One Year in Wine Blogging and Now What?
Readers and drinkers, please allow me to get introspective for a moment. I realized that Wine Outlook’s one-year anniversary came and went a few days ago. But this is not to be one of those recaps of how many posts, comments, great experiences, friends made, lessons learned entries. I wrote those kinds of posts earlier on, and I’m not so sure I even feel that way anymore.
Here’s what I’m wondering. Did I shoot myself in the foot? Back in August, I thought I was going to quit this blog and start another. Instead, I decided to do both, except I had already put the idea out there that I was leaving Wine Outlook. The gracious Dr. Debs even submitted the story to Wine Life Today, a site where wine bloggers can read and vote articles onto the front page. My leaving was out there for all the world to read, and it took me a while to be talked into staying. By then, the damage was done. The stats were down and continued to drop. I was posting less, reading less, commenting less.
While I love working in the wine business and it moved me 2,129 miles across the country, writing was what actually drove the wheel. And sometimes I think I’m stretching myself too far. My position at Rosenblum involves more responsibility, which often leads to more stress. Throw in two blogs with posting requirements, a newspaper column, and a weekly changing of the entire tasting menu with self-induced pressure to write creative descriptions…and a girl can get a little overwhelmed. My enthusiasm suffers, and so, in turn, does the writing.
Here’s the thing. This blog started off slowly (I had no idea what I was doing) and started to build. I remember how great it was to get encouragement from El Jefe, telling me I would find success cause I’m a “darn good writer.” How fun it was to get mentioned in posts by the Winehiker, John at Brim to the Dregs, Sonadora and others, to have Pinotblogger tell me I had a good blog. How it felt to get a slew of comments and reactionary posts to my “What? Women Know Wine?’ tirade.
Okay, I know I said I wasn’t going to relive the good ole days….But that’s all past tense.
I’m not sure what percentage of wine bloggers out there have ads on their pages and get paid for them. That was the initial draw for me (the little money I get monthly helps to fund the dinners, bottles, and trips I write about), but maybe it’s coming back to bite me in the butt. Writing for a network instead of myself, I don’t have the leisure to take time off when friends are in town, when I’m depressed or tired, or heaven help me, I’m just tired of wine all day, every day. When you’re worried about quantity, quality is prone to suffer. Although 451 Press was kind enough to realize and relieve my stress by lowering the weekly requirements. And with Good Grape’s take on the idea that an expert must have 10,000 hours of training to achieve such status, maybe I’m just putting in my time….
So while I may have less readers and less comments these days, I’m still getting practice, still keeping track of my wines and wine experiences. And you’re still here. So thanks for sticking around.
reflections on wine blogging, Wine Outlook, Behind the Vines
October 15th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Farley, I feel awful! I hope I didn’t hurt your stats–and yes, I didn’t know you were still up and writing here because I took Wine Outlook off my blog roll. I’ll put it back on!
If you hadn’t posted on Wine Life Today I wouldn’t have known. You should have let us know that you were still writing on this blog before.
SORRY!
October 15th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Dr. Debs,
I think I was just having a pity party, but I did it to myself in the first place. I felt silly after saying that I was through, then coming back again.
Thanks for putting up with me.
October 16th, 2007 at 6:37 am
I’m still reading! Just not commenting as work doesn’t allow that any more!
Keep up the good work Farley, I think you are still doing an excellent job!
October 16th, 2007 at 9:35 am
I’m here and I miss you! Seeing you, I mean, any wine events coming up in S.F. again, it would be great to attend together. But, maybe you’ll be working at the next one, who knows!!
October 16th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Golly, that’s two riddles solved! I had been wondering about Farley’s whereabouts lately, knowing full well her new responsibilities. And now I know why I haven’t seen Megan’s comments as often as I used to on my own blog. (Of course, empathic stress issues aside, I should be commenting more on Megan’s blog, too!)
Well, Farley, keep your chin up, girl. You’ve done a lot of good work here, and you’ve got a lot of good work ahead of you. We’re going to hang in there with you.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Hi. Count me in as a NEW reader! Hopefully I’ll help list the stats just a wee bit. And we’re so sorry we left you off the Women in Wine Blogging post last week. But now we know better…
October 17th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Thanks, Megan. You’ve been here since almost the beginning and your support has always been appreciated. Plus, you’re one of those “I got to meet her” stories.
Sara, I miss you, too. I’m all about ZAP, though I don’t know if I need to pour, etc.
Russ, I’m mysterious that way…and thanks!
Jill, welcome and I don’t mind. It was nice that Megan and Jeff listed me in the comments.
October 22nd, 2007 at 8:22 am
Thats all the better if you don’t have to work, then we can patrol the aisles together!! Saturday is my families halloween party in Palo Alto, please come if you and B.K. are free.
November 17th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Farley,
Congratulations on the anniversary! It is a huge commitment to create a blog but a labor of love. You are a natural at it!
November 20th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Thanks for stopping by, Duane. And for the very kind words. I was feeling a little down when I wrote this, as you might have guessed.