So, about that Christmas ebook.
When I wrote my last bucket list update, I mentioned that I changed my mind.
I'm not actually going to write a Christmas ebook.
It's not because I lack passion for the topic.
And it's not because I lack ideas.
So why am I not writing this book that I've been thinking about for a few years?
Well, there are a few reasons, but mainly, the self-induced pressure to write this book was kind of getting to me.
I knew that if I was going to write it, I'd have to get it done in the summertime (homeschooling four children occupies a lot of my time during the school year), and I was worriedly watching my summer float by at a rapid pace, feeling more and more concerned about the narrowing window of time in which I could write the book.
Judging by the time and effort I had to pour into my first ebook, I knew this Christmas ebook wasn't going to be something I could throw together quickly.
I was laying in bed one morning pondering this problem, and suddenly I had an earth-shattering realization:
I don't have to write a Christmas ebook.
Duh.
And the relief that washed over me after this confirmed the rightness of this decision.
So what if all the blogging experts say that you really ought to write an ebook? It's not like I follow all of the expert blogging advice anyway.
They say that building an email newsletter list is The Most Important Thing To Do, and I'm not remotely interested in that.
They say you should hire a web designer and I haven't (I hired the Knitting Kninja to make my graphics and have kept everything else pretty plain.)
They say you should build a site that brings you leads and sales, but I can't bring myself to look at you as a sea of customers.
They say you shouldn't share your failings, but I told all of you when I ordered pizza and ate three boxes of Hot Tamales.
And they say that writing an ebook is the most fabulous way to make piles of money off of your blog. But I don't need to earn tons of money because I know how to stretch a dollar.
Isn't it lovely when you realize that you don't have to do what the experts tell you to do??
Maybe all the really fabulous bloggers are writing ebooks, but I don't have to do exactly what all the really fabulous bloggers are doing.
I can do what works for me.
I do still have things I want to share about this topic, though....celebrating Christmas in a simple and meaningful way.
I just think an ebook is not the way I want to share my ideas right now.
So, in October*, we're going to have a Christmas series right here on the blog.
*because you need to think about simplifying Christmas before November and December get here.
A series will be free for everyone, which is lovely.
And I won't have to try to maintain a blog and write a book at the same time.
Complicating my life in order to write a book about simplicity seemed a little backwards anyway.
I'm looking forward to writing this series (a big change from how I felt about writing the book!), and I hope it will help you to navigate the holiday season with a little more joy and a little less stress.
_________________________
Today's 365 post: Someone's smile has changed.
Joshua's 365 post: blooming
You go girl! I like the way you think.
A. I'm really proud of you. (Is that weird?)
B. I'm looking forward to the Christmas special, and I appreciate that it will be free!
DITTO!!! 🙂
I just LOVE you and your blog.
This post is just one of the many reasons I love you and it sooooooo very much.
I have been reading your blog for prolly just under a year now. You are a wonderful inspiration to me and my family. Lets be honest I truly start my day by reading your blog. Yup yours is the first web site I looks at almost everyday.
Thank you Kristen don't change a thing. 🙂
I think that's a great idea Kristen! And I'm especially looking forward to reading the series on Christmas because my family has more than doubled in the past year. Don't get me wrong, I love my new in laws! But we are also on a newly-wed budget and it can get overwhelming. So! Can't wait for the ideas on Christmas!
Isn't funny how much pressure we can put on ourselves to do things we think we should do, but don't really have to? Sometimes it makes me wonder what all "important" things I can actually get away with not doing! I'm excited and looking forward to your "Simple Christmas" posts!
Bravo...
The experts truly aren't always right. I have also learned that if my heart isn't all the way in it, whatever it is, really isn't the best for me or my family.
I love your blog just the way it is. One thing that goes through my mind is that I wonder/marvel at the time you must put into the blog and yet it is all free - at least to me. So I would understand maybe the "need" for an e-book. But in terms of all those things you "should" do, you are just perfect without doing them.
And thanks for role modeling the concept of not doing everything that people tell us that we should do. It usually feels pretty monumentous when I do that and love reading about someone else doing something that I could translate into my life. More than the frugal tips (I think I have this one down pretty well), I read you for the thoughts about life. And nearly everyone helps me.
Thank you so very much.
Followed your heart....you can't be wrong! Too often we do what we think "They" think we should....when "They" don't know a thing about us or even care as far as that goes. Your family and you come first...you got it figured out. When I am feeling overwhelmed by something looming in the future, I have to step back, pray and then I realize that there are some things that are the right thing to do and some things just aren't what I should be putting my hand to. Thank you for being a good example for all of us.
