Well, I guess it depends on what you mean about things "working."

I have been blogging a little over two and a half years, but only had a blog that anyone other than my parents read as of about December.

What has worked for me is, quite honestly, just doing what I do and not worrying too much about the rest of it.  I remind myself daily why I started blogging and to stay true to that.  And let the rest just roll.

That makes great sense, Molly.  Thanks for your input!

I have been blogging since early 2007, but my current blog began in March of 2008 when I finally decided my reasons for blogging and what goals I wanted to reach with my blog. It has been slow and steady, but I have a group of regular readers that I very much appreciate. I have made some bloggy friends, started a separate charity blog, do occasional product reviews and giveaways, and have pushed myself further than I would have in exploration of new endeavors and information. I have even guest blogged for a fellow blogger on occasion.

I don't plan to stop blogging any time soon, and I really like that it gives me a voice. I grew up wanting to be a writer and/or a journalist, but did not follow that particular path in college. This allows me to exercise my writing muscle in my own way, and to satisfy my need to write.

I am not sure if it works for me or against me, but my blog is a bit eclectic. It is about my love of the natural world in the context of gardening and homesteading topics, the pursuit of local an healthy food, and also about my family and our artistic and creative adventures. And, okay, my crafty exploits as well.

I hope that this gives it a creativity and variety that keeps readers engaged and wanting to return.

My blog is my own personal development project  and I don't know where it's going. I'd love to have a large and clamoring readership, adoring fans, celebrity and become a brand.  But I'm not, like, trying for that because I believe that sort of success is rather a mixture of skill, timing, and luck. So I'm using it to stretch myself creatively.  I am not a 'mommy blogger' although I am a mommy.  I write about living in a coastal community...and about anything else I feel like!  I use pictures to tell my story and I love taking photos and seeing how they organically fit together with my words to tell my story, whatever it is.  I guess I embellish the ordinary, sometimes it's a bit of prose and sometimes I am very impressed with myself (what I've written) that I'm really encouraged to just continue.  I don't know where this is going...I don't write with SEO in mind; I just write what I'm passionate about and the words, they come.  

Thanks, Jeanne and Sinclair!  I'm definitely going to check out your blogs - you piqued my curiousity.

Up until a couple weeks ago, my blog was really just for family and friends. Then I joined a couple communities to see what they are all about, and my followers jumped.  I've thought more about how I write my stories, since I know there are others besides people who personally know me, reading.  But I've also found that blogging gives me a chance to "use my brain", as I like to say, because it isn't something that gets used much as a SAHM. 

I will, though, still write about what I've always written about, and that includes my kids, dog and husband, and things that are important to us like "green" living and organics, & new recipes we try (since we have made a point to avoid packaged food at the grocery store due to excess sodium, sugars and other junk fillers).

 I have been curious about others' experiences. Thanks again!

Liz