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!
I needed to read this post. Oh I so needed it 🙂 Answering emails takes so much time, I know and I always feel bad when I don’t or when I answer back after a week or so. Thank you for this awesome post Nami 🙂
Thank you!!! You’re my huge inspiration, and I enjoy reading your posts (though sorry I rarely say hello on your comment…). Thanks so much for writing, Marta! xoxo
Huge congratulations on having one of the most fun blogs on the Net . . . . love your smile, love your accent and love and use what you teach! Happy five years but DO hope you have learned enough to look after yourself and take time out for those beautiful children and a very caring husband. And I have spoken English for much longer than you but still get asked almost every time: ‘Where do you come from’? Enjoy being you !!
Hi Eha! You’re always so kind and supportive and I really want to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your support all these years. THANK YOU! I loved and will always love hearing from you! Hope one day I get to meet you… 🙂 xo
Hi Nami!
Congratulations on Five Years! I love your blog! My mom is Japanese and is no longer able to cook, so I have tried to cook foods of her gurus sto. Thank goodness I found you!
Your English is great! Don’t worry!
Yay!!
Hi Theresa! Thank you so much! How nice that you make Japanese foods for your mom! Hope your mom enjoy my recipes. 🙂
Oh me too with the smiling. I finally broke myself from frowning when I concentrate, since it was causing a deeper wrinkle between my brows, lol. With my TMJ I hold my jaw differently but have learned to smile with my eyes or “smize” as Tyra Banks says, lol. It does work though so all you non-smilers should give it a try!
Hi Deb! Thanks SO much for your tip!!! I love your “smize” tip!!! Thank you for writing! xoxo
New follower here! Discovered your blog via White On Rice Couple (Todd Porter and Diane Cu). I already love the contents of your blog! Happy 5th blogiversary!
Anna
New York, NY
Hi Anna! Thank you for following my blog and welcome! Diane and Todd are so inspirational and I love following their work too! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Hey Nami! I’m happy to see your blog grow, you’ve been working so hard, and make us enjoy great recipes for 5 years.
I wish you all the best:)
Thanks so much for your kind words, Muna!! xoxo
just started following you on Instagram! Hope I’m a lucky winner!
Hi Leslie! Thank you for following my Instagram! Good luck with the giveaway! 🙂
That is a very interesting post about your life experience with your blog. I am actually considering that (one day) I would perhaps make a personal website based around what I do and want to share as well. This includes cooking (but I am also a musician, enjoy travelling especially outdoors, love photography, geology). This would focus more on my interests and hobbies though as an aside from my professional occupation – I am actually working in becoming a full-time scientist (in everything associated with laser and plasma physics to be more specific, if you are interested to know) so I am not sure, at this early stage at least, how I can really commit myself to be a good blogger like you are.
As a small aside, I will actually be in California for a week in the first week of February in Livermore. This is actually for working reasons I am there but I have the Sunday, a bit of the Thursday morning and maybe the evenings in-between. As you live in CA I was actually wondering if you have any recommendations for someone to do during a short visit there. I might consider using Thursday to see more of San Francisco but I decide on that while I’m there.
Thank you for the post! It was nice and informative!
Hi Leo! Wow your life sounds very interesting as you have many interests in different things! It’ll be fun to read your blog! If you start a blog, let me know! 🙂
Ohhh you’re coming to the Bay Area! Livermore is East Bay, it’s a bit far from San Francisco but with BART, you can visit the city easily (if not driving). I live in Peninsula (area just below SF). I can make some time in the morning when kids are in school. Let me know if you have free time. 🙂
Hi Nami,
Thanks for your reply and even offering your time for a morning! That’s so nice of you 😀
After looking through my schedule, which recently has been confirmed, I will have real difficulties in getting any time available in the mornings during the working days to get time out. The Thursday (my last day of this working visit) will be fairly brief as my flight would depart 11:35 late morning. I’m not familiar with the school system and time your children would need to be at school to say that I would have much time in the Thursday morning. The Sunday is really the free day I have to discover during this working visit and as you have understandably a lot of family responsibilities I am uncertain whether we would get much of a chance to meet in a during the week.
Thanks for offering your time to meet you. Even if we might not get to meet, I will very likely revisit CA because there are actually quiet a few events related to my work that, by coincidence, happen in CA – mainly because of the scientific research area that I work in being strong in CA and with the National Ignition Facility there. So I am certain that this would not be the only chance I get to meet you and discover the Bay Area (and hopefully Yosemite National Park one day 😉 ).
Hi Leo! I understand. SF (the city) is not close to Livermore where you’ll be staying, so I completely understand. We film our videos on weekends, so weekends are a bit difficult to go out for me. Next time you have some time, we can grab a coffee or eat lunch together! 😉 And yes, you must visit Yosemite!
