When I first started blogging, managing a blog was an emotional outlet. You could write what you want without worrying about SEO keywords and branded content. You could write things according to when you felt like posting them, rather than trying to post to fit within a publishing schedule to keep your site consistent. Back then blogging was less structured and more about documenting aspects of your life, adding your commentary to pop culture topics, and sharing things you’re excited about.
You also weren’t fighting with algorithms. You just shared what you wanted, when you wanted - whether your audience was one or two people.
Personally speaking, when I started blogging, it was pretty cringe. I was a teenager, writing about everything from poems I wrote to pictures I felt like posting. I think back on that time in general and cringe, but I remember that blogging felt more like authentic glimpses into a person’s life that weren’t curated.
One blogger I used to follow in particular back in the day (who apparently later was discovered to be lying about some of the things she wrote?), I remember I was immediately drawn to because her posts were so raw. She’d write about her dates, her feelings around romance, and her experiences with dating again after getting her heartbroken.
Another blogger I followed shared her student’s funniest quotes that started with them saying her name.
Many of the bloggers I followed, inspired me to eventually start my own blog that I had prior to the one I now manage with my husband.
Everything we’ve gone through previously made me realize how much I liked having a space where I could comment on whatever I wanted, without needing to fit within a certain niche.
While I enjoy the blog that I manage with my husband, I miss old-school blogging.
I miss being able to write about the musings and thoughts that often fill my head without worrying about promoting it or creating Pinterest-friendly graphics for it.
I miss hearing about what people had for lunch that day and why.
I miss writing without thinking about whether it fits a niche or not.
It’s one of the things I really love about Substack since joining as a reader. I love how reminiscent it feels of how blogging used to be.
So, I created Caffeinated Musings with no real idea of how often I’ll update here or if this will turn into one of those things that I start with the intent of keeping up, but then don’t. However, I knew that I at least wanted to try to create this Substack, so that I have a space to write what I want to.
Musings about life, faith, pop culture, and other topics that I feel like writing about or externally processing.
No more than one email a week. I will probably post less than once a week, but definitely no more than that.