Today is a very special day at FTS because it marks our three year anniversary! With this milestone I thought it would be a good opportunity to say thanks and reflect back on the past few years. So in true French Toast Sunday style, I put together a top 3 list with my top 3 reasons I still love movie blogging.
Most of us bloggers crave community. We seek out other writers with similar interests and keep a close eye on our own blog’s comments, hoping to see a few on every post. It’s not always easy writing or podcasting for years without a lot of feedback but I believe it happens more often than not. When FTS formed I had no idea I would fall in love with it the way I did. It became a second job, one that I wasn’t paid for but couldn’t quit. Over time, the site gained a few dedicated readers/podcast listeners and though our numbers still aren’t extravagant, I find the small community here the most important.
Moreover, the traffic, community and comments didn’t just pop up over time. There’s no 18 month waiting period before people start to take notice of your web presence. Not at all. Where most of the magic happened was everywhere else. With our induction into the Lamb came with it a whole slew of other movie bloggers to connect with. Each passing day, there are more people to find, more blogs to read and so much more to discover. Through those blogs, friendships have been formed and solidified thanks to similar interests and passions. Over the course of these last years, I’ve guested on many other bloggers podcasts, written for other sites, met bloggers in person, participated in Google Hangouts, and even friended a few close bloggers on Facebook, which is something I very rarely do.
Overall, it has been the coolest experience getting close to people I would have otherwise never met if it were not for French Toast Sunday. I hope I keep making new friends through the site for years to come and would encourage other bloggers, especially those who are just starting out, to seek out online community.
Just as important as making new connections has been strengthening old ones. Because FTS is run by myself and five of my closest buddies, our friendship has grown a lot over the years. We are bound by something very unique that feels like our own special club. We meet at least once a week (usually more) to podcast and shoot the shit. I can always count on everyone to show me support when I need it as well as contribute ideas to the big picture.
It’s bizarre really, when I step back and take notice of the group: Texting deadlines, organizing meetings, scheduling screenings. It’s all, in a sense, very business-like. But with that also comes movie nights and drinking games and baked goods (which I am constantly reminded that I don’t make enough of) and free stuff. A lot of it is hard work but most of it is a blast. I can’t thank my cohorts enough for sticking with it when the going gets tough and always helping keep the dream alive.
Chances are, any blogger that’s been at it for years has been keeping it up based on passion alone and with movie bloggers, it bleeds into every part of your day. My passion for consuming film and discussing it has never waned and has kept me blogging when I assumed no one else cared. The same passion has propelled me to be productive and proactive. I make goals and revise them. I gather my thoughts instead of just letting them drift away. It’s pretty incredible to say that the blog has put out well over 1,000 posts and reached 140 podcasts. We have also hosted 3 large scale scavenger hunts within our community and made it on the Baltimore/DC press list. It’s exciting to think about what we can accomplish in years to come.
And now I ask you, if you are a film blogger yourself, what do you love about blogging? Or if your just a fan of reading up on film, what’s your favorite types of articles to read? I’d love to know more about your experience!