Thank you Nami! I will keep that in mind next time I should visit CA near SF – I’ll try scheduling extra free time as I would like to both see much of CA and have the pleasure to meet you! Have a nice week ahead and looking forward seeing/hearing the collaboratory from the weekend!
Definitely!!! FYI, Livermore to SF is about 50 + minutes by BART (train) and with car… it can be more than 1 – 2 hours depends on traffic. It’s not considered “close” especially during the weekdays when traffic is madness! I look forward to seeing you next time!
Hi Nami,
You are doing a great job! These things u mentioned have never really bothered me as a reader. The step-by-step photos and videos are very useful. And u r kind enough to reply to my comments every time 😀
がんばって!加油!
Thanks so much for your kind words! ありがとう! I’m glad to know my step by step pictures and videos are helpful. 🙂 xo
Congrats on five years! You’ve done a lot in five years. I just found your site and wish I found it years ago! I’ll be here frequently. Thanks for sharing.
Hi and welcome, Matt! I just saw your blog too! The shirako story was funny. 😀 It’s very nice to meet you! 🙂
You are meticulously Japanese. I like your videos and photos. Credit Mr JOC too. Your lighting is excellent which makes all the difference.
Since you deal with an international audience I must commend you for the excellent kitchen tour which was the first time I heard you speak! Guess what? It was excellent. Do a good voice over and your channel will zoom faster.
All the very best.
Hi Prem! Haha thank you! Mr. JOC next to me said “thank you!!” 🙂 I have appeared in other videos before the kitchen tour, but I am not very comfortable appearing in the videos. 😀 I appreciate your kind words! Many prefer a movie like videos (and not voice overs). Voice overs took so long for me to record, and I’m afraid I can’t produce many videos if I have to speak every video… but I’ll try it once in a while! 🙂
Happy Blog Anniversary, Nami! Congratulations on 5 years! Your blog is one of the very first ones I ever read and still my favorite! All of your hard work is so appreciated! Thank you SO much for all that you do! Loved reading your lessons that you have learned! Blogging can be so time consuming and I’m glad that you have learned that you can’t respond to everyone. We all understand and completely support you. Your health and family are more important and we appreciate all of your hard work! 🙂 Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful recipe throughout the years! xo
Thank you so much for your kind words, Kelly! Congratulations again on your cookbook! It’s such an exciting news and I’m so happy for you!! I can’t wait to read it! xo
Congratulations on a terrific five years, Nami, and may there be many more. I think your accent is fine exactly how it is. I think what readers are attracted to is someone who’s just being true to who they are xx
Thank you for your sweet words, Charlie! xo
Hello Nami, this is the first time I comment on your blog. But truly, you are my favourite food blogger in the entire Internet. Since justonecookbook is my top 10 most frequently visited pages, it always appears whenever I open a new window or tab – one click away!
The things I love most about your recipes are that they have picture-by-picture step and their actual deliciousness. I am not a big video fan (because they are usually too long, so in a sense I definitely find your videos beautifully made and easy to follow), only check when I have absolutely no idea how to do a certain step. And I’ve tried several weblogs already and none has the taste (really homely and warm and wonderful and superbly delicious) similar to yours. You are so close to your readers as well. One of my friends, who I introduced your blog to, once made chicken curry rice and posted it on her instagram. She was over the moon when you liked (or commented, sorry for my bad memory) on her photo.
Thank you Nami! I hope one day I can have a food blog of my own too.
Hi Ha! Thank you for leaving your first comment! Yay! I’m so happy that you decided to leave a note and thank you for your kind words about my blog! 🙂
I think a lot of blog readers don’t bother checking videos as the written recipes are sufficient enough. It’s interesting that YouTube audience also never go outside of YouTube channel so they rarely check my blog. Very interesting! So I think I get two different sets of followers and one who check both. 😀
Aww I’m so glad to hear your friend noticed my comment or like. I usually spend some time going over #justonecookbook tag to see what everyone’s making. Everyone is cooking really amazing Japanese foods from my blog. 🙂
Yes, hope you start blogging! It requires a lot of work (depends on your goal) but it’s fun to get to meet new people! 🙂
Just want to say congratulations on your five year anniversary, and please do not feel you must respond to this email, as I agree that we want you to focus on your food! So glad I found your site. I’m sad today as we took my son and his girlfriend to the airport this morning for their return flight to Kyoto. We had a fabulous eight weeks together and I referred often to your site for help with my Japanese cooking. I made the strawberry cake for Christmas dinner as a surprise for Tsuta, but I made a mistake and it was not fluffy and gorgeous like yours – next time I’ll do better. Last night we had mochi with isobeyaki and it was delicious. Thank you for all your helpful information and videos! Happy New Year to you and your family!
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for your kind words! I love talking to my readers especially when someone take time to write a note for me. 🙂 I’m sorry that your son and his GF went back to Japan, but it’s nice that you had a wonderful time together. Thank you for checking my site for Japanese recipes. 🙂 Happy New Year to you and your family! xoxo