Recently, I’ve had a massive blog trauma. Around May time, I contacted a company on Etsy who created blog themes for wordpress, my chosen blog host.  I never really had a proper layout before and I felt my blog lacked identity & structure, so I researched literally 100’s of layouts and theme choices before deciding none of them were suitable and I contacted one of these particular designers for help. I’m not fussy, just incredibly particular….

I had chosen her as I liked the tone of her designs and I found 3 different layouts which I loved, and would ideally like to condense. Luckily for me (or so I thought), she offered a semi-custom design which incorporated the cool elements of all three layouts and condensed them into one rocking, in-your-face amazing blog theme. For a higher than listed price – natch!

I duly paid generously for this pleasure and was informed that in a mere couple of weeks I’d be good to go. I told everyone the big reveal was imminent and got so excited about the prospect.  It all started really well, emails flying between us as lots of requests & suggestions abounded from either side. Well, 6 weeks later and I was hanging by a thread! Delays turned into excuses after excuse, unanswered question after ambiguous email and I was still not in possession of the finished article. It didn’t help that we were on opposite sides of the world and different time-zones either.

Not only that, but the communications had by now soured to such an extent that one day, we had a virtual fallout,my designer and me. I was left with a blog framework which just read as coded gobbldygook to anyone clicking on my URL.

So, crisis in full swing, and nearly two months later in total, I was rescued by a funky digital outfit called All Things Code, recommended to me by my husband, who had first hand experience of their innovation & creativity. With their enthusiastic, can-do attitude, I was hopeful I would at last have a blog I was proud of.

Two further weeks later and I, as you can see, am back in business and eternally grateful to my knights in shining armour at All Things Code.

During my blog’s down-time, I was forced to ask myself some probing questions though.  All this time, I had built up a solid readership & a loyal following.  But had anyone noticed I had gone? It would seem not. Was anyone sending out the Twitter search parties for me? Nope. Was my inbox choc-full of enquiries from concerned blog fans asking where their regular dose of ginger musings had gone? Negatory, amigo.

I was particularly questioning whether I really could juggle full-time blogging with running a social media business, parenting, life etc or should I just take this as a sign and park the passion?

My bloggy ego had taken a substantial blow and I was questioning my right to write…..until last week, the emails started trickling in from readers, PR’s & brands who had been searching for my witterings and thought I’d gone AWOL. Their concerns were sufficient enough for them to hover their mice, compose me a message and enquire after me.

All the while, I was still thinking in blog and my brain was rammed with unwritten ideas. Every new find was a post formed in my head. Couple this with the knowledge that some people out there are actually looking forward to hearing what I have to say, cue a big Ginger smile and a renewed vigour for the spark I have vowed to re-ignite.

The new-look is still a work in progress, little touches being added every day, but here it is, in all it’s ginger glory.

Once a blogger, always a blogger! And in the words of Gary Barlow, I’m back for good…..

Any of you thought about starting/giving up blogging? Or maybe had a digital trauma? Sharing is caring! x