listers with blast emails about each of your earth-shattering posts, and complaining about how all the a-listers are ignoring you.
blogging is supposed to be fun. but to be fun, you need to be happy with what you already got. and if it's not fun, you should quit. life's too short to be hunched over a computer writing stuff if no one's paying you for it and when you're not enjoying doing it.
that's not to say that you shouldn't try to develop your blog. go right ahead and dream of bigger and better things. you just gotta understand that it is just a dream. dreams sometimes come true, especially if you work hard to make them happen. but more often then not, despite your best efforts, they don't. unless you're also happy with blogging with the site you already have, i don't think this blogging thing is worth it.
the trash heap has spoken--nyah.
