When I first started blogging, I was under the impression it would just be the "extra" fun stuff that I would do just to practice my art of writing and not necessarily the "meat & potatoes" of my life as a writer. I envisioning the bulk of my writing to be features for placement in specialized magazine markets. Once I got my feet wet in blogging, I discovered that almost every major publication and special interest topic has a blog or a variation of a blog connected with their site.
There are numerous types of blogs, but they fall basically into two major categories: personal and niche blogs. Personal blogs cover a whole range of topics, whereas a niche blog is more focused on a specific area. In writing my blog posts this last year, I tried to keep it focused on several key issues...but it is hard sometimes because I felt I was constraining my own creativity. Granted, I was the only one putting limitations on my own blog, but I think I was trying too hard to make it a "niche" blog. I think I need to relax my standards of what I am "supposed" to write about. Which lead me to a terrific idea: Why not start a second blog that will be my niche blog?! I already know it will be a United States domestic travel blog with an emphasis on the National Parks. This already is a passion of mine. Then I can maintain my original blog as my personal blog giving me the freedom to write on any thing my little heart desires. Therein lies the dichotomy: I am expanding my writing field in order to allow my articles to be more focused...or at least the placement of those articles.
Growth of this type is not necessarily easy and is not without its share of apprehension and "growing pains". I constantly doubt myself but am encouraged when I face each day knowing that there exists an opportunity to learn something new each and every day. Sometimes I am blown away how the world of journalism and writing has changed since I walked across the stage at UI with my BA diploma in hand and a heart full of dreams. Many of those dreams for me have been fulfilled but not in the way I had originally envisioned them. I read recently in a book about blogging, something that inspired me about how these dreams we have, do have a way of changing:
"Visions reflect where you are right now and where you anticipate being in the future. But as we all know, life never happens that way we think it will. Things change, and so do visions."
iBlog , Jasmine Lucero Copyright 2013
So this second blog, that will be more focused as a niche blog, will help me to expand my audience by virtue of finding people that are more interested in a specific topic. I am excited about the prospect of this for several reasons. It is nice to know that more people will be reading my posts, but what I look forward to is the true heart of blogging: forming a community of like minded people and having a dialogue with people that share your passion. That is what really sounds exciting to me, rather if you write passionately and intensely, sometimes sadly your thoughts transcribed are never seen by the eyes of another. That is a tragedy.
So now I look to what the future holds, with a little bit of apprehension, but also an excitement for the possibilities. I hope, Dear Readers, that you will seek out my new blog if you are interested in travel features about this beautiful country called America. Yes, I know that is sappy, but I truly believe there is a bounty of things to see right here at our doorstep. You may find my new blog at: travelingamericablog.wordpress.com . I will maintain this blog as well, but any travel and National Park articles will be found on my new blog. What a journey this has been and it is not over yet!!
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