Discussions

I'm Feeling Stuck and Annoyed

Posted by Livinginthepast • 6/27/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: annoyance

So, I have a blog that's basically 'eye candy' about the dollhouse miniatures hobby. It relies on people submitting photos to me, or me being able to ask them if I can put photos up. ( www.fluffybricks.blogspot.com )

It's not selling anything, and it's not a personal blog. People often tell me that it's a great resource.

My aim is to show off their work, and to get the hobby a bit more attention. Sure, it's small at the moment, only 116 followers, but I really really want it to grow.

Most of the miniatures I get photos of lately are ones that I saw on websites or blogs already, and asked for permission to post up and credit. I really want more 'original' stuff, where people send me their photos, people who don't have blogs. However that won't happen until it gets more popular.

People say 'oh, find a forum where they have people in the hobby, and put it in your signature, or post about it occasionally!'

The miniatures hobby isn't a 'huge', majorly popular hobby, and there are very few forums.

I only know of two that are active.

Last night I was informed by a mod that the admin doesn't want people to push their blogs or websites anymore, unless they're also advertising the forum in return.

So she deleted my threads that mentioned my blog. One of them, I asked if anyone had any photos of their pets with their miniatures, because I want to do a feature on it. Basically it would have just been turned into a 'cute pets with dollhouses' thread.

The other she deleted was about 'do you have any tips for taking photos of miniatures, because I would like to be able to advise people how to take non blurred photos' (Yes, so I don't get crappy photos sent to my blog anymore).

And she also deleted a 'hey does anyone have twitter?' thread I started. I GENUINELY wanted to chat with more miniaturists. I'm pretty desperate for miniatures friends. It's one of my favourite interests, and I feel really lonely in it quite often. But apparently people aren't allowed to promote their twitters anymore either.

The other two threads, I just had my blog on my mind, I don't do things like 'hey everyone, I've updated!' every day, or 'come follow my blog!!' type threads. And the annoying thing is, if I *did* get photos from the members and they hadn't got a website of their own, I'd have said 'so and so from the [link to forum] sent me this'.

And it annoys me because... well, if someone else posted up my blog, it'd be all 'omg wow this is fantastic!'. But because I happen to own it, I can't be like 'hey everyone, this woman's work is fantastic isn't it!' (and tell them about gorgeous pictures I was sent. Not about my own work)

And what if I DID have a personal blog, and I'd put up pictures of my OWN miniatures on it, and said 'hey everyone look what I made!', would I get in trouble then? Apparently! Apparently I have to post it in the albums they have.

Apparently networking for FRIENDS (genuine ones) is right out.

I can see being annoyed with constant 'hey everyone look at my blog, follow me on twitter!' threads, but... it really seems like they've cut off a lot of things.

And now my blog will fall even further into obscurity. Saying that doesn't make my other points invalid, I hope. Because I do genuinely want to contact other miniaturists.

And not just in a 'hey everyone, how do you make...' capacity, because right now I've not had much time to work on my own projects, I'm at university.

grrr. Admins. (And I say that as an admin myself)

User Comments

6/27/09

timethief

I'm sorry this happened to you. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I do recall trying to help a BC member locate other "miniatures" blogs - was it you that I tried to help?

Also I can't think of any way to help you at present.

[reply]
1. 6/27/09
  
  Livinginthepast
  
  It was probably you.
  I ... I dunno, I like finding other miniatures blogs, but I do like contacting people in other ways too.
  
  I am concerned that I'm just annoyed because they saw through my spammy promotional ways, but then I think about it and... though yes, I do want my blog to become popular, I'm also very genuine about what I'm doing and why, and I do genuinely want to make friends and network and talk about awesome work people do.
  
  If I actually had a way to promote it, and a host I guess, I'd totally start up my own miniatures forum. Maybe one day.
  
  I've always seen it as a nice thing I'm doing, saying that their work is fantastic... Being able to celebrate people's work IS genuinely important to me, I love the hobby and I love the artists in it.
6/27/09

HollytheHousewife

Well don't get discouraged. Just keep on keepin on

[reply]
1. 6/27/09
  
  Livinginthepast
  
  I just don't know how really now.
  hmn, I wonder if I linked to both the miniatures forums in the links section, if that'd mean I'd be allowed to. I doubt it though.
6/27/09

HollytheHousewife

I don't know. Just keep googleing and find people that like the same hobby and invite those people to the forums you enjoy and tell them about your blog. That is what I did. That is how I found my readers

[reply]
6/27/09

dcarroll

"If I actually had a way to promote it, and a host I guess, I'd totally start up my own miniatures forum. Maybe one day."

If not now, when?

Do it.

Do it yourself.

You can do it.

Don't wait. If it is important today--to YOU, do it today. Not tomorrow.

For a start you can google freeforums.org.

[reply]
1. 6/28/09
  
  Livinginthepast
  
  Hmn. The thing is I'd want to make sure that I can export the forum to my own host one day, and also I'd want somewhere where I could put up my own banner ads. I've had bad experiences with free forums in the past, like them randomly shutting down on me. I'd really want my 'own' I think. Also I'd want a good domain name. Looks good though if I were looking for a free forum.
  
  I agree about the whole concept of 'do it, do it now'. ... I just have no money to have my own host etc yet. Also no way to advertise it properly, argh.
  Thanks though.
2. 6/28/09
  
  dcarroll
  
  A journey around the world starts with one step.
  
  If you never make that one step, you will never get around the world.
  
  You don't need money to take the first step.
  
  You just need to take it. Take it now, or don't whine about it.
3. 6/28/09
  
  Livinginthepast
  
  Well, *can* I export the posts elsewhere afterwards?
6/27/09

HollytheHousewife

Well there ya go! I 2nd that!

[reply]
7/06/09

Livinginthepast

Well now I'm linking them from my blog. So I wonder if they can complain.

[reply]
7/06/09

surveygirl46

d-a-m-e.ning.com/

Is this you? i googled dollhouse and mini's (i LOVE researching things on the net LOL) and if this isnt you LOL check it out...it's a blog about what you write about and at the top of the blog there is a link to about starting one's own social network...

[reply]
7/09/09

Livinginthepast

No that's not me.

[reply]