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The SITS Girls

The Secret to Success is Support

Where Are They Now: Chatting at the Sky

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As part of the SITS Birthday Bash, we’re stepping back in time to feature a few of SITS very first featured bloggers in a “where are they now” series. Today we’re looking at Emily from Chatting at the Sky. She’s a long time SITStah and an all around beautiful person to know. She was originally featured on August 8th, 2008 and Tiffany described her as “totally down to earth and really funny.”

Chatting At The Sky has evolved into a site that you instantly feel at home with. Insightful, thought provoking, and humbling, Chatting at the Sky really is “a place for your soul to breathe”. So what’s Emily up to now? Take a look:

I love SITS! I remember when I was featured back in 2008 – forever ago – and I was over the moon excited about it. I think the posts I sent you to highlight would send me straight under my coffee table in embarrassment now, but isn’t that the beauty of it all? That a blog can document our growth? How we have changed and evolved over a period of time? Happy 3rd birthday to you! I love the heart behind The SITS Girls and I love what you’ve done for the blogging community. So lovely.

How has your blog evolved over the last few years?

When I started blogging in January of 2006 I, along with most everyone else, had no clue what I was doing. I wrote because I loved to write. I started out treating it kind of like a journal, but not as personal. As time went by, I began to wonder why I felt compelled to write in such a public way. If I’m writing just because I love to write, I could write in a journal. What is it about writing on a blog that is different?

And so over the past few years, I’ve begun to answer that question for myself, as I think every blogger has to. For me, the blog started with a heavy focus on me. Now, I would like to think there is more of a focus on you. In the past, I wrote observations. Now, I am trying to intentionally create a place online for a woman’s soul to breathe.

What was your biggest lesson during your early days of blogging?

In my early days of blogging, my husband and I bought an older house and did a bit of work to fix it up. Because it was on the brain so much, I wrote about that some. Well. People love them some before and after shots of houses and my traffic grew fast during that time. Only problem? I don’t love to write house posts.

I learned that we teach our readers what to expect. So if I continued to write house-y posts, they would continue to want them and send me emails with questions and ask my opinion about paint colors. My traffic would grow when I wrote those posts, but my heart wasn’t in it. I had to make some conscious decisions after that to decide what I was passionate about writing and what I was willing to give up to do it.

For me, the lesson was to write what you love, not what you think will sell.

How important were your early relationships in blogland?

So important. I feel a lovely connection with those bloggers I met early on. Many of them I’ve had the chance to meet and we’ve become real life friends. In fact, I don’t even clarify it with ‘real life’ anymore. They’re just friends. And that’s sweet.

What’s in store for you next?

Oh gracious. Well, blogging gave me the courage to write a book proposal, sign up for a writing conference, pitch it to an editor, and wait for a few months to hear back. They called, bought it, and now the book comes out in about 6 weeks. It has been a two year long process and I can’t believe it’s nearly time to share it.

It’s called Grace for the Good Girl and it’s basically my story wrapped up in a non-fiction book for women who have grown tired of trying to do life the right way and just long for a rest. So that’s in store. As well as some nail-biting and nervous eating, I’m sure.

Did you ever imagine your blog would take the path it has?

Nope. I never imagined doing it for this long or that anyone would ever read. It has been a gift, to say the very least.

Share one secret to your success.

I’m not sure that success is the right word, but I think for me, something happened on my blog when I finally began to embrace writing as my art and my passion, rather than seeing it as just a hobby. We all have an art to share. For some, it’s writing or cooking or painting or crafting or photography. For others, it’s mothering or encouraging or accounting or organizing. But we all have an artist’s heart. We do. It’s a beautiful thing the way a blog can be a platform for all kinds of art, and I think it’s important to give ourselves permission to discover it and to share it with others.

*All photography courtesy of Chatting At The Sky…I know…could she BE more talented?

**Speaking of great books like Emily’s Grace for the Good Girl, don’t miss our Book to Movie Live Chat this Wednesday, July 13th at 8pm EST! Click here for details.

