This post is to announce my loser status in the Project Food Blog. Sadly, I didn’t make it to the third round.
I’m discouraged and a little disheartened. Not sure if Amiable Life will continue in its present form. Turns out it’s difficult to get people to invite me to cook with their grandmother and/or share their stories. I don’t get it. Everyone wants to be a celebrity and/or on reality tv. I give people a chance for internet notoriety and it’s like pulling teeth for people to share family recipes. Why?
I’m open to suggestions/advice.
Have any thoughts on how I can encourage more people to share their family recipes/stories? Leave me a note in the comments.
Have any thoughts on a different direction for Amiable Life (other than my own recipes and/or restaurant reviews)? Leave me a note in the comments.
Have any encouraging words at all? Comments section, please.
Meanwhile, Amiable Life is taking a short hiatus while I gather my thoughts and enthusiasm. It is at times like these I try to remind myself of a little old ant, thought he could move a rubber tree plant . . .
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I think it’s just a matter of getting the word out there! Don’t give up! do you have a Facebook page for the blog? Post it, we can be fans! And how’s this? If you like, I would love for you to come and learn how we make pierogi, using a combination of family recipes and modern tweaking.
Amy,
I love Amiable Life and the interviews with real people, and I detest this trend of voting for recipes and blogs. It’s all about the number of hits not whether people actually read things. “Best” is meaningless, anyway. (Of course, I voted for you!) Don’t be discouraged. I am afraid to enter anything like that because I know I would cry.
That said, your interviews are a LOT of work. I’d say pick a bunch of easier things, too, that still tie in with your theme. Someone could give you an old recipe they found and you could make it and serve it to the family or person who gave it to you, and then report back on the blog. I’ve often that many people must be AFRAID to cook their old recipes and would need someone to do it for them/teach them/ adjust the recipe.
Or you could just pick a seasonal vegetable or fruit and focus on that for a week . . . . just mix it up and making it easy for yourself. And you could invite guest bloggers, too. You take such great photos.
In short, forget the popularity contests and do what is meaningful TO YOU. You will get enough readers.
Marisa and I have been enjoying your website! Marisa cooked a couple of the recipes, and we think your writing is a lot of fun. So I’m sure we’ll love Amiable 2.0, or Amiable Second Life, or whatever it turns out to be.
The most important part of your endeavor is if you are enjoying it. ARE YOU HAVING FUN? Does your blog provide some meaning in your life? If so, then absolutely trudge on, sister!!! Take whatever time you need to regroup your enthusiasm, then, please, follow your heart!
PS – I voted for you. Your advancement or lack thereof is not a measure of the quality of the blog, it’s a popularity contest, and some may have marketed themselves shamelessly as you would not have done!
I was sad to see the loser drawing on your site! You have written about some wonderful family foods, and that in and of itself is a valuable thing. I hope you find what makes you passionate while on hiatus, and that the ideas of how to proceed will begin to emerge.
No way are you a loser! I love and admire the idea of your blog, especially because I know it must be pretty difficult to find grandmothers to teach you their secrets. But I also just love your writing, so even if not every post you write is about a grandma, I’d still love to read it! Hope you’ll keep writing!
You are not a loser!!! You made it to the top 400 out of 1800 blogs which I think is pretty impressive! I agree with previous posters… if you enjoy what you’re doing, keep on doing it! I certainly enjoy reading it : )
Don’t give up.
Dear Little Old Ant,
Your concept is great, writing excellent and lessons learned are noteworthy. Perhaps you can tie the meaning your blog has in your life to the people you want to interview by asking for a small donation from each to Susan Komen -Breast Cancer- that you or a larger organization matches. Your dollar will help save lives of a future generation of cooks/grandmothers.
I have high hopes to see this creative and thoughtful blog continue.