I know it’s been a little quiet around here. I’ve been trying to decide what this blog is really for. After over five years of writing Food on the Brain, I’ve figured out that I’m not cut out to be a professional blogger. I went to a food blogger conference a few years ago where they convinced me I needed to own a privately hosted website and monetize it, but I’ve finally realized that – for me, at least – they were wrong. I don’t want to run flashy ads, or instruct people on how to make lasagna with careful step-by-step photographs and clever SEO that draws the whole lasagna-recipe-seeking internet to my door. I might write about a particularly delicious lasagna that we had for dinner, but that doesn’t mean that was the only way to make one. I don’t need to be the go-to site for lasagna. Or anything else.
I’m fascinated by the world of food, but I don’t consider myself to be an expert in anything. My original intent was to share great eating experiences, write down some of my more successful cooking projects so I’d remember what I’d done, and generally have a record of my life in food. Unfortunately I’ve allowed myself to be intimidated by the way other bloggers set themselves up as authorities and start informing people what condiments they need to use and the final word in chocolate chip cookie recipes. I personally don’t think that there’s any right answer to what any one person should like best. I just want to share the journey of discovery.
What I would like is to reclaim this space for myself. I’ve been using facebook for off-the-cuff updates instead of putting them here, which is ridiculous. If no-one comments, that’s fine – honestly, I’m used to it – but I don’t want that to stop me from writing what I want. I do write actual cooking articles and restaurant reviews and farmer profiles, and you can see all of my professional work through my other website http://www.jessamyntuttle.com, but that’s not what this site is for. Let’s see where it goes.
Food on the Brain 
I (still) have a couple of private blogs myself – and have started wondering what I’m doing there and how to proceed after loosing my joy and lightness in doing them. Now I will have an experimental one just for the fun of it under wordpress.com to find out what I really want to do – travelling lightly and under cover …
Joy and lightness is a good way of putting it – I was feeling a heaviness about my blog posts, like it was a chore. Silly of me.
There is maybe nothing as stifling as success. I think, I finally got too dependent on instant approval – became too unwilling to change and experiment – I had invested so much in that old stuff. Learning new skills is actually more fun. But when I tried to reform one of my blogs I ended in loosing my following there and I flattened it. And the three left are really beginning to feel like a chore, like you said. I’m still hesitating, however the decision seems somehow already made with me. I will come back and check what you will do.
Excellent Plan of Attack! Have fun!
Here’s hoping!
First, I love the picture at the top of this post. Second, I haven’t been following FotB for five years, but I wouldn’t have you be any way but what you are. Blogs like yours and Manger inspire me, and make me think about the pleasures inherent in food (cooking at home, eating out, going to markets and classes) and everyday life (dogs, supper clubs, weekend jaunts). I like that you’re not connected to food professionally (like Molly at Orangette, who I appreciate differently) and I follow Deb Perlman/Smitten Kitchen, but that’s another kind of inspiration altogether. Thanks for being here.
Wow. Thanks for reading, and especially for this comment. It’s great to know there are people who share this approach to food and life. Cheers!
Good on you for reclaiming this space for you, regardless of what the conferences say. Not everybody needs to hit quick with their blog; not everybody needs to drop a ton of money and time on taking the perfect photos, writing the perfect romantic story about every slice of cheese. Write what you’re feeling, what you’re loving, what you’re eating. We’re here, and we’ll be here, because we like you.
🙂