Every year in January (for past 5 years), I take some time to reflect about blogging and share my thoughts (here’s last year’s). This past January 1st, Just One Cookbook became 5 years old.
There are so many things that I’ve learned from blogging, yet I’m still constantly learning each day. Today I want to share 5 lessons which I learned from 5 years of blogging.
Lesson 1: Not able to respond to every email
Even though Mr. JOC has been telling me for several years now, it took me 5 years of blogging to realize that I was chasing the impossible.
The number of emails I receive each day grows as time passes by. I tried my very best to respond to all my emails. However, as a result, I am spending more time at the desk than I was in the kitchen.
Trying to reply to every comment and email dug myself into a hole because I wasn’t spending enough time to create new recipes, and I sort of lost myself between my desk and the kitchen.
At the end, I accepted that I can’t respond to everyone and I need to be more effective with my time if I want to create more recipes. It’s very difficult because if someone takes the time to let me know they enjoy my recipe, I want to reach back out as well.
P.S. Some suggested a virtual assistant might help, but I can barely manage what’s going on in my family right now. Yikes! Adding one more person to my responsibility will most likely add more stress… One thing at a time. 🙂
Lesson 2: Allocate time for creativity
From my Lesson 1 experience, I learned lesson 2. You need to set aside time and space for your creativity.
Food blogging is very interesting occupation: it requires you to wear many hats. You have to be a:
- recipe developer to make delicious recipes
- food stylist to make sure the food looks perfect in the photos
- food photographer to take the gorgeous food
- creator of videos to film and edit how to cook the recipe
- a writer to tell a story behind the food and write a recipe
- web savvy to fix your blog related issues
- a secretary to keep track on everything going on
- customer support rep to help the readers with cooking questions
On top of it all, the contents need to be entertaining and everything has to work in order to create an identity on the web.
When I realized that I was in slump, I tried to block out time for my creativity outlet. For me, it was to get my cooking mojo back. So I allocate my mornings when the kids are not at home for developing recipes, and use the night time when the kids are sleeping for a desk job. It’s also the quiet time when I can write a post.
Lesson 3: Take step-by-step pictures
One of the most common feedback I receive from readers is that they LOVE the step-by-step pictures. Now if you’re a food blogger, you’ve probably encountered discussions talking about step-by-step pictures. I learned that most bloggers discourage putting step-by-step pictures for every single step.
Somehow, that never applied to my blog. My readers often tell me that how helpful step-by-step pictures are. For those of you who try making Japanese food for the first time, I hope my step-by-step pictures help confirm what you are doing is correct. I know I really appreciate it when recipes I am not familiar with share step by step images – such as dessert and bread recipes!
Lesson 4: Talk with Japanese accent
Next two lessons came from my experience with making videos for the past 2 years. For all these years of living in the U.S., I wished that I could speak English without a Japanese accent.
My American friends would say “oh but your accent is cute!”, but I rather wanted to be a cool bilingual who could speak both languages perfectly.
Well, that didn’t happen and I still struggle speaking and writing in English (I have accepted that I am not good at languages in general).
So you could tell how worried and terrified I was when I was forced by Mr. JOC have decided to appear on my YouTube channel. Me speaking in English on YouTube? No, thank you!
However after many videos and encouragements from friends and family, it starting to give me some confidence and I suddenly felt more comfortable about speaking with my heavy accent on camera. So please forgive me if I can’t say “fry” and “fly” collectly. 😉
Lesson 5: Smile while talking
Seriously, I don’t know how many can do that!
While filming, Mr. JOC keeps reminding me to smile every few seconds while I’m talking.
I concluded that it is physically impossible for me. I look at awkward footage of myself trying to speak while smiling…. any tips???
Maybe it’s because English is not my native language. My mouth is very confused when I try to speak English and smile at the same time! I’ll try to do better this year so it appears more natural in the videos.
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I hope you enjoyed reading 5 lessons that I learned from 5 years of blogging! I look forward to your comment below!
Hi Nami San,
Reading your blog is very enjoyable. I never imagine I can make any authentic Japanese dishes until I came across your blog!
Your dedication and passion lead you to a very successful blogging career, please keep it up! I want to see more simple, yet elegant and scrumptious recipe!
Last but not the least: The first recipe I tried out was your chasu ramen (which was awesome!), and guess what, I found that the left over chausu can also turn into numerous yummy dishes when I’m short of time/energy, such as sandwiches (I finely chopped the chasu, then mixed with Japanese mayo and finely chopped custard green); chasu curry: chausu fry rice; …. etc, etc.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your recipe, the videos, the eye pleasing step by step photos….. Thank you!
Xoxoxo
Hi Lena! Thank you for reading my blog! I’m glad to hear you enjoy trying my recipes. 🙂 I’ll try my best to add more simple and delicious dishes.
Yes! I also use chashu for fried rice, and I actually look forward to eating this more than ramen… Flavor is awesome! I love making chicken katsu fried rice too – I know it’s unheard of, but my mom makes it with leftover (so as chashu) and it’s so good!!! I’ll try the sandwich next time. Usually use up all the leftover for fried rice. =P
Thank you again!! xo
Nami, even if you didn’t smile, I can still sense that you’re a warm person smiling from your heart. Your kindness go through your step-by-step pictures and your blogging words to me. I can feel your efforts while I am redoing your recipe. Thank you so much for your beautiful work all the time!
