New Directions.
I don’t like writing a diabetes blog anymore. I’ve said it a handful of other times on my blog that I get really tired of writing about diabetes all the time.
But I think the truth of the matter is that I’m sick of writing about diabetes period. I enjoy reading some other diabetes blogs, though not as much as I used to. It isn’t because I don’t like the bloggers (ya’ll are awesome) or I think they’re boring. I’m just not in a phase of my life where I feel like spending an large portion of my time focused on writing about diabetes.
I could see myself occasionally writing a post about diabetes, if I had a doctor’s appointment or met with other diabetes bloggers at an event. I’ll definitely keep everyone posted on my training for the Ride, because that’s important (and expensive, please donate!).
My fear (an irrational fear, but a fear nonetheless) is that if I start writing about other things, I’m going to lose half my audience. And honestly, I write a blog for people. If I didn’t care what people think, I would keep a journal. But a blog is, I believe, inherently interactive. So if there’s no one here to interact with, what’s the bloody point?
I’ve tried throwing in different kinds of posts, here and there. Not a ton, but a few. I have my Twitter Thursday posts, and I wrote about Three Cups of Tea and getting hacked. None of these have anything to do with diabetes. I think they were pretty good posts.
This weekend I’m meeting a group of girls for lunch in the town I live in. New girls. Possible new friends. I have a whole post about friendship that’s been brewing, so I might write about that. Sunday is Easter and marks my successful completion of Lent. I have gone a full 46 days without eating a bite of chocolate, thanks to granola bars and caramel frappuccinos. Erik and I are going to Max Brenner’s. I may walk around the island of Manhattan a couple of times before we go… 🙂
I suppose the point of the post is to say that this new trend of non-diabetes posts will be continuing. If you’re cool with that, please stick around. If you’re only hear to listen to me talk about my blood sugars and wearing a pump and CGM, you might be disappointed. But hopefully this blog will start to look like a blog about Allison, who happens to have diabetes, rather than a blog about diabetes, which happens to be written by Allison.
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Lemonade Life 
You’re living with diabetes, emphasis on LIVING. Write about whatever in that life inspires you to write. Even if we found you via the diabetes content, we’re probably sticking around because we like your ‘voice’ and are interested in what you have to say.
I agree 100% with what you have said…I think that is why I have stopped blogging as frequently, as well. Diabetes isn’t fun, but I also don’t want to constantly focus on it either. There is so much more to me than just my daily ups and downs with diabetes… and I am very much looking forward to hearing about you beyond diabetes, too 🙂
Sometimes you need to make changes to get more centered so you can get to the next level. I think you and your blog will be fine after the change. I for one look forward to see what exciting new things you come up with =)
I spent a week specifically posting non diabetes related posts for the exact same reason. Sometimes you just need a break. If anything, this will make the diabetes related posts in the future more meaningful when they do occur.
God Speed.
I for one have enjoyed the “less diabetes, more other stuff” trend. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts on friendship. You go girl!
Well, this would be why I find myself stumped for material half the time…life is about more than the D, and sometimes chronicling the ins & outs is more exhausting than living them. I think your adventures are blog-reading-worthy regardless of the D-slant. Enjoy the weekend and breaking your Lenten fast! 🙂
I’d still read! 🙂 I am kind of in a phase like you are right now. Diabetes isn’t something I want to write about all the time either.
I like reading the stuff you post, regardless of what it’s about. And I LOVE the Twitter Thursdays. I’ve contemplated doing something similar myself, but haven’t had the nerve to try.
🙂
I don’t have diabetes. I think I only know one person in real life who has diabetes. I read your blog because I can relate to you whether you are talking about diabetes or just everyday life. Without making it sound like diabetes defines who you are, I feel like the fact that you have diabetes and that it affects your life will keep your blog at least loosely categorized as a diabetes blog. I bet people are happy to read about a girl with diabetes who has a life – a job, a boyfriend, good days, bad days, etc. I don’t think you should feel obligated to write every post about diabetes. Just write what there is to write about you – people will definitely keep reading.
