Catching Up
14 October 14
I've had what can only be described as... a small break from blogging. You know how it is though, the longer you go without clicking publish, the harder it gets. The stuff you have to share starts piling up and then you're like, well, if I'm going to post that I have to post THAT first. And then it's: if I'm going to post something it better be really good so maybe I'll wait until... And then you get out of the routine and forget about it until you get a comment notification on an old post and you start putting "update blog" on your to-do list, where it sits, making you feel progressively more and more guilty. So that's where I'm at.
I don't know, I feel like I've read this exact post on so many blogs I follow lately, especially from people I know from way way back on LiveJournal (Holla! All the best people are from LJ and you know this) who had blogs for years. I think a lot of it is that our internet presence is so fragmented now. There are so many places to share your stuff and it's so easy, that by the time you're sitting down to write a blog post, what's left? It feels stupid to repeat yourself, to repost things that were shared live on Instagram days ago or whatever. I used to post ~inspiration~ which I now do on Pinterest, day-to-day photos (Instagram) and everything else is on Twitter. I guess I'm on Ello too? Not sure anyone even knows what to do with that one.
I'm not a pro-blogger. This isn't my job. I don't have ads and I don't monetise my content. So it was super easy for me to go dark for months.
I don't have the desire to share my life as much as I used to. When I started this blog (7 years ago!) and especially the LJ years before that (oh god) I wanted to blab about everything to everyone and now, I just don't.
But I do miss posting my work, my drawings and photos and the odd long post about whatever I'm into at that moment. I've never apologised for my lack of blogging and I don't intend to start now (the presumption that people are pining for your absent blog seems A BIT much), but there's a whole world of content out there and I really do appreciate you giving precious eyeball time to mine.
So anyway, this has been a very long winded way of saying I'll be posting some stuff and for the first time in ages I'm kinda psyched about it. Mic drop.
Comments
Completely agree, it’s hard to keep stuff for a blog post when you have Twitter, Pinterest etc. I used to read your LJ many years ago, and I often miss mine.
I dislike blogs where the bloggers obsess over followers and post mainly sponsored posts and ask for sponsorship etc etc, that’s why I really like yours. It’s truly yours.
Clare replied about 9 years ago.
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Thanks girl. Love your Anti-WWW post! Dead on. x
kris atomic replied about 9 years ago.
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Ditto. Blogging needs to flow naturally, it shouldn’t feel like a chore. However, you should keep posting your work cause…well…it’s awesome and I am sure I am not the only one who is super duper in love with it :)
Alicia replied about 9 years ago.
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Instagram definitely took a bite out of my blogging, but I’ve started gathering up my wips and posting them with additional details on my blog. I actually really like it. I get both the instant Instagram sharing fix (look at my book! look at my drawing!) which is a little bit like being 5 years old and sharing your excitement immediately as well as a more measured, detailed blog post later.
Betty Jordan Wester replied about 9 years ago.
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No pressure, but so happy you’ll be posting again! I for one was definitely pining.
emma replied about 9 years ago.
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I have numerous posts over at my blog starting pretty much the same “sorry for the break”, “back from a blog break” and blah blah..
Blogging isn’t my day job either although I wish it was! Welcome back!!!
Katerina replied about 9 years ago.
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I for one love your blog posts, always inspiring! I recently got on instagram, so I’m excited to follow you there – a huge thanks for introducing me to snapseed, it is the perfect editing platform :) I’m sure wherever you blog/post/write/share will be awesome and yup all the coolest peeps came from LJ :P (I’m not sure there will be another community like it)
Fiona replied about 9 years ago.
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Completely understand the ‘going dark’ – especially if it’s not your job/earning anything from it – but I’m happy you’ll be posting again, your posts are always really interesting!
Anna replied about 9 years ago.
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I feel exactly the same way except I’m not at the point of wanting to login to my site to even post a message like this yet!
han replied about 9 years ago.
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But I just want to see more of you :( If you can’t blog then you at least gotta meet me for coffees and stuffs.
Shini replied about 9 years ago.
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Duh, let’s get something in the diary doofus. x
kris atomic replied about 9 years ago.
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I like to call us “The Sporadibloggers”, or some other weirdly constructed word that means we blog when we like.
