Recently I read something by another blogger that intrigued me. They wrote that someone else was writing “their blog.” Not literally, of course, but the blog they had intended to write when they started out. Their own blog had morphed into something entirely different.
Other people then chimed in with the names of bloggers who had either inspired them or who were writing the type of blog they had set out to publish but had somehow gotten side tracked.
I understand where they’re coming from. When I started EQUINE Ink, I didn’t really have a plan. Or rather, my plan was not to write a blog. I wanted to have a review site of equestrian products. I thought it would be useful to include a series of articles on the site that would supplement the reviews. These would be very factual articles along the lines of “How to buy a used saddle.” Instead my blog became a hodgepodge of postings that generally just reflects whatever caught my fancy on a given day. Yes, I’m still working on that website but I really enjoy the freedom that comes from having a blog.
As for who’s writing my blog . . . Early on I found that the blog Bridlepath frequently had published the articles that I had intended to write (and written them so well that I had nothing to add). However, since Bridlepath has been dormant now since June of 2008, perhaps I am now writing her blog? I’d love to know who the author was!
I still find some overlap between topics I plan to write and what some of my favorite bloggers have published but mostly when I read other people’s blogs I’m amazed by how different they are from mine and how much I enjoy that person’s point of view. I know I’ll never be funny like Jane at The Literary Horse, or as philosophical as Kim at Enlightened Horsemanship through Touch, or as knowledgeable as Fran Jurga in her Hoofcare Blog, or as poetic as Tamara at The Barb Wire, take photos like Sarah K. Andrew at Rock and Racehorses . . . or be as comprehensive as Stacey at Behind the Bit . . . the list goes on.
So, tell me. Who’s writing your blog? And what got you inspired to start one? Let me know!
I started my blog becuase I was going to half lease a horse who’s owner was going away to England for a year. At the same time my horse was recovering from a tramatic and severe tendon injury. As soon as I decided to not lease the horse I thought my blog would go away, but my friends liked to get the frequent updates about my own horse so I kept it up. I had been e-mailing them every few weeks about his progress, but with the blog I was able to update about him every few days. It has been almost 3 years now and I post almost everyday. My blog is nothing at all like how I thought it would be when I started it.
Ah, it says something about the state of owning horses (and the people who own them) that you could create such an inspiring blog out of your continuing care of your horse.
I do wish that mine wouldn’t keep coming up with ailments and injuries for me to write about!
This is such a great dialogue. We all meant to be chanelling someone else’s blog.
Like Kim, I am somewhere between Lisa Ilichman and Halt Near X in terms of what I would write if I could. I admire them so much!
But I started my Hoof Blog because I knew I was going to be late with publishing the print version of Hoofcare, the printed magazine, so I invited all the subscribers to read the blog each day while I caught up. Once I got the hang of blogging, I didn’t want to stop, so I kept on blogging and then that lead to the Spanish Riding School tour blog and to The Jurga Report, which is now published almost as often as the Hoof Blog.
I don’t know how knowledgeable I am, Liz. I think that I am, like you and Kim and other bloggers I know, seeking knowledge or affirmation. I happen to be fortunate to have great minds pass information to me to post–I’m sure one day Hilary Clayton and Sue Dyson and my other heroes will have blogs of their own!
Blogging has changed my communication parameters forever by removing the barriers. I can share a video clip or an image or a thought in seconds.While it is still fresh in my mind. And someone out there might answer me.
What amazes me is the sheer number of horse blogs out there. Hundreds! Most are a single person writing about a single horse. Trials and tribulations of training or overcoming an injury or surviving winter. And every one of those blogs has readers. People connect, relate, react, console…and come back again and again.
I’m not sure what it means, or if it will last, but I know it is very, very special. I think we should all treasure what we have.
Thanks for bringing it up, Liz!
Yep – my blog was suppose to be informative with a bit of humor thrown in, but not necessarily a narrative with personal stories. It has taken a radical turn from that…while I still try to be informative and relavant (and not everything that goes on in my life goes on the blog – it’s very focused), there is more personal stuff than I had envisioned. On the other hand, I feel like I’m getting to know my audience and I’m giving them what they want….my readership is going up and people are checking in every day – so it can’t be a bad thing that it has ended up this way.
I have a definitive answer.
The outstanding blog, Halt Near X, is the blog I fully intended to write, with it’s comprehensive, detailed and in-depth coverage of horses in literature, horses now, and her personal experience. It’s a beautiful site, wonderfully written.
I didn’t know this ahead of time, because I didn’t check out a darn thing in the Blogosphere: I fully expected to have an audience that consisted solely of three highly pressured friends, who would be secretly IMing each other behind my back: “YOU read it today!” “No, you read it, I have rounds!” “Oh shut up, I’ll read it when the market closes and report back. Then YOU are up for tomorrow.””Well, I can’t read it! I’ve got cows after work tomorrow!”
I started writing. And my voice was high and squeaky instead of professorial and full of brilliant insight.
Big Snag In Plan.
Embarrassing problem#1: people to whom I wasn’t related (or those writhing in agony by arms twisted behind backs) started to read.
Embarrassing problem #2: I picked a serious name (a grand name for horses in literature seemed like a good idea at the time) for a goofball blog: written that way because I’m high and squeaky.
Oh, you know what I mean.
This leaves me with Embarrassing Problem #3: serious disconnect between title and content. I try to fill it with donuts. Because donuts fix most things. We ignore that donuts have no relationship to horses.
*sigh*
By the time I realized none of my readers shared my DNA, I had a readership of sorts, and I couldn’t exactly change the name. (How would anyone find me? Besides the trail of pink sugar?)
I’m glad you are writing THIS blog Liz, because it’s wonderful!
Jane
Two people are writing my blog: Tamara of The Barb Wire and Lisa of Lisa Illichman.
When I read these women, I think, “That’s how I wanted to write when I started my blog!” Each has a lyrical style and a great sense of humor, no matter their topic.
As far as detailed content goes, who really cares? I wanted to write about mindfulness and horsemanship. I don’t even know what I write about, except that I write about what interests me. Daily updates call for a broad range of material, and things just naturally open up.
I follow all the writers mentioned here in responses and in your post. It’s funny how many share the same taste. And not just for pink icing sugar! Someday we should have a great Lollapalooza-type shindig and all meet. I nominate Jane’s back yard, in tents. With cake.
Oh, and I forgot: We must have the donkeys.