At the end of September, here and here, I wrote about the complications and struggles involved in keeping more than one blog going. I said I was considering sticking to one blog, only, from now on.
Since then, the activity on my blog has increased quite significantly and my followers have gone 20, on September 21st to 162, as of today. I have also gained some followers on my other blogs, even though there has been very little movement on them in the last month.
So I am wondering what you think. Do you think that a sort of general purpose blog is best, utilising categories and tags to separate different types of entries? Or do you think it is better to have one blog for each type of subject, such as poetry, prose, photography, job hunting, etc? How do you work? Do you have several blogs, or do you stick to just one?
Also, what is your experience of going from a WordPress hosted blog to self-hosted? Is it easy? Do you gain or lose followers by changing? Is there any value in it?
So here is my challenge: Write a post, in any format you choose, telling about your experience of blogging. Please include a link to this post so that I, and others, can find your advice easily, and tag your post with Challenge 51. I will read and respond to every one.
Harcourt 51 
Great idea! Yea, I kinda think one blog is best.
LikeLike
Thanks for the comment. I think I will take a count of the different viewpoints and post the results, later.
LikeLike
I have my two blogs: my poetry blog and my photography/devotional blog. I love having the two separate blogs because they are so different in purpose. I have people visit my poetry blog that are not at all interested in my photography or devotions, and vice versa. Each blog brings with it different personalities that I cherish in the friends I meet. I am not sure I would be growing as well as I am on each individual blog if I were combined into one.
The people that like my poetry would have to endure emails whenever I post on other topics or the other way around. I might lose folks then that enjoy what I do in each specific blog. I hope this makes sense. It does in my brain. 😀
Naturally, you have to do what works best for you. Ultimately, we should not do it for numbers but for the love of what we are putting out there whether several blogs or one big one.
Hope this helps. I love your blogs by the way! You are stuck with me no matter what you decide. Hugs! Skye
LikeLike
Hello, Skye,
Thanks for the comment. Not bad, the first comment has one blog, the second has two! I wonder what would happen if there were 100 comments. 🙂
I am starting to agree with you about different blogs for different subjects. And I definitely agree that it’s not about numbers. Although it is nice to know that people appreciate our efforts, and it’s good to share our experience, good or bad.
But I am starting to think that having more than one blog provides better continuity. If you have a series of photographs, do you want them split up with Haiku? Or reblogs that are of interest, but nothing to do with photography?
OK. Good comment. It seems I have a lot to think about.
Michael
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
i tend to keep things simple and find one blog works best for me. the older i’ve become, the more minimalist i find that i am in all things.
LikeLike
Thank you, Beth. Interestingly, minimalist feelings were at the root of my thinking in changing to one blog.
LikeLike
i understand.
LikeLike
I’m glad someone does 🙂
LikeLike
well life is short and i don’t want to spend it managing and handling and organizing, just doing.
LikeLike
Now that sounds like a good plan to me.
LikeLike
Well, I’m agreeing with the majority that one blog accumulates more consistent followers. My WordPress blog http://rigzenchomo.com/ is growing slowly but steadily. I began with audio stories, then began writing poems, and then flash fiction, and now haikus. Consistency is the most important value. I enjoy your writings and photos but it’s difficult to keep up with too many blogs. I also have a website http://skywalkerstoryteller.com but am using my wordpress blog in it because it’s a lot of work keeping up more than one.
LikeLike
Hello Skywalker. This is my problem. I want to develop a website that is easy to maintain. I agree with you that using WordPress to keep it up to date would be the best way. Thanks for the comment.
LikeLike