During this season of celebrating gratitude, I’d like to thank Carrie of sexandtheshires for awarding me with a Blogger Recognition Award!

The terms of the award ask me to reflect on why I started my blog, offer some blogging tips, and nominate some other bloggers whose work I find inspiring. So, here goes!

I started Forty-Something First-Time Bride for several reasons. When I got engaged in my mid-forties and began navigating my new identity as a bride, I was excited but also overwhelmed and occasionally flabbergasted at the weird world of 21st-century weddings. I’d been working on a creative nonfiction manuscript of my mid-life dating years, and mid-life marriage seemed equally rich with material. I thought of the blog as the sequel to the manuscript (or more accurately, the manuscript is now the backstory to the blog). As a writer, committing to making regular posts on a blog gave me a sense of accountability and deadlines. As a bride, blogging allowed me to document and share my engagement and wedding with far away friends and family as well as other women in love. I’ve also enjoyed the community aspect of blogging.

Some tips, based on my experience:
• Make a regular posting schedule that you project at least a few months out. Be flexible and willing to move things around so you can engage with current happenings, too, but keep a calendar of planned topics to motivate you and keep you on track!
• As a long-form blogger, I prefer to draft posts several weeks ahead when I can. With time, I always think of details to add or words I like better. Plus, if you work ahead, you don’t end up staying up to 1 AM trying to finish your latest post by deadline…
• If you do get off-schedule, cut yourself some slack. Consistency is good, but life happens.
• People love posts with photographs!
• When I started, posting twice a week sounded easy. For me, though, it was a lot, and after a year, I went to once a week. Let your blog suit your own goals and schedule—it’s more fun that way!

The bloggers I’d like to nominate for recognition:

One of my favorites is Ann Coleman’s Muddling Through My Middle Age. I admire the clarity of her language and her insights. When I read her posts, I feel like I’m chatting over coffee with a wise friend.

I’d also like to recognize Shannon and Running Sunflower–“living life one pair of running shoes at a time”–whose adventures and reflections on running and life inspire me to get back out there and keep running (and living!).

Finally, I’d like to give a shout out to Sunshine Travels, where Lisa shares gorgeous photos and great stories of her world travels to places such as Russia, Mongolia, England…. I love vicarious exploring!

Thanks again to sexandtheshires for the nomination! Happy reading and blogging, all!

•••

Blogger Recognition Award Rules:
1. Write a post explaining why you started your blog and including some tips for bloggers.
2. Nominate some of your fellow bloggers.
3. Comment on their blogs to let you know you’ve nominated them.