If you are reading this post, you are a part of the amazing people who have decided to join me on my journey as a writer. I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your support and your readership.
I thought that I would share something really personal with you today about my blogging. For a little while I bought into the blogger culture that exists in Cape Town and all I wanted was to be an invited guest to events and then, for a little while, to be seen with others who are liked by a majority of followers on Instagram and, mostly, I wanted a big following on Instagram. Even writing this is a little embarrassing because, at the heart, so much of it is pretty superficial! I’m sure you have come to know that that’s not me. Please don’t misunderstand me- I think that all of these things are a wonderful part of the blogger community but the fact that it had become a focus for me is the superficial part of it. Fortunately, the Instagram glitch sealed what I’d decided a while ago and this is just the first time I’m taking about it, that I would do this because I love it and not because of the perks (however nice) that may go with it.
When Instagram blocked my blog I thought that it was the end of The Bronny Blog because, let’s face it, people want a quick ‘swipe up’ or ‘click here’ if they are to redirect to any other content. I believed that people would not be interested if it took some effort for them to support me. Yet, here you are! Reading a post because you decided that you want to be a part of my blog community.
I had to dig deep and I came to the realisation that those who love your content and who are genuinely invested in your growth and your story, that they would want to you grow and will want to be a part of it, regardless. I could have given up the blog and moved over to Youtube, which is far more popular anyway, but I felt that I would be a sell-out and that I would be missing the reason I started all of this in the first place, which is the fact that I love writing. If I could not write, then what was the point to it all? Besides, I hate editing videos way too much for it to be the core of what I create. These realisations made the confession earlier a lot easier because I have found my focus in this turbulent online world.
I also realised that I do not enjoy popularity; I am so normal that it looks really silly on me! I cannot tell you how anxious I have been each time I attended an event – from what I should wear down to who I would need to interact with it was all a dreaded experience for me. I enjoy the opportunities that the blog and Instagram has presented for me thus far but this little hurdle with Instagram (literally the divorcing of the blog and my social media page) made me realise that I have every right to decide which opportunities are in line with what I represent and believe in and which ones are a waste of my time. I have said no to quite a few opportunities because I felt that it was the wrong fit for me and I have begun to dictate the scope of what I am happy to do and what I will not. A brand was willing to re-visit their campaign with me because I was not happy with their initial proposal and it really put the power and control in my hands. I will launch what we came up with over the next week or two!
I was also reminded of what readership means when a friend of mine’s blog was the basis of her now published book. She did not need to be Instagram or any kind of ‘famous’ for that amazing opportunity to happen for her; all she needed was for someone to identify that her writing would resonate with readers and today she is a published author. Witnessing that was a wonderful reminder that doing what you do because you love it is what breeds success. In a world where we absorb so much visual stimulus I ,myself, have a few blogs that I follow and read religiously because of the basic authenticity that writing brings; it’s so calming refreshing!
So I want to thank you, dear reader, for your subscription, for your on-going support and for affirming my relevance as a blogger and writer. Having you choose to be a ready if this blog is truly humbling. Please know that you are valued and that you are far more than a number to me! These posts are written with every single one of you in mind so thank you again.
Until my next post,
Bronny xx