Yay you for going with what feels right for you!
You know we're all behind you, whichever choice you make, and we can start looking forwards to the Christmas series on the blog instead now
🙂
Good for you! Proud of you.
I throughly enjoy your blog and all that you put into it. Forget what "they" say and keep being Kristen. You are already a success and an inspiration to many. Happy day to you.
I don't normally comment but have been following you blog for a few years now and I think you are just awesome. When an Aldi finally opened in my neck of the woods, I immediately went and then thought of your blog.
I too am a HUGE fan of America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated. I don't believe in a paid subscription for joining a website but I adore theirs and don't mind paying for it.
I feel the same way...rarely do I want to pay for a site, but Cook's Illustrated is so worth it.
Yeah!! Can't wait to read it!!
You know what? I love your blog. I love how you are a real person who shares real life with your readers. I don't feel like you are just out there to make a ton of money off of your writing, and that is so refreshing in the blogging world. I love how your blog feels like a big sister sharing the things she has learned. I look forward to reading your Christmas series in October!
Awesome! And I'm not going to write an ebook, either! Take that, experts!
(OK, I had no plans for an ebook, but you had me all inspired and rebellious.)
Good one!
You crack me up!
It's such a wonderful feeling when you realize that you can choose your own path. We get bogged down in one idea, or one way of doing things. Someone else's way is not necessarily our own. And that doesn't mean that their way, or our way, is wrong. It's just different.
I'm glad for you that you had this realization, and now you can carry on with your life according to His will and plan. There may come a time when you do want to record your ideas in the format of an ebook. And that's good too. It takes courage and maturity to listen to God's voice and act accordingly. Good work!
GOOD for you. You are such a good example to all of us! Looking forward to the series in October and thankful for your footprint on the internet.
But Kristen, you HAVE written an e-book, Reuse, Refresh and Repurpose! And it was great. Looking forward to the Christmas posts, boy do I need them....
I am in total agreement about you knowing it was the right thing to do, when the relief washed over you. Why do we as women lose sight of the fact that we ARE in charge of our lives, (as well as many others, when you're a mom) and we CAN trust our own instincts? I struggle with this.
Great idea, thanks so much. Can't wait for help on Christmas!
I'm still relatively new to this blog, so for giggles, I read your pizza and Hot Tamales update, also, and a link caught my eye: "we don't have to choose between doing things perfectly and not doing them at all)."
The same lesson applies here. Ok, so you want to write an e-book about simplifying Christmas. Go ahead and write it! It doesn't have to be done this Christmas, or next Christmas or any Christmas in the future. From the tone of this update, I'm worried that you gave up on the idea because you created an artificial deadline based on trying to do it perfectly.
If you really don't want to write it (and you very well may not, it's kind of hard to tell from this post), then I am genuinely happy that you have freed yourself from that stress. If you do want to write the book, just work on it 5 min. at a time and it gets done when it gets done.
Either way, I wish you the best of luck.
I think the bottom line is that I do want to share about simplifying Christmas, but I don't necessarily want to do it in an ebook format. I think I sort of felt like I OUGHT to write an ebook about it, but I don't want to do it for that reason, you know?
I got ya.
In that case, I would like to say that no one ever innovated anything by doing the same old thing everyone else was doing. I'm very glad you've freed yourself from the stress of trying to do it someone else's way and I look forward to seeing it done Kristen-style!
It's amazing the pressure we put on ourselves to do something that "has" to be done in our mind, isn't it? I recently had just such a realization and decided to simplify my life and be aware of the pressures I put on myself and if they simply don't have to get done, not to do them!
It's freed up a lot more time to play and spend time with my precious kiddos, and that's really what I'd rather be doing anyway. 🙂
Looking forward to the October Christmas series!
Don't you love that weight-off-the-shoulders feeling?
Um, can't you use what you are going to put into a series to make an ebook? Not that I am trying to encourage you to do something against what you have decided but if you do the series and then compile into a book it would be great. Then add a few extra things next year and presto....ebook.
I could, but I'd still have to deal with all the headache of formatting it all for an ebook, inserting pictures, etc.
And I probably wouldn't be terribly successful at selling an ebook made up of stuff I already published for free on my blog (especially given that my readership tends to be into free!)
Good job, Kristen! And I am SO happy you will still be offering a series, because when you mentioned your idea for a Christmas book I got very excited to hear what you have to say! And I think a lot of us will continue to read your blog without the ebook, since we've made it this far without it. Love this perspective. 🙂
you are fabulous!
