If you’ve been a reader here for awhile (hey, thanks!), you know that this little blog turned 2 earlier this year. Yay! *confetti* Exciting, and humbling to see how much it’s grown. And also very thought-provoking, as I’ve been trying to figure out what direction I want to take this space, and my shop. I’m trying to integrate my day job (freelance graphic designer, for those not in the know) more into both by offering blog design services and changing up what will be featured in the shop. I love the vibe and the style of blogland. I would really like to focus more of my creative energy on projects like that (fun, artsy, personal), rather than boring ads and brochures for clients I don’t really mesh with, just to pay the bills.
And I’m finding the transition a tricky process. So when I read about a blog workshop that specifically focuses on how to build the blog/small business that you want (whether you’re just starting out or re-charting mid-journey like me), it sounded like a perfect fit. And better yet, The Blogcademy was coming to my city, Austin! I wouldn’t even have to deal with travel costs! Excitement mounted and possibility swirled… until I looked at the ticket cost. Whomp whomp. No way can I afford that.
But! Not all hope is lost. They do offer a scholarship to the workshop in each city, and I have a chance to win a ticket to the one in Austin. Which would be amazing! And I’d fit right in, being a small business owner and blogger and Etsy shop owner and established Austinite and generally a witty, fun person to hang out with. I am their target audience! So to win the scholarship would be perfectamundo.
Specifically, I think Blogcademy could help me learn:
- How to promote my shop and design services more without being in-your-face-annoying-salesperson. I am terrible at sales pitching. Even this post was hard to write, smacking as it does of ‘pick me, pick me!’ And I really do want them to pick me, but the act of trying to convince someone to do so makes me squirm. I go more the ‘they’ll see the merits of me/my business/my products/my posts on their own’ route. Which, from a business standpoint, really just doesn’t work. And the 3 ladies running Blogcademy have obviously figured a way over this hurdle, so it would be great to benefit from their collective wisdom.
- How to find a balance between being a reliable source and still having blogging freedom. My interests are fairly wide ranging, and the world of blogging has only increased that. I like to write about all sorts of stuff. But I’d also love to be a source people regularly go to for certain topics, which requires a certain schedule and reliability, and probably more advice/tips/tutorials (i.e. directly useful) posts than I currently do. I also still want to have the flexibility to blog random thoughts or things that pop up/I find. I don’t want to get locked into always having to a certain kind of post just to further my blog. I guess I’m just afraid that a rigid schedule would mean it would start to feel like a requirement rather than fun, and I’d feel like I’d disappointed people if I missed a post on a day they were expecting one. I don’t know. I want to write about all the things I want to write about, but I don’t want to be so random and unpredictable that readers are put off. Basically, any advice on figuring this out and finding that balance between reliability and spontaneity of posts would be awesome. And who better than the 3 headmistresses to help shine a light on the path?
- How to find balance between what the blog/shop needs in order to grow, and still maintaining my full-time job and social life. Pretty self-explanatory, that one. I feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do all that I want and need to do. And since blog/shop stuff doesn’t (at the moment) pay the bills or love me back like Ian and my friends, it takes a lower priority rung. Which usually means my available hours run out before I get to that. Some days it is just exhausting. The Blogcademy babes clearly have this balance figured out (how many different things does each lady have going on?!) and I want to learn their secrets.
In addition to the blog- and business-focused things, just the opportunity to meet the 3 blog queen headmistresses and all of the other attendees would be awesome. I love getting together with other bloggers, because they actually understand all that goes into running a blog. And I’m sure they are just cool chicas in their own right, blogs or no. Two days of girl time? Yes, please!
Don’t worry, I’m not asking you, dear reader, to vote once a day or anything. There is no vote, it’s just something the powers that be of Blogcademy decide. I have no idea what the judging criteria is, either, so I don’t even know if comments from you lovely people weigh in at all. But if you want to leave a comment saying “Woo, pick Amanda, she rocks!” I’m sure that wouldn’t go amiss. 😉
Now I’m off to cross my fingers and wait!
Are you in the midst of a blog re-charting, too? Have you ever attended an intense blogging workshop like Blogcademy? Do tell!
