It’s been 19 days since I launched YOUTHEDADDY, a new blog for expectant parents giving the guy’s perspective on pregnancy, babies and the journey to fatherhood, and so far it’s been a hugely enjoyable and interesting experience. But at what cost?!
I’ve learnt a huge amount already, hitting 2,000+ views for the blog in the first two weeks, growing my Twitter and Instagram following to near 400 on each site, while engaging with a wide range of passionate dad and mum bloggers along the way, who have been nothing but supportive and always there to offer advice, a ‘like’ and the odd retweet as encouragement.
But by God, this blogging malarkey is a full time job!
As someone who already has a (really quite demanding) full time job before even taking into account my YOUTHEDADDY workload, I hadn’t quite appreciated the amount of effort that needs to go into a blog to get it off the ground and ensure you are consistently providing a steady stream of fresh, interesting and engaging content that people genuinely want to read.
Coming up with new, insightful articles, researching, editing, sourcing the right imagery, linking up and engaging with other bloggers and commenting on their posts, promoting the blog on Instagram and Twitter, while trying to build up a following, takes serious time and effort to get right.
Gone are my leisurely tube rides to and from work, reading a book or listening to music – replaced by frantic underground drafting sessions during my daily commute…
At work, I’m dangerously distracted, secretly commenting on other blogs when my boss isn’t looking, while sneaking off at lunch time to draft my next entry incognito (particularly as nobody knows that we’re pregnant yet)…
TV and Netflix are but a distant dream – if enjoyed now, it’s with one eye on the TV and the other (discreetly) checking the social feeds and viewer stats, while proof reading my latest post…
Not to mention the fear that somebody we know will stumble upon this blog and find out we’re pregnant before we’re ready to announce our happy secret (we’re still weeks away from our 12 week scan, hence why I can’t post any personal photos on the blog yet and have to write anonymously for the time being)…
It’s even affecting my relationship with my poor, hormonal and pregnant wife, who (after initially encouraging me to start the blog) is now regretting this decision as she grows increasingly weary of my late night bedtime blog writing and photo editing sessions …despite my best efforts to conceal the light from the iPad screen under the covers (a high risk strategy given we’re currently in the midst of first trimester mood swing territory at this very moment).
Hopefully, though, the fruits of my labours are starting to get some traction, and you, my readers, are feeling the benefit and enjoying what I have created.
But Lord knows how I’ll find the time to blog when we add a baby to the mix?!
So, bloggers of the world, I salute you, you wise old bunch of blogaholics. Your dedication to the cause is truly inspiring!
30 weeks and 5 days left to go…
As always, for more daily updates you can also find me on Instagram and Twitter, so I hope to see you there!
Thoroughly enjoying your blog! I so relate to much of this! Followed you on Twitter and IG. Thanks for linking up with the #FabFridayPost
Thanks Hun! Now there’s no escaping me!!
Don’t worry, you’ll soon settle into a rhythm that works for you. Or, at least, one that teaches you to cope with much less sleep – which will come in handy in a few months’ time. Enjoy the journey and the developing friendships – we can all empathise with what you’re going through at the moment and we’ll all be there to laugh with you (or should that be ‘at’ you?) along the way.
Thanks Tim! You’re definitely someone to aspire to!
You’re doing a great job. Is there an email I can get you on? Looking for some dad writers.
Thanks Lisa! Sure thing…I’ll email you personally!
Lisa – I’ve joined up to your mailing list on tantrum.xyz, so hopefully you can get my email from there?
Ah thanks matey! Will definitely check out your top recommendations!
Sounds like you’re off to a flying start! I had a little chuckle at the comment from Kerry-Anne – she’s quite right, you will find pockets of time you never had before once you’re up round the clock with the new baby. I was quite productive around 1am 😉
Blogging is incredibly time-consuming and addictive too but so worth it, for me at least. Sounds like you’re doing really well. Good luck with your blogging journey 🙂 Polly #fabfridaypost