My friend at work and I were just saying yesterday that Christmas shouldn't be a burden to anyone, financially or otherwise.
It's too bad more people don't get that.
I'm glad you made the decision to not over-extend yourself for that.
I love those ebook , can't wait to be on the list too!
I love it. You're a think-outside-the-box kind of girl, which is awesome. You're doing what works best for you and it really does work.
Woohoo! Christmas in October! Looking forward to your series! And thank you for saying what I needed to hear - I don't have to be a blogger the way the big bloggers are. I can do it my way, and be the best me.
I'm off to BlogHer this week which is my 1st really big conference. I was feeling overwhelmed, and little thoughts kept poking up about doing things my way, and not worrying about it. Nice to read someone else is on the same page.
Amen to that. I hate all the should's of having a 'successful blog'. SEO, Titles, graphics, social media, blah, blah, bleck. Its liable to suck all the fun out of something that if I don't enjoy as the writer, I'm not likely to communicate goodness to my readers.
No E-book required for FG love.
I love it! I don't do anything that I'm supposed to do for a successful blog, and yet The Non-Consumer Advocate does just fine. I'd rather write a clever title than use SEO for my titles.
My blog is pretty bland looking, and I have yet to have any of my readers utter a word of complaint.
Love you, baby!
Katy
Totally agree about SEO. Being fanatical about it makes posts that search engines love but people hate.
I prefer bland looking blogs. They're much easier on my eyes and my ADD.
so glad you feel better. I feel the same kind of pressure when my husband makes some negative comment about the house not being clean enough (when I work full time and he doesn't help out at all.)
FYI, I had some zucchini going bad so I made your chocolate zucchini bread yesterday. I even had some mini loaf pans. It turned out so yummy! We had one little and I froze the other three.
I love this post! I couldn't agree more with you about the business of blogging. And about the freedom of a frugal life. Looking forward to the Christmas series!
And that is why we all LOVE you!!!!!
Good for you! And I can't wait for the blog series. 🙂
The contrast between this post and today's over at GRS is remarkable. I used to read GRS, TSD and FD for daily frugal inspiration. (I'm not using their names, as I don't wish to drive traffic to their sites, but most frugal folks will recognize the initials.) Once those former favorites monetized, the content headed straight downhill. I still get GRS via email, but rarely open it. I read today's because it's a post by Donna Freedman, who I respect and admire. She and Katy (aka The Non-Consumer Advocate) both crack me up with their wise ways and creative use of the English language!
The Frugal Girl is the first blog I read every day. I feel like I hear your voice and see your smile when I visit TFG. I love seeing how you and your family are growing. I have learned so many lessons from The Frugal Girl. She is a gift from God and a blessing to us all. Thanks, Kristen for creating, maintaining and so generously sharing her with all of us. I know that being TFG is just a small part of who you are in your real life. Your beautiful voice and heart make a lasting impact in mine. Thank you!
I think the trouble with those blogs happened not when they started taking ads (like mine, they had ads for years), but when they were sold. In a lot of cases, it seems like when a blog gets sold, too many things change and the blog loses both quality and the personal touch it originally had.
I'm so glad that you are still happily reading my blog. : )
Oops, I was trying to say something nicer than "sold out", I think monetized may have been the wrong word. Yes, it was most definitely after they were "SOLD", whether the writer announced the sale or not.
Ok, that makes more sense!
I don't think anyone wants to buy my blog, and I'm not interested in selling anyway, so you should be safe here. 😉
I am sorely disappointed that there won't be an ebook on Christmas. However, you make valid points - one right after the other. And sometimes, all it truly takes to simplify - is to just DO IT. If you think your children get too many toys, limit the number you purchase, and ask the same of you family members. (I will NEVER forget the year we told my mother that all our son needed was books and puzzles. If she chose to buy toys, they would ALL stay at her house. She must not have believed us, because all she bought was toys. We let our son take ONE toy home, and ALL the rest stayed at her house. She was none too pleased, but we stuck to our guns.)
And whatever else you feel is overwhelming you about the holidays - choose not to do them, or do simpler versions. It can be done!!!
(P.S. I subscribe to TWO blogs. This is one of them...) 🙂
I'll still be writing about Christmas, though! It'll just all be here on the blog instead of in an ebook. So you won't miss out on anything.
Yay! I'm excited for the series to start because I need all the help I can get short of escaping to the coast and skipping it all together!
