Ooh, I'm so excited! Today marks one year since I started Edge of Night, and what a wonderful year it's been.
I've learned so many things since I began blogging. Not just about blogging and writing, but about myself, too. I've had the pleasure of interacting with a lot of amazing people, and I've had the opportunity to discover a lot of great blogs. This last year was far from a waste of my time, and I would recommend this to anyone as a hobby in a heartbeat. The experience, if you work hard and commit to it, is very rewarding.
But blogging ain't without its troubles! It takes a lot of time and patience; not only to think up, schedule, write and perfect your posts, but to build a good readership and establish relationships with fellow blog authors. And commenting. I am terrible when it comes to keeping up with other blogs. It's very time-consuming - especially since I prefer to leave comments that say more than simply, "Great post!" But, while none of these are easy, the biggest problem that I ran into was actually with myself.
I chose to blog under an alias, acting like myself but staying relatively anonymous. I also chose to keep my blog a secret because it's difficult for me to show friends and family my writing. Well, sometimes I questioned my anonymous blogging style, and I've continuously been conflicted about whether or not to tell those in my personal life that I have this little thing. It took almost the entire year, but I'm finally satisfied with my decision thanks to the posts of fellow anonymous bloggers.
I'm super happy to have made it this far - even if, to many, it isn't that far. I'm still fairly new, and to people who are used to putting themselves out there, my stats aren't impressive. But that's not the point. Numbers are just numbers, true, but I won't lie and say that they mean nothing to me. Every number represents - as dear Adaline once put it - a living, breathing person. And it's an absolutely fantastic feeling knowing that there are people, however few, reading and enjoying my content enough to hit that little "follow" button.
I'm not, nor was I ever, doing this for the follows. But I really, truly appreciate every single one that I have. It's because of all of you that I've made it to where I am now.
So, it's been a year. October 8th, 2014, to now, October 8th, 2015. Stats may not be everything, but they are fun to share, and it's nice to be able to look back and see how far you've come. Also, it's sort of a blogiversary tradition.
With that said, que the stats!
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Number of comments published: 865
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Contests held: 3 (one monthly for ~8 months, and two one-time contests)
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But blogging ain't without its troubles! It takes a lot of time and patience; not only to think up, schedule, write and perfect your posts, but to build a good readership and establish relationships with fellow blog authors. And commenting. I am terrible when it comes to keeping up with other blogs. It's very time-consuming - especially since I prefer to leave comments that say more than simply, "Great post!" But, while none of these are easy, the biggest problem that I ran into was actually with myself.
I chose to blog under an alias, acting like myself but staying relatively anonymous. I also chose to keep my blog a secret because it's difficult for me to show friends and family my writing. Well, sometimes I questioned my anonymous blogging style, and I've continuously been conflicted about whether or not to tell those in my personal life that I have this little thing. It took almost the entire year, but I'm finally satisfied with my decision thanks to the posts of fellow anonymous bloggers.
I'm super happy to have made it this far - even if, to many, it isn't that far. I'm still fairly new, and to people who are used to putting themselves out there, my stats aren't impressive. But that's not the point. Numbers are just numbers, true, but I won't lie and say that they mean nothing to me. Every number represents - as dear Adaline once put it - a living, breathing person. And it's an absolutely fantastic feeling knowing that there are people, however few, reading and enjoying my content enough to hit that little "follow" button.
I'm not, nor was I ever, doing this for the follows. But I really, truly appreciate every single one that I have. It's because of all of you that I've made it to where I am now.
So, it's been a year. October 8th, 2014, to now, October 8th, 2015. Stats may not be everything, but they are fun to share, and it's nice to be able to look back and see how far you've come. Also, it's sort of a blogiversary tradition.
With that said, que the stats!
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Total pageviews: 18,008
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Top five countries visiting my blog: The US, Russia, India, the UK, Germany.
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My seven most-viewed posts:
4. The New Look
7. Post break (July 3-9) (*chuckles* what could possibly be drawing you all to this one?)
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My most-viewed category: Poems
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Most-viewed poem: The World Keeps Turning
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Most-viewed story: Blind Mistake
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Most-viewed poem: The World Keeps Turning
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Most-viewed story: Blind Mistake
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Number of posts published: 106-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of comments published: 865
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Contests held: 3 (one monthly for ~8 months, and two one-time contests)
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Blog followers (GFC): 82
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Twitter: 75 followers
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Facebook: 11 likes
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Google+: 95 followers
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Bloglovin' subscribers: 17
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Email subscribers: 14
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My Personal Favorites
- Poem(s): Labyrinth, Moonlit Shore, Enchanted Woods, Stay With Me
- Short story: The Siren's Violinist
- Misc Post: Midget Monday #1
As the second part to this celebration, I'm working on a series of posts involving basic blogging tips and advice. I still consider myself a great big newbie when it comes to this stuff, and the advice that I give will be just be my opinions or the opinions of others, but I've certainly learned a few things during this last year and I know I personally have gotten a ton of good from reading such posts by the many other bloggers out there.
