153 // Thoughts on my blog | tori's tales: 153 // Thoughts on my blog

6 January 2014

153 // Thoughts on my blog


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image c/o Anan.
In a complete reversal of thoughts (always one for mixing things up! Oh wait, no - I'm just entirely indecisive) I have found that - after joining in (partially) with the #lbloggers chat yesterday on twitteroonie - I'd like to jot down a few (blog-centralised) ideas I might (note the unconvincing tone) try and tackle in the months ahead. And yes, ok, I know I said I don't do resolutions (or the like) but these aren't really going to be resolutions or plans per se, just thoughts I'm going to let trickle out of my head; if I do them, then *pat on the back to Tori from self* but if I don't, well, I promise I won't beat myself up about it. Anywhooo, the topic was 'Blogging goals for 2014' and it wasn't until I found out that I could join in (thanks to an un-tricky, didn't-need-a-recipe dinner) that I'd realised there were in fact a couple of things I'd like to see happen, with reference to both me as a blogger and Tori's Tales in general, over the coming year. So I've decided I'm going to list them here, just to make it official....

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image c/o A.S.
1 // Be a better audience member (so to speak) and respond to the posts I read

There is nothing I love more than a notification in my inbox letting me know someone has commented on a post of mine. Oh, that feeling! Now, I've just recently added statcounter to my blog to get an idea of page views and traffic whereabouts (as if I even really know what that means!) and - I admit it - it's great to see numbers and all that jazz but it's all-the-more great knowing that someone has connected with a post of mine enough that they want to let me know they've done so by commenting on it (let it be known I respond when I can and where I can, though mainly on twitter if you have an account, so do always check your tweets!). As you might have already realised, I am all about sharing the blog love - it's important to me to help promote and encourage a happy and supportive blogging community, one in which everyone feels a part of and connected to - so I'm disappointed with myself that I haven't yet got into the swing of commenting on the posts that I connect with. However, I am going to put as much effort into this as possible in January to hopefully get myself into the habit of commenting. It's important to me that you realise just how much I love your blog (post ideas/writing styles/images) and to spread that warm feeling I get that arises whenever any of you choose to do the same on here.

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image c/o Careless Edition
2 // Take more photographs and save up for a DSLR 

I'm not a photographer - it isn't natural for me to get out my camera and take snaps, mainly because I'm impatient and, let's be honest, a bit too much of a perfectionist (and worrier) - so I really do love sharing snaps I've come across on the interwebs (as seen above and below in this post - I do realise that's a little hypocritical but I've been unable to get out to take any!) when I have none of my own to include, however, I really don't want this to become too much of a thing where this blog is concerned; it's my space and, really, I want to do all I can to share with you my words and images. I am more than grateful to have a camera at all - because it really truly does come in handy and, when its playing nice, helps me capture the moments that are dear to me - but I really would love to have one of those big 'uns (the ones people have to string around their necks because they are so weighty) just to take everything up a notch. And photography interests me, as a subject, so it would be nice to actually learn something and, maybe, share my experiences of using a big 'un with others! In other words, I had better get a hurry on and find myself a job! 

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image c/o anete pole
3 // Get my blog design to a point where I'm at least 80% happy with it!

Tori's Tales has seen a couple of changes design-wise since I got it up-and-running last February (the main one being the change of my background from colour to white) but I'm still not entirely settled with the look it's currently trying to rock. When I can (as in, when I can be bothered, and actually have the time to do so) I tweak things here and there (a new profile picture is up - Tinker Bell is sharing face-space, the hogger that she is) but I'm not 'pro' enough to have a go at touching the html for fear of wiping everything (and I've no doubt this is exactly what I would do). I guess, then, I'm going to aim to at least get a basic grasp of html in the year ahead so that I can do things I want to (like change the font - I've been trying for months!!!), when I want to, instead of just settling with what I've got!

And there we have it! Not too extensive a list but, in that case, hopefully it's entirely manageable and - as a result - the ideas I've listed are those I can pull off! I may even pop myself a reminder on my phone (yes, I need to do that, I'm so forgetful) and check back at the end of the month to see how I've done! 

Any other bloggers out there have goals for themselves as a blogger/their blog for the year ahead?


