It’s always a good day when you get shortlisted for anything. Shortlists are so sweet. You’ve made it past the longlist. You’ve been judged. You’re part of the selected. There is hope you’ll make it further. Your name is up there in greyed Times New Roman. You’re HAPPY!
I was delighted to get the news that LadyNicci blog has been shortlisted in two awards in Blog Awards Ireland 2017. In previous years I entered the parenting and literary and books categories as these were what my blog was concentrated on at the time and managed to make it through in both of those rounds. This year I entered the lifestyle category, as I thought it offered a more ‘overview’ category of the content in the blog. I was a bit reluctant to do so as it’s an oversubscribed award which made it more competitive but today, I got the news that I made it through. From a quick count there were about 130 on the longlist and roughly 30 on the shortlist so I am well chuffed with that.
For the first year ever I entered a blog post I had written – Standing, Blinking, Into the Light. Up until this year I didn’t have a post that I was particularly proud of or wanted to put forward. This piece, describing my mindset after having my second daughter earlier in the year, captured a lot of the difficult feelings I have been working through this year. I had an amazing reaction to the piece, with lots of correspondence, much of it private, from people who had read the piece and experienced the same thing. What a lot of people won’t know is that after the post went live, I went way back downhill, finding it really difficult to come to terms with what I had put out there publicly and feeling very down in general. I’m not sure that I was ready to really talk about it and I had published without thinking too much about it. Blogging can be difficult like that – you want to write, capture your feelings and be honest, but at what cost?
That’s why this year, I have pulled back from the blog a little – to settle, to calm, to become a bit more internal and not feel obliged to write about everything that happens. I haven’t gone away. I’m just more contemplative I guess.
Being shortlisted for an award for this piece in particular makes me feel a little proud today. Of being able to put it out there. Of perhaps helping someone in some small way. Of using my blog as a positive, creative tool, even when sometimes, it feels like a chore or a costly commitment around my neck.
We’ll see what happens going forward, but a thank you to anyone who reads, continues to read and gets in contact after reading my words.
It means a lot.
It truly does.
December Girl is now available on Audio. Visit Amazon or Audible or click on the cover below to download.
Congrats Nicola! A well deserved honor for a brilliant blog. Best of luck.
Oh thank you so much Virginia! I was thinking of you when I was thinking of readers 🙂
Congratulations! How you juggle motherhood with all the work you done on your blogs is completely beyond me. Can I have some of what you’re having please! Seriously though, I am sure it is not easy so well done. I enjoy your blog a lot.
Thank you so much! What a kind comment. I’m a grammar nazi too don’t worry – I am actually so tired that I didn’t even see the mistake till you pointed it out haha! To be fair, I have not been doing a lot on the blog this year – but that’s mainly because of the novel work and all the marketing I am trying to do on it – and something will always have to give. Still, I don’t want to let it go – it’s a great place to go and just write and feel satisfied when a post is done! It’s so nice to know that people are actually reading… although a little scary too – I usually just feel like I’m talking to myself : ) Thanks again for the comment, much appreciated x
Sorry, in the above comment, I meant ‘do’ not ‘done.’ I can’t bear incorrect grammar! If you wish to correct that error and delete this message that is more than fine with me! Sorry!