So glad to hear your going to cover this topic on your blog!! Every year I say I'm cutting back and simplifying gift giving but even with my kids being young adults now I still have trouble buying less for them. After all this time I still find joy giving them gifts.
One main focus for me this year is to simplify our stuff!! And holiday decorating goes right along with that. Less is more, have fewer things I REALLY like, then lots of just ok things!
Looking forward to your insight!!
Can't wait for the Christmas Series!! Hooray! It is so freeing sometimes to realize you don't have to do something-especially something you were imposing on yourself that was bringing you more dread than pleasure.
I should not have read this post while procrastinating writing my ebook... 🙂
Oh dear. I'm sorry for enabling your procrastination! 😉
I think if I were in your place, I wouldn't mind writing ebooks as much. You don't have to deal with any of the technical aspects of the book, right? Like formatting, designing, getting it set up for various e-formats, and so on. That's mostly the part that stresses me out...if I just had to produce the content, I wouldn't find the process quite so hard.
You rock. Big time. Thank you for not overwhelming yourself and your family. Thank you for choosing what you know in your heart is best to do.
Geez, if more moms/parents were like you and chose the road less stressed, I really feel families would be so much happier, relaxed and content.
I look forward to reading your Christmas ideas down the road!
Love this blog big time!
Great idea! I believe in doing what creates less stress. The experts say lots of things we should do on a blog, but that doesn't mean we should feel pressured to do them. The experts say you should use social media for your blog, but I chose not to because of the stress it would add to everyday life at home. I want to give my family as much of me as I can. I write my blog because I enjoy it and if I ever earn any money I will be excited, but I write it because I like it.
I look forward to your Christmas posts. Well, like many, I look forward to all your posts.
Hey Kristen,
That's the beauty of being online, NO RULES!
I actually think it will be a lot more fun for your readers, and you, to do a series right on your blog. Your blog has so much great stuff, why distract everyone with an ebook.
I love how you melted away the pressure with your great attitude. I'm definitely taking a lesson here 😉
Looking forward to Christmas.
Liz
Good for you! I am really looking forward to your Christmas series.
BTW - you ARE one of the really fabulous bloggers. So there.
I am also looking forward to your Christmas series in October. Mr Omnivore and I will likely go to three family Christmases this year and, while none of them will be organised by us, I am already thinking about how we can simplify our contribution. I would like a large proportion of the presents we give to be homemade, particularly to our parents who already have everything. Looking forward to reading your thoughts 🙂
Good for you Kirsten! It's an amazing feeling when you realise you don't HAVE to do something, and the only one pressuring you is you! The relief I have felt when I have had one of these epiphanies in the past has been both immediate and wonderful 🙂 Looking forward to October and hearing your thoughts about Christmas 🙂
I'm so excited to have it be free:) and maybe someday if you ever do decide to write the Christmas eBook.... You'll have the archives of this series to get you started. Just a thought.
Wonderful post. I appreciate your generosity. The best things in life are free.
I recently read that true 'linchpins' make their own map. They don't follow the expert blueprint (highly paraphrasing). I'd say The Frugal Girl is an excellent example of how to blog (with sincerity and conviction). I'd suggest go with the gut - do what you feel is right for you.
Earlier this year (Feb) I decided to write a mini e-book - simple soup recipes. I still haven't completed it. Nothing weighs so heavy as an unfinished task. I feel your relief! Enjoy the summer!
I think that's an excellent idea. I often put pressure on myself to do things that I don't really need to do. This isn't always a bad thing, except when you start feeling overwhelmed!
I'm also happy that you'll be doing the post series in October (and that it'll be free!) -- I'm looking forward to that!
Oh, and who cares what all the blog gurus say anyway? Your blog is refresingly real and I love it. 🙂
Perfect thinking.
Looking forward to the Christmas series. I love your blog and it makes me feel good to know that keeping life simple makes it a lot more peaceful!
You go, girl! You are special and successful in your own way! Love your blog. 🙂
Kristen - just want to applaud you for your decision about not writing another ebook. Life is too short to be stressed out about things like this. I remember reading about Christiane Northrup when she was in medical school and how she said she got horrible migraines and so stressed out that she thought about suicide. So she called her parents and said she couldn't do it - and their response was, so quit.... She said it gave her such peace to know she didn't "have" to do it and that all would be well if she dropped out, that it made her calmer and allowed her to finish school with no more migraines... We place ourselves under way to much pressure. Kudos to you.
Kristen,
I'm pysched..can't wait to read the Christmas series...and so smart to do it in October! :)!