Everyone always ends up writing something like that - but everyone, too, brings something a little different to the table. So, I hope you'll enjoy the coming series, and that it will help one or two of you in the same way that it helped me!
Thank you for being such wonderful people! Thank you for all your support and encouragement, feedback and time. I've been looking forward to celebrating this for the entire year (and yet only started writing the posts about a day or two prior - eek), and had made it my main goal in blogging that I wanted to achieve. Thanks for helping me do that. :)
I feel like I'm forgetting something in here, but can't for the life of me figure out what. Hm.. Oh well. Anyway,
Cheers to one year in the blogosphere!
Look for the first post in my upcoming "Tips From a Newbie" series within the next few days!
AHHHHH happy blogoversary! (Blogiversary?)
ReplyDeleteI had my first blogoversary about month ago now, and it's crazy how similar our stats are! You have a few more GFC followers and I have more email, but the number of page views are almost exactly the same as well as the number of posts. Neat. ^.^
I totally get you on the visiting other blog things. I don't want to leave an un-thoughtful comment, but what if I really just thought it was great? I dunno. Blogging's hard. xD
Hah, I had the same issue with deciding how to spell it. I stuck with "blogiversary" since "anniversary" itself doesn't contain an o. But it seems to me that either spelling works!
DeleteA late, but very happy blogiversary to you as well, Katie! ^^ How interesting about our stats. Guess that means we're on the right track? :)
Oh, it sure can be! Blogging is easy, unless you truly want to make the best of it. It's weird - I love every comment I get. I don't care how long or how short the comment is. But I personally can't get myself to leave a comment with just a few words. Sometimes, like you mentioned, a word or two is all that needs to be said; but it feels so wrong lol.
Yeah, I agree. I find myself having a hard time commenting on other people's blogs. Then again, I just started my blog this July so I feel like I can't fault myself for that just yet. But I know it's something I'm definitely going to have to work on in order to become more involved with the blogging community.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know what you mean. I know I have a difficult time commenting on other people's blogs for sure. Then again, I just started my blog this July so its something I can definitely continue working on.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough to keep up, isn't it? Commenting on other blogs is extremely important to growing your readership, but you can only do so much. If you follow dozens of blogs, it's a daunting task going through that list to see who you want to visit. But I'd try to put aside a few minutes every time you log in to work on your blog, to just explore and find new ones, or to comment on ones that you're already following. Even just five minutes. (Now if only I would follow my own advice!)
Delete:) Welcome to the blogosphere, Raney! And thanks so much for leaving a comment here as well.
Happy Late Birthday, EON!!!! :D That's AMAZING!!! ^.^
ReplyDeleteThank you, Quayla!! :D I'm thrilled to have actually made it an entire year. I'm so glad you've been a part of it, too!
DeleteHello! Greetings from Singapore! I'm Yuki :) I've recently started book blogging after having an obsession with my books for so long! I see myself in your shoes in a year's time! (Hopefully) And also i hope to meet a lot more people who shares my interest in reading!!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, your blog is beautiful! Just followed you in Bloglovin' :D
Happy Blogiversary!!
♡,
Yuki
Hi there, Yuki! Books are absolutely wonderful things, and I'm so glad that you decided to take to the world of blogging to share your passion for them. ^^ You'll find no shortage of fellow bookworms in the blogosphere.
DeleteThat's so sweet of you - as long as you put your heart into it, you will have a great time, and I'm sure by your first year you will have surpassed me by a long shot! It can take a while to get some readers, though, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen right away. Just keep at it, keep that passion for your books.
Thanks so much for dropping by, Yuki. And thank you for your kind words! I've returned the favor via Twitter. :)
Edge of night. No matter what you put as a theme to match your blog's title, it always seems perfect. Happy Blogiversary Eve :D I really loved all your posts. Your short poems and your amazing stories! They were all so inspiring. Looking forward to read more of them :D I think you'd be a great advisor. I can see that in one year you have learned so much and with that experience you will be able to help others too ^.^ And while doing so you will keep learning new stuff too by your side :)) It is amazing Eve :D Again, congratz on your one year of blogging! I am so happy for youuuu :D
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you think so, Heena, because I'm always feeling like it's tough to match the theme and title! This doesn't fit well, that could be better.. You know how things like that go lol.
DeleteThank you so very much! I really appreciate all your kind words and comments, Heena. And I'm so glad you've found my posts enjoyable. Like I said about the advice thing, I can only give very basic, very common tips. But I'd still like to share them anyway. Why not, right?
Thanks for being a part of my blogging journey. :) I can't wait for you to celebrate your own - I'll be there!
Aw happy blog birthday! C: I only just discovered your blog, thanks for visiting mine! :D
ReplyDeleteCaroline @ Just Another Bookish Blog
Sure, no problem, Caroline! Thanks for dropping by mine as well!
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