Seasons of Blogging: On 5 Years
Reaching a milestone is an interesting event to experience. One such millstone for this particular Interweb space is this: August (today in fact) marks five years for Finding Wonderland, which inspires this seasons of blogging: on 5 years. In many ways, I’m floored that it’s still here. In others, I’m humbled and grateful the readership has become what it is today because without it, this Wonderland wouldn’t exist.
Seasons of Blogging: On 5 Years #fromthearchives Share on XIronically, five years ago my impression of blogging was something very different than it is today. When I began, I was eager and excited to hone something I loved: writing. I began hopeful that by doing so, my writing skills would improve. Because of this, I had a notion of creating a professional space that was just that: a professional outlet. Little did I realize this blogging thing was a great deal more than that impression.
In the five years since that idealistic girl built up a collection of reviews and (nervously) began publishing them, much has changed.
This is true not only in the blogging community, but also in me as a person.
Many of the journey’s we walk in blogging can be likened to life. Like our lives, there are seasons in blogging that mirror the choices and changes that bombard our lives. My small readership in August of 2011 began with a few friends I knew through the e-zine I wrote for at the time. In time, new experiences pulled those readers away, but another readership grew and largely consisted of people with whom I had commonalities with. I was a part of a group of friends who were of the same opinions as I was. It was what I needed. These readers and friends taught me something my naïve self didn’t know. People did exist who shared some of my convictions, and it was encouraging to know.
Months full of inspired and fun conversations existed with these friends. Months passed, and those same readers and friends fell away. I watched as the people who I’d gotten to know, the people whose blogs I read regularly, left in pursuit of other things. Later, I met more people who I grew to know and enjoyed knowing because, whether they knew it or not, they were a new chapter in my
learning as a blogger. A new season bloomed.
In 2016, there are more growing pains mirroring what my current blogging life is, and in many ways, it’s bittersweet. As the years have passed and as I’ve worked to revise and edit old reviews, I’ve been reminded of the many friends no longer blogging. It’s reminded me that, like life, the life of blogging is not immune to change. It shifts, challenges and has its ups and downs as its bloggers find their voices or talents leading elsewhere.
Because life is unpredictable I don’t know where this blogging life might lead next. Will it have the staying power or interest for another year? Two years? This I do not know. What I do now is this, in the here and now, Finding Wonderland is still present. Whatever is next for it, as a blogger, I want to enjoy the journey and enjoy whatever it has to teach me.
To the readers, thank you for continuing to visit. Five years later and I still love that you make it possible for this journey to continue on.
Congratulations on a great milestone for a great blog!
Hi, Deanna! Thank you so much for dropping by. I appreciate you visiting – and thank YOU for the kind words. It's been a lovely journey.
Happy anniversary for your blog! :) It's interesting that you mention it being bittersweet looking back, and I agree. I was just thinking earlier today about a few bloggers who I used to love who aren't writing any longer. Things change, I guess! I've been blogging for about 7 years, I think…I almost manage to miss my "anniversary." :)
Thanks, Kristin. I appreciate you as a blogging friend, reader and fellow blogger. It is bittersweet to look back. I've been made all the more aware of it recently because I've been editing (*shudder* some are SO bad) and reformatting old reviews (to match my more recent "style" of reviews). Things do change. Someday all of us will have moved on too, but for now, I'm so enjoying this!
Congrats on 7 years! I usually forget, ignore or what-have-you Finding Wonderland's anniversary too. But I thought some giveaway fun was required, so I decided to bring it up this year. :)
Happy blogoversary Rissi! Awesome that your blog has hit 5 years, seems like yesterday I remember you started up this place. I totally hear you on the question of how much longer one would be blogging and thinking back on those friends made along the way and who no longer blog…Anyway, I hope you have another awesome year of blogging ahead of you with plenty of books and movies and television shows to read and watch and talk about here :)
Hi, Lianne! THANK YOU for being a reader. Pretty sure you were among one of the first readers here, and I so appreciate that early days (through today) support. Blogging is such a fun community and I miss many of the people who've moved on, but am enjoying this season in a different way because I feel like I've learned so much which in turn has changed my blogging (hopefully) for the better. :)
Looking forward to more blogging years visiting Eclectictables.com! Always a fun place to hang out. :)
Congrats on 5 years my friend! You and your space here have been so welcoming and just enjoyable! Like getting together with a friend to gab about TV/movies and such. <3
Thanks, Meghan. It's been such a fun five years. I appreciate readers like you for being a part of this blogging community for so long. You're a wonderful blogger who I've enjoyed getting to know. :)
Congratulations, Rissi, on 5 incredible Blogging Years! I think of you as a dear "blog" friend and I always learn something new when I visit your site – you have inspired me! I love visiting "Finding Wonderland"!
God Bless You!!! Net
(itsawonderfulmovie.com
*Can't wait to see what you do next!!! :)
Hi, Net! Thank you so much. Love It's a Wonderful Movie (you never cease to keep us all up to date and current on Hallmark's awesome productions) and chatting with you. :) Thanks for being a Finding Wonderland reader, friend.
Ditto. Looking forward to what's next for 'Wonderful Movie.'
Congratulations on five years Rissi! :)
Thanks so much, Miranda. Appreciate you being a reader. :)
Congrats! Five years, totally awesome! I have no idea how long I've been visiting your blog but it feels like a long time. I initially came here because of all your awesome book reviews – but I love your other articles just as much. Very true about the changes that come in a blogger's life – anything can change at anytime. However, so glad we have your fun and inspiring voice on the web for these past five years!
Faith, thank you so much for the kind words. I've enjoyed your blog very much as well though (much to my shame), I will admit I've been awful about visiting/commenting on others blogs these past few months. That's one of those "life" taking over scenarios I suppose. :)
It's been a great journey that has taught me a lot. Strange as it may seem to say that about a medium such as blogging, I sincerely mean that. I look back at how/where I began to where I am now and I feel like many lessons have come with it, which is the best kind of journey.
Thank YOU for being a reader. :)
Happy 5 years friend! So glad books connected us!! :)
Jamie, thank you! Ditto. So glad to have met you, and I cannot wait to see where these new, wonderful bookish (and life) endeavors take you and Books and Beverages. :)
Five years is AWESOME!!! I'm coming up on four, which is weird to me. It is crazy how a lot of bloggers aren't around anymore and how blogging has changed so much. I'm glad you're still here! :D
Thanks, Tressa – and CONGRATS on four years. That's fabulous. I love how much your blog continues to grow and offer such amazing content (seriously, you've introduced me to so many new novels… now I just have to read them all). Thank you for being a leading and awesome blogger. :)