11 comments:

  1. Good luck with all your blogging goals! I love your blog and I can't wait to see it evolve.

    Hannah
    x

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  2. These are all fantastic goals Tori!!
    I love my camera and I hope to take even more photos this year. I also hope to take more photos on my little instax mini!! I just bought a photo album for my instax photos that I'm waiting to arrive in the post so I can corral all those tiny photos!! I take photos on my instax every so often but I'd like to take a lot more!!
    I love how you always respond to my comments and I hope to be better at responding in 2014 too!!
    ooo!! I love your blog design but I completely know how it is when you are not 100% satisfied!! I love the header Paige did for you, perhaps you can enlist her aid again and maybe she can help you??
    Happy new year Tori dearest!! xoxoxo

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  3. I'm so forgetful too!

    I'm not 100% happy with my blog layout. I'm contemplating a new blog header. Even though I felt great in the picture, I think it puts people off because I look too posey!

    Katie <3

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  4. I completely agree with the commenting on blogs thing - whenever I see someone has left a heartfelt comment on one of my posts I get so excited to read it, and then I go on over and have a proper nosey at their blog. And I'd also love to save up for a better camera as I don't feel quite like a proper blogger at the moment!
    Thanks so much for commenting on my little blog, it was really lovely of you, and in answer to your question, I'm afraid I don't have twitter - I'm a little old-fashioned and just stick with blogging! Though I do have an Instagram (ellencph) that I'm a little obsessed with!
    Ellen x

    ellenunderwater.blogspot.co.uk

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  5. Great goals my love - i'm all about comment loving and actually it's one of the ways I round off my day - that last hour or two, sitting down with blogs and thinking of something to try and add to with a comment of my own.

    As for my own blog and blogging - more commenting, sharing posts I love more, finding more smaller blogs to read and being more confident in what I post and my blog - I have the imagine in my head that if I was living in say New York (city or state) or California my blog would be a bigger deal then it would be through living outside Detroit and the images people have about it. Now i'm just in my post whatever I want to post mood for the year - I hope it sticks!

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  6. Good luck with your blogging goals Tori, I actually have similar goals for my blog too! I also really want to start commenting on more blogs that I love (like I'm doing now I guess haha!) My problem is I get lazy and find it too easy to skip onto the next post on my bloglovin' feed than take a few minutes out to leave a thoughtful comment. I'm definitely planning to make a conscious effort to do this less though!

    I've also just bought a DSLR camera so I'm hoping this'll inspire me to start taking more (and better quality) photos too!

    x

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  7. Great goals Tori! I love receiving comments too, and so always make an effort to leave comments when I have time (which is most of the time thankfully!) :) X

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  8. take more photos goal is great, i like looking at people's photographs! & it will do good to your blog, give it a little more personal touch, even though it is already personal.

    I am with you number 3, I'd like to improve my blog design-wise too.

    your year is gonna be great!

    Katrina Sophia Blog

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  9. Good luck with your blogging goals! :) I'm trying to revamp my blog design too but i just can't decide what i want or event like!

    Tanesha x
    www.tanesha-marie.com

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  10. Nice goals! I've just received some super awesome iPhone lenses in the post from a competition I won and I am really excited to go out and have a play! I have a DSLR but never use it as my iPhone is way more convenient.
    I've only just ventured over from tumblr for good, after 2 previous attempts - blog design is important to me and blogger's HTML and API is so different to tumblr's. But I have been swotting up (I already understand coding as that is what I am studying at uni) on Blogspot guides and have found a few useful ones. This one on Theme Forest is really informative! Good luck :)
    Love from Tegan x

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  11. Great set of goals! One thing I'm really bad at is commenting (on my own and others) blogs quick enough - I tend to leave several posts and then end up writing things 4 or 5 days after the original post or comment! So my blogging resolution I think, will have to be to respond to comments more quickly :-) x

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To my fabulous Tori's Tales comment'ers - I cherish each and every comment you take the time to leave me and, because of that, I reply to each and every one in return. If you have a Twitter account, then that's where you'll find me replying (because, let's be honest, I live on Twitter. In Twitter. Around Twitter. Twitter). If you don't then fear not, because a) this means you don't say stuff like the things above and b) I'll find you elsewhere.......
(*creeps you all out*)