Quality over quantity, innit?
Kim replied about 9 years ago.
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yay, you’re back! seriously though, post as & when you want to – no pressure ;)
i’ve actually ‘quit’ blogging a couple of times (last time for 11 months) but something always brings me back…
becky :: accooohtrements.wordpress.com
becky :: accooohtrements replied about 9 years ago.
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I demand more Matilda.
Gracie replied about 9 years ago.
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I am only too happy to give the people what they want.
kris atomic replied about 9 years ago.
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People recently asked me why I didn’t blog anymore. You just sum up how I feel, speaking of Pinterest, Instagram and others…
I’ll continue to follow your adventures and be happy about it no matter the frequence (is that an english word ?)
Thank you for making me feel less guilty about not blogging as much as I used to.
Estelle
Estelle replied about 9 years ago.
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I love reading your blog, especially the photo-journal posts. I don’t expect substantive “how to” or confessional posts (which seems to be what blog ‘teachers’ are pushing… Blugh). I just love seeing the way you see life, and there are always interesting surprises, even if you only write one line to 7 photos! 💜
Stephanie replied about 9 years ago.
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You’re too kind! Thank you very much for reading :)
kris atomic replied about 9 years ago.
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So, so, so happy to see your post in my feed!
Jade Sheldon-Burnsed replied about 9 years ago.
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So nice to hear that, thank you! x
kris atomic replied about 9 years ago.
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Happy to see you blogging again, what you’ve been up to and new work! It’s always truely inspiring! :D
Vicky replied about 9 years ago.
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Thank you very much! x
kris atomic replied about 9 years ago.
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I can totally understand your absence, and I too worry about repeating myself when I blog but I have to say I have missed your posts! I’m a big fan of your work (Chronic bitchface is hanging in my bedroom) and am so glad you’re back to blogging!
Claire replied about 9 years ago.
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Hi Kris! First: your blog is one of my favourites, I’ve been worshiping your work for ages, so don’t change anything.
It’s perfectly ok if you “go dark” from time to time. I prefer rare but great updates than daily sponsored balthering.
I’m subscribed to your RSS feed, so I will never miss a post, no matter what.
Just: don’t give up. <3
Marie Guillaumet replied about 9 years ago.
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I completely understand, although I do love your posts. I don’t think I so much want to know everything about you or your whole life, I just love seeing the new illustrations you’ve been working on or new photography from fashion events :) I do believe in quality over quantity and I’ve actually removed a bunch of blogs from my feed lately because I’m sick of them shilling me shit every post.
I don’t think you should feel obligated or forced to post, just post whenever you want and whatever you want. It looks like (judging from the above comments) we’re always excited when you pop up in our feeds :)
jess replied about 9 years ago.
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As someone who found you on livejournal god knows who long ago, I can say that I genuinely enjoyed your daily life posts. I definitely know what you’re talking about here. I’ve been wondering, for example, whether to keep my old tradition of posting weekend links or not. I’m reluctant about posting things that I’ve already shared elsewhere, but on the other hand I like going through my own past posts rereading the weekend links. I don’t save links in a certain place, I often share things on twitter and then forget about them, and my bookmarks are scattered through feedly, pocket and evernote, so maybe it’d be useful. I don’t know.
I look forward to more posts :)
andrea replied about 9 years ago.
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Thanks dude!
If it helps, I use Pocket (http://www.getpocket.com/) to save links and articles to read later and then you have a handy archive of stuff if you need it in the future. It’s a bit of a life changer!
kris x
kris atomic replied about 9 years ago.
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Inordinately happy that you are back to blogging!
Adele replied about 9 years ago.
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I read this, nodding the entire time. I feel the exact same way. I actually was thinking how I’d started following your drawings from LJ (back in a community where you shared sketchbook pages) and how many people I still follow/talk to from my young teenaged days. For me, that’s around fourteen years. It’s easy to burn out from sharing everything for so long, but I, like you, still enjoy showing my photographs and things I’m enjoying in one spot. Glad you’ve returned.
Elis replied almost 9 years ago.
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yep – hear you and everything you said goes through my head all the time too! Glad you are back though, just need to get my mojo back now too x
caroline replied almost 9 years ago.
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