"I Can Do That!"

Humans crave creativity.

DIY projects are exploding in popularity, as is healthy cooking. Of course, this means blogs combining the two have popped up all over the internet. However, not all blogs are created equal. There seems to be some factors that directly correlate to a blog's success. In a nutshell, here it is:

Ingredients For A Good Blog:

1. Good, clear, bright photos (especially if they go with some sort of directions)
2. Something fun to do or make (example: wall art or a delicious meal)-- NOTE: Especially popular are easy things. What can I say, humans are lazy.
3. Good writing. Okay, this one seems obvious, but a good, engaging writer with a vivid writing style will do wonders for a blog's popularity.
4. Cute animals and/or children. What? We're all suckers for 'em and you know it.

There are other things of course (such as layout and minimal ads- we all hate scrolling through ads trying to find the real blog), but the above four seem to be at the heart of every good blog. As my husband told me the other day "You gotta have something to talk about." It's true. Nobody wants to read a random blog in which I do nothing interesting and do not relate to you in any way. We crave relationships. We want to relate to something. I talked about this earlier in my post about human heartstrings and what evokes emotion. The same idea goes for passion and popularity. We want to want what the writer has- crafts, projects, home improvement, yummy food- and anything that says "Hey, look at this wonderful _______! You want it? Here's how to get it/make it!" will naturally get attention. We like wanting things- we like it more when those things seem attainable, and DIY crafts and meals are exactly that: something you see, like, and can then make and have. Good blogs are a way to encourage you to CREATE SOMETHING. And, let's face it, we all need that.

Blogging has, in many ways, improved me: I have started cooking (and they are good meals!) and my apartment is looking lovelier every day with new DIY artwork and improvements, inspired by the blogs I follow. 

I love sharing in the creativity of people all over the country through their blogs (look at my favorites on the left-hand side of this post and you'll see what I'm talking about). Their blogs have inspired me and continue to develop my own creativity and skill as a crafter, DIY-er, baker, and cook. At the very core of every good blog lies one crucial element: Inspiration. We all want to be inspired; we all want to feel capable. Blogs that inspire us with good, clear ideas and pictures to follow, garner admiration and, therefore, popularity.

Humans crave creativity. Blogs that inspire creativity win our hearts. And that, my dear Watson, is simply elementary.