My blog is having an identity crisis, as it periodically does. Every so often I reassess what I’m doing and try to figure out if it’s making me happy.
Lately, I’ve come to a very important realization: I will NEVER be Joy the Baker.
Image from Joy the Baker (I hope she doesn’t mind that I borrowed her pic)
I feel like Joy the Baker is the blogger that we all (or maybe just me?) strive to be like, because it’s awesome and she takes awesome photos and I pretty much think we’d be great friend. But let’s be honest. I will NEVER be Joy the Baker. I mean honestly, who will I even convince to take an awesome picture of me like the one above?
I’m not hipstery cute enough. I don’t have enough antique plates or counter space. I don’t have an orange cat.
And let’s be honest, I don’t really want to be all those things (ok I might want more plates, but who doesn’t?). I think I’ve reached a point in my life (aka I’m a grown-ass woman- ish) to realize that being my own person is more important that trying to get more readers.
With food blogs these days, I feel enormous pressure to have awesome photos and amazing props and make ridiculous recipes.
You know what I mean… your caramel-banana-pecan-bourbon-cardamom-date-almond milkshake must have 3 paper straws in it and it must be served in a golden chalice.
Hmm not really my style or in my budget. So let’s stop trying to be that. I’ll let Sally keep up the ridiculous recipes with the ridiculously bright photos.
I’ll stick to being Karla at Foodologie and tell you a few things about me so we can clear the air.
1. My life is a constant battle between my love of sugar and my desire to be strong and fit.
2. I love baking almost as much as I love eating, but I have a huge guilty conscious.
3. I got an extra part-time job largely so I could pay for crossfit (we can talk about this more later).
4. My internet is often so crappy that blogs don’t even load for me. True story. Often times, I read your blog and don’t comment because I get frustrated after 10 minutes of trying to comment with no avail. (I have no idea why this is relevant).
I love blogging and I’m still trying to find my niche in the blogging world. But ultimately it comes down to just being me and not caring what other people think.
Ok that’s all I got. I’m going to go try to make a buckwheat pie crust. Wish me luck, then tell me which blogger you admire!
Foodologie 
I love Joy the Baker too. And Smitten Kitchen. And How Sweet Eats. But I’ll never be like them either- and I’m totally cool with that. I admire you for sticking to your guns and making your blog about YOU. Because hey, I like sweet treats but I also like working out.
Can’t wait to see how the buckwheat pie crust comes out!
Yes, yes, yes! I totally agree with so many things you wrote in this post. All the pressure to have perfect photos with perfect props (and to social network them on the perfect aggregation sites) kind of detracts from the main reason (I would think most…) people visit food blogs and the main reason some people (like me) start them—to focus on the food and the recipes themselves!
(Not to be too spammy about it, but I actually wrote a kind of whiny post about this not too long ago, and it started some really good discussions in the comment section, especially on the topic of the ridiculous emphasis on food *photography* over recipes. That post is here: http://spontaneoustomato.com/2013/06/06/rabokki/ )
Anyway, keep reminding yourself of the reasons why you wanted/love to blog! And stay true to that! If every single food blogger were Joy the Baker, we wouldn’t need a million different food bloggers with different perspectives, styles, voices, and recipes; they’d all be the same!
(That said, I admire Joy the Baker very much, too. And I reeeeaaally admire Smitten Kitchen.)
So I got halfway through a long comment and it disappeared! I was saying that this is a great post and sums up how most (or at least me) food bloggers feel. It’s not just about golden chalices, it’s about great writing and interesting content and you most definitely have that! Good luck with the blog and the pie crust, just hope you can find a vintage pie dish to display it on correctly…
Haha! I have a vintage tart pan (and by vintage I mean it’s probably from the 90s because I got it at the Good Will).
Thanks for commenting!!
Forgot to say Kate’s Creative Space is my Joy the Baker, she’s amazing!
I laughed when I read the three points you wrote about yourself because points 1 and 2 are me exactly, and as to point 3, my part time job is what makes me fit, which is a bit similar to you working to pay for crossfit 🙂
Also, you have a lovely blog.
Yay for working hard to get what you want! Thanks for commenting!
awww i have the same sentiments for holly at decor8. but i love your blog. and with all that food i was kinda hoping youd be fat so i wouldnt feel so envious about all the things you make… lol im kidding!
Bahaha! Your comment made me laugh out loud. I think the same thing about many bloggers 😀
If it makes you feel any better, I used paper straws in my blueberry mojitos and they were AWFUL and turned into bendy straws very quickly and I do not understand the hype..so now I just look at some of those pics with 3 paper straws and roll my eyes. And I have no room for more plates, which makes me sad.
I also greatly admire Joy the Baker, but I think your pictures are pretty awesome as well, so keep up the great work!
Haha! I hate paper straws mostly because like you said, they’re AWFUL. They get all soggy and gross! Clearly they’re for aesthetic purposes (like all food blog photography) but womp. It frustrates me.
Thanks for your comment!
I have to say I love your recipes and stories, so even though I do not know who Joy the Baker is, or any of the other blogs that you mention, I love YOUR blog 😉 this comment aside, what do you say to making a “healthy cheesecake” recipe? I went to a birthday once where they brought this organic cheesecake, where the crust was made from almonds and such, and the whole thing was supposed to be low in calories. Think you can make something like that for us sugar lovers who need to lose a few pounds?
Hugs 🙂
You are my blogger idol. Although i’m not actually trying to be like you – it’d be too much work and i’m lazy. Love the blog!
Love this post. Love your blog. Do YOU! 🙂 (Though I think every blogger goes through this same thing, I know I have!)
Definitely, it’s a phase. I’ll get past it. Agreed. Do you. You too!
Catchy title led me to YOU! Love this blog!! I admire Joy the Baker but follow Nibbles and Feasts, The Other Side of the Tortilla, Muy Bueno…they are all so different and great like you! Keep up the good work. Glad I found you to add you to my list. 🙂
Thanks Betty! Ha! I think the title caught a lot of people’s attention 😀 Thanks for commenting!
If it’s any consolation, you are not alone. I think everyone who is doing anything publically – art, blogging, whatever – looks up to someone and it is hard not to just try to be a complete copycat of that person. There are a lot of bloggers I really admire, but no one wants to see me trying to mimic someone else. And remember, that that person wasn’t always That Person either. There are plenty of Joy the Baker copycats (and they have great taste, don’t get me wrong!), but it’s always better to be the first Karla at Foodologie. 🙂
Totally agree! We all look up to someone, but we still need to be our own person. Thanks for your comment!
You have said it all. I check Smitten Kitchen and Chocolate Covered Katie several times per day, hoping for a new recipe. My own food blog is petty in comparison, but I love to cook, bake, and read about it anyway! I love your blog, and best of luck!
Hi Anna! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. You’re moving to Sweden! that’s pretty amazing to me
I am SO glad you’re not Joy…because you are just too awesome to be anyone else! Just keep doin’ your thing girl and be yourself! I am so glad we met and have a new gf to hang with!
Yay! I’m pretty glad I’m myself too 🙂