Love’n Hate Poetry Challenge
If you read my entry in last month’s success-themed poetry challenge, Sometimes I Feel, then you probably already have an inkling that I have been in a love-hate relationship with my blog for the past 4 to 5 months.
When I first began my blog I was writing for me. I was living in turmoil and pain and had to excise it so that I could continue to go on breathing. I wrote about my pain and then I joined the Blogging U courses and wrote stuff for that as well. And I received a lot of feedback. I fell in love with that feedback and learned to hunger for it. I felt like I was no longer alone, that people cared about me and I began to heal. However after my courses ended and the angst receded, away went the sense of community I had fallen in love with and begun writing for.
Instead I saw a followers number that mocked me everyday, posts with few likes (and those that were liked I wasn’t even sure if people even came to my site to read the entire thing because there were no comments). I have this delightful event each month Memee’s Poetry Parties that I love and want to see grow into something wonderful yet the growing pains are painfully slow despite the fact that it is listed on WordPress’s Blog Event Listing catalog. Of course it doesn’t help that it says the event takes place on the last day of every month (but that cannot be remedied because their submission template wants to know when the event ends not when it begins, which is totally stupid, lame, and irrelevant to choosing an event to participate in! And then today — I am writing parts of this post way in advance of the November challenge — this little reminder came across my WP Reader like a dandelion seedlet floating on the wind:
Thank you, Deanne, I really, really needed this visual reminder that I can look at now and in the future to keep me going at times when I feel like giving up!
And Deanne wasn’t the only one to give me a boost, I have received reminders from fellow bloggers today (random October day) that just because people do not like, follow or comment that it doesn’t mean that they don’t visit or find enjoyment. And it doesn’t mean that I don’t have value, skill or a voice. It doesn’t mean that I am alone on my blog or invisible to every other wannabe blogger. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but not every eye has a mouth of which to speak…. not sure where that sentence/idea came from, but I like it so it’s staying!
And so I have followed another blogger’s suggestion and have removed my number so I don’t see it mocking me any longer. I can let it go and just write for the love of writing! In fact, seeing as I’ve basically been whining my way through this post, I should mention that the minute I removed my number I instantly felt free, unshackled from the belief that to be worthy of having a blog you must have thousands of people tell you that you are worth their time. It is not a popularity contest. It is an outlet, a tool and an expression of oneself that we are sharing with others who choose to take a peek.
By the way (it’s a different day today), if you have similiar feelings about your blog, i.e., growing pains, I recommend reading this post that I just came across on Pinterest entitled, How to Have a Popular Blog [and Should You?]*
I am getting way off point here, but I wanted to share you a bullet point from that blog post because I want to answer it:
The third question you ask yourself: Do I like it even if it’s not returning me what I expected?
YES! I love my blog!!
So, what is your love-hate relationship? Tell us all about it in this month’s Poetry challenge linkyparty #lovenhate.
Gosh, now that I wrote all of that I sure hope I still have the emotional vigor over the situation to write a stirring poem about it!
*It’s odd that I came across this post on Pinterest because this is a blog I follow and she has reblogged me and I have reblogged her previously. Her blog is entitled Mostly Blogging and is all about Blogging Tips. If you’re new, newish, or just wanting more from blogging you should follow her too!
Love’n Hate Party Details:
Submission deadline is next Wednesday, November 25th at 24:55 PST.
Submit now!
Voting opens at 00:05 PST on Thanksgiving Day and ends on Nov 30th at 23:55 PST.*
*(If you don’t know PST just Google “What time is it now in PST?” and calculate agaisnt your time zone)
This month’s party is very short so you must not hesitate! I apologize for the speedy times. I want to get back on the proper party schedule and shortening this one is the only way. My university classes have begun again and I’ve been swamped and exhausted. Everything will return to normal next month. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
The Rules
1. Submit the URL address to your relevant original poem.
2. Please try to visit at least two party guests, leave them a nice compliment or begin a friendly discussion with them. Mingle, people, mingle!
3. Let your followers know that you’re partying at Memee’s Musings and they’re invited to drop in and join the party! It’s a perfect excuse to use your participation badge!
4. This party’s unique hashtag is #lovenhate. Link back to me and, of course, if: You tweet me, I’ll tweet you… tweet, tweet! (Even if you don’t have a twitter account please use the hashtag as a blog tag.)
Concluding Remarks:
Love your blog! Join the Party Now!
Voting begins on the 26th and concludes at 23:55 PST on November 30th, so be sure to get your poems submitted before the voting window opens and tell everyone to head to the punch bowl and vote while they can! I imagine that with the combined brevity of short notice and Thanksgiving preparations this will be a small party. However, the challenge is still worth it!
As always door prizes will be delivered via email. And, of course, if you didn’t hear who won you can check out the Party Favor(ites) tab or leave me a comment. Last month’s winning poetry will post this Sunday, however it was announced yesterday in my post, Success Stories, Failure: How Ironic!
Don’t know how to link up? Read Linking up: It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3!
Collect your participation badge and find more answers at: Memee’s Poetry Parties.
Memee's Musings 
So, any thoughts?