Want to help me brainstorm this?

[JennifersLost]

Some of you know I write a blog called "Halving it All".

 

I want to make it better. I'm ready to spend a little $ soon on graphics and design. But before that I want a clear image of the site and all the things I want to be able to do with it.

 

Basically, I want to document our family's journey to finding balance in the modern world. But more than that, I want it to become a compendium of information and inspiration for others who want to live more balanced lives.

 

My main topics are:

 

1. Halving and organizing "stuff".

 

2. Balancing work/life/family/spirituality.

 

3. Living lightly on the earth.

 

4. Increasing Joy.

 

 

But I want to cover everything from how to live mortgage-free to how to grow and can your own tomatoes to recipes for bread to you name it....

 

Should I have a daily journal-type blog entry and then lots of links to different topics? Or should the front page be static and just a place to find all the links?

 

Should I have more contests? Less? Different types?

 

People seem to really like looking at before and after cleaning/organizing pics.....but they hesitate to post their own. What can I do to encourage this?

 

What's the best way to show people the nuts and bolts.....like I track every dollar I spend on groceries. Does this interest people? or would they rather just hear ball-park figures.....

 

Do people like weekly/monthly challenges (try to halve the clutter in one drawer, etc.) Or do they prefer reports of what I'm doing?

 

What would inspire all of you along these lines? What would make you want to interact with this blog?

 

What's most important to you right now? Balancing time? healthy living? Money?

 

I'm interested in anything people have to say on the topic!

[LaxMom]

I don't think you can please everyone, and you'll drive yourself crazy trying. That said, how about a daily blog format, with a sidebar of links organized by topic.

 

Could you reorganize your topic list and have a daily theme? That may help with regular readership, and keep you from getting bogged down in one area.

 

I'm not much on contests, but I know others really like them. Maybe a monthly challenge would be good?

 

Right now, as always, our focus is on healthy living which, at least in my mind, encompasses all the things you're talking about. Right now my struggle is balancing time - between house, school (kids), outside obligations, my own studies... then there have been holidays, family, my husband traveling... ack! I don't suppose you have a format in mind that gives us more than the standard 24 hour day?

 

(and, by the way, I really do like your blog)

[JennifersLost]

Hee hee - Jennifer's time decelerator......

 

That would be a popular blog app!

[Carol in Cal.]

Your post made me think through what blogs I read, and why, and how often.

 

I only read four with any regularity. They are Yarn Harlot (a knitting blog that has now morphed into 4-5 books and a great deal of success, but I knew her when...), Susan Wise Bauer's blog, the cowboy love story from this board, and a knitting and choral singing blog by a local woman who I know of from both interests. In each case, the reason that I go back is that the writing is quite engaging, generally the topics are of interest to me, and there are a few digressions but they don't dominate the blog. Also, I like the writer in some almost personal way.

 

I wouldn't bother, personally, with a blog that was all over the map. And I really don't want prescriptions--I want content and an example or mentor or someone to just enjoy hanging with, not a 'mom' type figure telling me what to do. Lead by example, not by fiat, I would say. Kind of like being with other moms of older kids and just seeing how they operate, and watching to get some ideas for myself--some good words to use--some ways of viewing things that might not have occurred to me.

 

Then again, I'm not really all that into blogs, so I'm not sure that my views are the best to use. But there they are!