I’ve been tinkering with an idea for a while that I wanted to run past you lovely lot. Curly and Candid starting off being about toddler stuff, then a baby and a boy stuff, and now is about a boy and his toddler brother, food, interior design and random posts like how to prepare your lady garden for a smear test (all very important stuff). Over the past few months the other part of my life, the one that takes up a fair old whack of time but which I do love too has crept more and more into C&C, and that is my work life.
For the few that don’t know, I work from home full time as a freelance writer. There is nothing quite like spending your working time doing something you adore and of course occasionally being able to do it in your PJs! I could write reams about the ins and outs of working from home, being self employed, business and the ups and down of the copywriting world however I’m wondering if C&C is the right place for it?
So tell me folks, should I start a second blog for my writing “stuff” and return C&C back to being purely a lifestyle and family blog or is there room for everything here? Your opinions are much appreciated.
And if I do go for a new blog / website….. What the devil will I call it??
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Surely your work is just as much part of your life as your boys. To me I don’t see any issues with work posts bleeding into Curly and Candid. 🙂 It’s part of who you are!
Thanks Claire. I’m still undecided to be honest. If I start a business blog then I could expand the work-related posts that I do on here and use it as a business tool. There will always be some work stuff on here as it is like you say a big part of my / our lives.
The thing is… do I have time for another blog? Do I want C&C to have more work-stuff on it?
Arghh!
It depends, I think. You know I love your blog and reading your most random of ramblings. And I am sure I wood enjoy your work posts too, but it might feel better for you to keep them mostly separate. I used to have my work one and am just getting back into my personal one. I found that if I tried to do it all on one then I would inevitably feel like my blog was work and probably turn people off the work one by rambling about personal stuff. This probably makes no sense… to summise I think I would have two 🙂
I’m leaning towards two at the moment. The work blog would be completely work-related, C&C would feature the lifestyle aspect of running your own business but be more informal.
I think!
I agree, I think Curly and Candid is you, whatever angle you take. People know its you, so why change what works …. plus having to develop a whole new audience!
And I see the point here too…. argh!
I think it is interesting the way blogs evolve over the years as the blogger’s priorities change, the children grow up, they return to work maybe, looking after parents might start to be an issue, etc, etc. This is a record of your life so I would keep it all in one place. One day we might be reading the C&C grandma files.
I’m thinking of keeping the work-y stuff in, anything that is lifestyle related anyway and have a more formal second blog with how-to guides etc.
And Grandma files? EEEK!
‘Copy & Candid’ of course!
As tempting as it is to keep everything in the one place, I would separate them out. One can make reference to the other if you want in the ‘About’ page, maybe.
The worry is that if you are trying to set up authority in your work audience, they might see posts about anything else as ‘random’ and dilute your commercial voice.
Think, though, you get to put everything you’ve learnt into a new blog and the fun of starting with a brand new and focussed audience, new theme, et al.
Focus will also help in your SEO and marketing efforts if that is important too – otherwise what keywords do you shoot for if you’ve combined the content?
Hope that helps.
My love, HMSx
PS: I’ll read and subscribe to both!
This basically…. just this!
And of course Candid Copywriting would work provided no-one hacks me and makes it candida….
Hmm, Copy & Candid. It has potential!
I agree with HMS. Since we all started blogging we’ve learned so much! I’m setting up another blog right now, and I’m excited about taking all my knowledge and using it to make it fly. I’d read Copy and Candid!
Crikey, everyone is at it 🙂
Make sure you let me know the new url!
I’ve had C&C for 4yrs+, the idea of setting a new one up with a clean slate is quite exciting.
If you’ve already got a website to advertise your business it should be relatively easy to integrate a blog into that. If you haven’t, then I would recommend setting up a separate work blog. As Her Melness says, it’ll help set you up as an authority in that area and help sell your services. But, you must do what’s right for you
Cheers Laura.
You know how they say that a builder’s house is never finished? Well, neither is a copywriter’s website. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done fine for years without one and have more than enough work however I really do need “something” out there that I can optimise in order to bring new clients to the table when needed and what not.
Cheers Laura.
You know how they say that a builder’s house is never finished? Well, neither is a copywriter’s website. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done fine for years without one and have more than enough work however I really do need “something” out there that I can optimise in order to bring new clients to the table when needed and what not.
Softthistle.net was initially my “other” blog as I wanted to have somewhere for the more geeky side of me. I soon realised that it was harder to keep two blogs going than I realised!
I like that yours is all together! Whatever you decide, I’ll keep following everything you write! (said every stalker ever *cough*) 😉