Let’s pretend I wasn’t dead for the past few months, yeah?
A new year calls for something new, and there is a lot of new things going on here at PenMarkings.
the purge
I’ve been blogging for… six months? Six and a bit? Six and a day and an hour? Probably.
Anyway.
Because I’m crazy about new beginnings and starting things clean (and because my past posts mortify me like nothing else) I’ve commenced a purge of all my blog posts from the past, leaving a handful left that I personally loved. The posts aren’t really deleted; they’re in a folder stored somewhere on my computer. Maybe I’ll bring them out and dust them off so I can make them fresh and new.
the looks
A new avi?
Claudia, is that you?
Why yes, yes that is me. I am actually not a cartoon piece of albino flesh but a person who looks great in Black and White. Also not black and white in real life. Just a disclaimer. Also does not look that great in black and white, regardless of what I said. Also a disclaimer.
But new profile picture aside, did you notice something new when you arrived here? Did you?
Did you?
Did you?
Behold, a new site design!
cue applause
Thank you, thank you. Now gaze upon the Before and the After, which will make you appreciate my new design. Because my last one was… uh… this.
Sure, it’s not bad, but it had three problems:
- The blue, which turned horribly neon and impossibly blinding on certain screens
- The search bar, which was broken for what reasons I will never know
- The theme, which, while nice, did restrict the variety I allowed myself to have since I am a sucker for keeping to the theme even if that’s clearly
It’s been (sorta?) fixed, so I’m happy with it.
the voice
Okay, so my main beef with old PM was that it just wasn’t… me. It wasn’t.
The voice was wrong – it was a strange fusion of properness and stiff words with nonsensical walls of text. Nothing that made sense. Nothing that was actually me.
The real me? I speak I talk I think differently than how I’m blogging, and I love that voice rather than the one I used before.
I would always filter my thoughts, trim and tweeze and tear it apart to make it more, more professional than I really was. I was unhappy. I was funny, because the moments where I was talking properly, blogging properly, wasn’t even on my own blog. It was for guest posts.
So here I am. Speaking clearer than I did last year the way I want it.
A fresh start begins with a clean slate. This post is my clean slate.
So, nice to meet you. My name’s Claudia, and this is my blog.
About
She likes to think the reviews provided help you pick out the good books from the bad, because it would be a crime to read some of those books, and being the good citizen she is, will try her best to help you steer clear of those books.
While she knows that there are many blogs like this out there, as I’m sure you also know, she’d like to point out that her blog is different- you will never find someone quite like her. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you to decide.
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OMG OMG OMG CLAUDIA IT LOOKS GORGEOUS! ??
Zoe @ Stories on Stage recently posted…Vicious
AHHHH THANKS ZOE!!
THIS LOOKS AWESOME CLAUD! I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOUR POSTS! <3 <3
AWW THANKS GABI!!! <3<3<3
Welcome back! The new design is wonderful, and I can’t wait to see what awesome posts you have in store 🙂
Thanks lovie! I’m glad to be back – my poor blog’s been abandoned for ages ;-;
YESSSSS CLAUDIA.
Can’t wait to see what you post!!!!
(P.s the design is fabulous <3)
Hehe THANKSSS FAITH! I hope y’all like what I post too!
YAY ITS A GOOD FEELING TO SEE YOUR POST AGAIN
Zara @ Foxing Pages recently posted…MONTHLY RECAP: December 2015
AWWW THANKS LOVEY IT FEELS SO GREAT TO BLOG AGAIN! And to see your wonderful comment, of course! 😉
Please tell me your secret! It’s wonderful!!!! Good luck with the new beginning! Can’t wait to see what new posts you have in store!
OHH I know what you mean about the whole “not my own voice” thing…because I HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM.
For the first six or so months of blogging for me, I always started my posts with “Hi Guys!” or “Hey Everyone, today I have a post about….”
I didn’t like that, because it didn’t show my personality. I was clipped and formal and not very funny or fun to read at all.
I’ve fixed this and I’m much happier with my blog posts now.
I’m relatively new to your blog, I only started stalking (did I say stalking? hehe, noooo I meant reading….er, not stalking….*whistles*) for maybe two months now but so far I love what I’m reading! (Even if I am horrible at commenting.) You’re new blog design is so very lovely and I’m very much looking forward to what you have in store!!
-Izel @ A Bookish Flower
Izel @ A Bookish Flower recently posted…When I First Saw You #01
EXACTLY! I felt so awkward doing that but I was so lost when it came to it! But now I think I’ve adjusted and now just let the words go out. If they suck, I rewrite to make them suck less. ?
AWW haha thank you so much! I think that’s the sweetest thing I’ve heard (read?) this week! And thank you! I’m loving this design too. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your comments (but no pressure – I suck at commenting too hehe.)
I’m so glad your back!! I absolutely adore the new theme, you are so talented!
A big welcome back! I actually haven’t read any of your “old voice” seeing as I only just stumbled upon your blog but I love the new one – and I’m also glad you’re happier writing in the way that you do. Blogging without being yourself sure does suck! This might seem like a weird question, but where could I subscribe to you?(I haven’t seen a subscribe option anywhere and your writing is too great to miss out on).
All the best!
Hey love! First off, welcome to this mish-mash of thoughts I call my blog! I’m so excited (and definitely nervous) to have you read my posts! As of lately, I don’t have a place to subscribe to YET, but I’ll be adding an email list in the future. You can also follow me via Twitter (@penmarkings) where I always post tweets about my newest posts. 🙂