About Tracie Nall

Tracie lives in Arizona with her husband, teen daughter, and more books than her shelves will hold. She spends her days writing and editing. Many of her words end up on her blog, From Tracie. Find Tracie on Twitter @FromTracie and on Instagram where she takes pictures of things that are yellow.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Caroline Starr Rose says

    Emily,
    I’ve probably said this before, but I have to again: so amazing that with one pitch you sealed a book deal! Really unheard of. All those years of blogging to develop your voice and passion paid off as far as personal satisfaction, and ultimately, professional clout.

    Go, you!

  2. lindsey says

    Very cool to see where people come from and where they are now … and where they’re going. Makes me curious about the future of my blog. Nice to see you’ve achieved so much success! 🙂

  3. Heidi @ Show Some Decor says

    I always love hearing about a writer’s journey, and yours is no exception, Emily. I’m eagerly awaiting your book release! Blessings to you for all your words of heartfelt encouragement on CATS. Way to go, SITS gals, for spotting a winner early on!

  4. The Flying Chalupa says

    Wow – I love that she’s still blogging, writing, and publishing a book! Incredible! That is definitely a success! Are the SITS girls acknowledged in the credits? 🙂

  6. Angela Humphrey says

    Great blog! I also love this quote from the feature: “For me, the lesson was to write what you love, not what you think will sell.” I hope I can always remember that as it was my biggest fear going into this that my blog would morph into something unrecognizable. You’ve got a new follower for sure!

  10. toi says

    What a great evolution, I like reading these kind of blogs. I am going there to breath a bit :).

    Have a great evening.

  14. Rachelle says

    I’ve loved her blog for some time. It’s beautiful. I also love that she is consciously trying to make sure she acknowledges her writing as art and her readers as soulful people with the desire to pause, breathe, enjoy. Lovely.

  15. Rachelle says

    I’ve loved her blog for some time. It’s beautiful. I also love that she is consciously trying to make sure she acknowledges her writing as art and her readers as soulful people with the desire to pause, breathe, enjoy. Lovely.

  16. Eve (Tranquility... & Turmoil) says

    A ‘Where are they now’? How fun!
    I haven’t been around here much lately, but this headline caught my attention – and I’m so glad it did! I remember how SITS used to be, back when it was big, but so much smaller than it is now. 😉
    Aww… memories!

  17. Bibi says

    What a truly sweet and lovely blogger. I just came from browsing her blog (my first time believe it or not) and she’s one of the sweetest bloggers I came across. I enjoyed her interview very much.

  22. Sheri says

    I enjoyed the importance of staying small at the site Chatting at the Sky. Thank you for the sharing it with me.

  25. Trish says

    I love that you describe writing as your art and your passion. Such a good advice to see it that way instead of a hobby or interest! Thanks. Can’t wait to read your blog.

  32. Robin says

    Hello ladies….
    I hope everyone is having a beautiful day.

    It is so great to have this follow up on the original SITStas.
    looking forward to reading more.

  33. Missy | The Literal Mom says

    “I’m not sure that success is the right word, but I think for me, something happened on my blog when I finally began to embrace writing as my art and my passion, rather than seeing it as just a hobby. We all have an art to share. For some, it’s writing or cooking or painting or crafting or photography. For others, it’s mothering or encouraging or accounting or organizing. But we all have an artist’s heart. We do. It’s a beautiful thing the way a blog can be a platform for all kinds of art, and I think it’s important to give ourselves permission to discover it and to share it with others.”

    I LOVE this quote – what an inspiration to some of us just starting out. Thanks for this inspiring post and walk down memory lane!

  34. Luci says

    Wow, that is an awesome success story. CONGRATULATIONS on your book! It looks like something I’d love to read.

  36. Kristin @ What She Said says

    What an inspirational post! As a writer who is realizing with startling clarity that this far more than a hobby for me, your story gives me hope that I really can turn my passion into a career path at some point.

  38. Megan says

    Happy Sits day! Just popped over to your blog, very cute and love your photography!

  42. Eva Gallant says

    love reading these posts about early bloggers and how they’ve evolved!

    Hope all you SITStahs are having a wonderful day!

    stop by my blog today and read about the clapper bra!

  49. tori nelson says

    Emily, I have been one of your creepy, silent readers for a while now, and I love your blog. The embarrassing old posts probably seem that way to you, but we love them all the same! Happy Re-SITS Day!