Hi Sofie! Aww your words are too kind! Thank you for your feedback. 🙂 I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my blog. xo
Hi Nami! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! You always teach us something new! Step-by-step photos (not to mention videos!) are something I’ve always found too difficult to even try… I truly admire you for these efforts!
I laughed a lot reading about your accent 🙂 Yes, some accents are really cute and the Japanese is one of them. (Frankly your accent is so tiny…. barely there… just enough to be….cute!).
5 years only??? With all the extraordinary dishes you have shared I feel as if I had known you for at least ten years!
Hi Sissi! Thank you so much for your kind words, Sissi! I am a bit sad that I no longer have time to leave a comment on food blogs, but I still read your blog post when I get your new recipe in my inbox. 🙂 You’re too kind about my accent. Thank you. I am hoping to meet you one day in Japan or somewhere! xoxo
Congrats on five successful years Nami! May you have many, many more. Cheers!
Hi Kristy! Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so sorry I haven’t had a chance to visit your blog – have been horrible at keeping my friendship on blogosphere. 🙁 Talking to blogger friends is one thing I miss dearly.
YOU are fabulous. That’s all you need to remind your Self!
And…I LOVE the step by step tutorials 😉
Arigato and Gambatte!
Deanna
Aww thank you so much, Deanna! 🙂 Gambarimasu! Arigato. 🙂
Congrats on 5 years and keep up the awesome work 😀 I love your recipes (esp the matcha ones) and the step by step photos. I am a total newb in the kitchen (esp with cooking) so they are super helpful to me 🙂
Thank you so much Berny! I’m happy to hear you love matcha too! I hope to add more matcha recipes in the future. And glad to hear you like step by step pics too! 🙂
Dear Nami,
I have only just discovered your cookbook after returning from a 2 1/2 week holiday in Jqpqn where I ate almost exclusively Japanese food. I used to live in Japan 18 years ago but at the time my kids were small and I did not go out as much. No I am desperate to learn to cook some Japanese food (especially for my lunch box) and your website is perfect. Thank you for your efforts!
And as for smiling and speaking, I used to do a lot of media work and the key is to be yourself and put as much energy into your presentation as possible. So smile when it is natural (at the end of an explanation or when you encourage people to give one of your recipes a try). There is nothing worse than a forced smile in my opinion but maybe that’s just me and Americans see it differently (I am German and live in the UK).
Hi Barbara! 2 and half weeks in Japan! How wonderful! I hope you had a great trip! I hope you find some of your favorite Japanese recipes on my blog. Thank you so much for your valuable trip on speaking/smiling!
Nami,
I am very grateful for your blog and videos. My wife and children love the meals I prepare from your recipes. Your videos has thought me cooking techniques that are both time saving and makes cooking fun. Not every chef would reveal all the tricks of the trade.
Happy 5th Anniversary.
P.S. special thanks to Mr JOC too…..
Hope to learn more from your future blogs
Adrian.
Hi Adrian! I’m so happy to hear your family enjoys my recipes! I don’t know what kind of tricks you liked from my recipes but I’m glad what I shared was helpful! I probably learned it from my mom and somewhere – it’s good to share helpful tricks! 🙂
Mr. JOC said thank you to you (he’s next to me). 🙂
Dear Nami. You are doing very well in all things you are trying to accomplish. Just be yourself and continue to share all your knowledge with us. We are all here to learn and not criticize your accent or whatever negative things you have been told. Keep up the great work.
Hi Chiyo! Thank you for your encouraging words! I’m so happy and thankful that I have wonderful support from my readers. 🙂
Congrats! Blogging is definitely a full time job! Thank you for sharing all your recipes with us. I think you look beautiful in all your videos, smiling or not. 😀
Thank you Faithy! Aww thank you for your kind words!
Congratulations on 5 years of blogging! I am soooo happy that I found your blog! You work so hard on your blog and in the videos. I just wanted to let you know that your hard work is appreciated.
p,s, – You’re doing great with English – it’s a tough language to learn!
Hi Jennifer! Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear you enjoy my blog. 🙂
Congrats on 5 years! And I have to say, your accent IS cute. 🙂 Your blog is great — so glad you’re doing it. Looking forward to the next 5 years. And the 5 beyond that. And the 5 . . . 🙂
Thank you so much John! You blog is constantly inspiring! Thank you for liking my accent. 😀
Hello Nami
Thank you for the blog of your first five years. You worked hard and really did a good job. I appreciate your excellent food photography. Keep up the good work and will keep following your recipes and travel tours.
Hi Henry! Thank you for your kind words! I’m glad to hear you enjoy my travel posts! 🙂
Hi
I only got to know about your blog from my Malaysian friend in Australia over Christmas so I am relatively new to your blog but I think you make Japanese cooking so easy to follow. Thank you very much and keep up the great work.
???????????????? Yaso
Yaso! Welcome to my blog! I’m so glad your friend introduced my blog to you! 🙂 Hope you find some recipes you like on my blog!
Hi Nami,
I don’t comment as much as I use to, but I do continue to read your blogs. I think you’re doing a fantastic job. Keep up the great work and always stay smiling. ^_^
P.s. the step-by-step photos and videos are VERY helpful.
Hi Candice! No worries! Thank you for reading my blog! I’m glad you like step by step pics and videos. 🙂