Write about whatever you want and we’ll still be here. I enjoy hearing about all aspects of people’s lives. If all anyone ever writes about is their diabetes it makes them a bit … flat.
I like friends and Easter and Manhattan too! So let’s hear it! 🙂
You’re my friend, and I like to know what you’re up to regardless of how diabetes fits into whatever that might be. I understand the concern you have though. If I write about something that isn’t diabetes-related or is only tangentially related, I worry the people who ordinarily read will be bored. I agree with your point that if I wasn’t trying to reach people, I wouldn’t be blogging anyway, so I don’t know what the answer is. I’m trying to figure out how people like you have managed to blog about diabetes for years on end. I’ve only been at it since last summer, and I have more and more days I think I’ve run out of anything new to say about it. It’s amazing to me that you haven’t run into this crossroads sooner, but regardless of the path you choose, it seems people are wiling to support your journey.
Thanks everyone for all the support! You’re awesome!!
I actually started reading some posts from this past few months, and the vast majority of them are already about diabetes. Between Twitter Thursdays, memes, and posts about things I’ve done with Erik. I suppose it won’t be as weird as I thought for my readers.
Lee Ann: Actually, I have done this before! I’ve posted about how much I don’t like it, and a couple of years ago I actually created a whole new blog called Everything Related as an attempt to not write about diabetes all the time. But for whatever reason it didn’t work out because I hadn’t mentally figured out where in my personal life I was going to bring readers, so I ended up going back to Lemonade Life (not to mention, the name is a lot cooler!). There are only a couple of bloggers I know who blog about diabetes almost every single day (Amy and Kerri) and I know both of them either bring in the occasional non-diabetes posts or they bring in other people to give them material. Something to think about it…
Allison, my advice…not that you are asking for it!…is to write about whatever is on you mind. It’s your blog and your space to sort things out. Write for yourself. We’re all living with this, but are also humans with lives beyond diabetes, just like you. Just be true to yourself and don’t try so hard to be what you think people want and you will remain real and relevant to people like you.
I started reading your blog, and came to know you, because of diabetes. But I keep reading your blog because I’m interested in what you have to say and because I enjoy it. Judging by the other comments, I’m pretty typical.
Looking forward to reading whatever comes next!
I also came to your blog because of diabetes, but I will definitely continue to read it. You put it well when you said “hopefully this blog will start to look like a blog about Allison, who happens to have diabetes, rather than a blog about diabetes, which happens to be written by Allison.” I’ve thought about starting my own blog at some point, not only about diabetes, but also other topics like the environment and public health, and had been wondering whether it would be weird to have them all in one blog, whether any readers would actually be interested. You provided some good food for thought.
I’m behind you all the way, Girl! You should always go with your gut.
As you know, I treat my blog like my very own little newspaper about diabetes (which happens to feature me HAVING it a lot), but the rest of my life as a wife/writer/consultant/mother of three is too complicated and exhausting to write about most of the time. Hunkering down in my office and writing about my “secret world” of diabetes is an escape from all the rest of it in my case. It’s where I go to talk to “my people.” But you’ll still be one of my people even if you write about other stuff. Promise!! No worries, your friends are hooked 🙂
You are a great writer. You may lose some readers, but I bet you gain some others.
I started reading you because my young child is diabetic. But I actually like your others posts, too.
I can’t wait to read what you have in store for us. Good luck!
Allison, it’s ok, it’s Your blog, write about whatever You want to! If readers don’t read it, that’s their choice and has nothing to do with You as a Person. 😉
Write about whatever you want to write about, and, truthfully, every once in awhile you may come back and write about something related to diabetes, even if it’s something directly about you. I think that’s as fascinating a journey as any other. And if you lose readers, you’ll probably gain more by going in another direction, depending on what you decide to write about. Good luck with it all.