Today I want to discuss something any blogger who has blogged for a while will have to consider: deleting or hiding old posts. Backstory: For any of you who follow me via the Blogger Dashboard, you may have noticed that a *huge influx* of old Acoustic Erin posts were recently uploaded and flooding your feed...I CAN EXPLAIN
I'm sorry Kara Lynn. :( YOU WERE JUST ANOTHER CASUALTY OF BLOGMAGEDDON 2017.
They show how we've grown. Or do they? DUN DUN DUN
They're gloriously nostalgic. Exhibit A: Throwback photos of old travel adventures.
Maybe someone can learn from them. I don't honestly know what is lurking in the archives of this blog, but perhaps there are older posts that actually have a gem of wisdom. THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW
Why Would We Hide Them?
They're cringe-worthy. Maybe not to y'all, but to me, my old writing makes me squirm.
They don't reflect the style of the content I want to write today. But maybe that's okay! Maybe blogs are always ever-evolving and ever-changing with their authors. And maybe that's a beautiful thing.
What do you think?
Have you ever deleted or hidden your old blog posts? Do you ever go back and read old posts from bloggers you love? I know I do. Which camp are you in - to keep or delete old content? That is the question! ♥
I've always considered deleting my older posts because HOLY COW I HAVE GROWN. It's kind of hard for me to read older posts because I just want to burn them all. BUT: I suppose it is something I can look back on and laugh at myself, think of how far I've come, or when I become a world-famous writer I can remind everyone that I am human, too. XD
ReplyDeleteSAME! Oh my goodness, there are some doozies in the archives...and they are just lurking there, each and every day. *shudders* I think you're onto something, though! It's always nice to see where a blogger started. :)
DeleteI’m honestly with keeping my old posts on this one— it’s funny because I had this same mental debate a couple of months ago but only then did I read through and remember all of the hilarious things I’ve done, like naming eggs for the egg drop, weird wars in the hallways and even just sneaking around old buildings, things I would’ve completely forgotten had those old posts disappeared. For now, I’ll keep them. ^.^
ReplyDeletexoxo Abigail Lennah | ups & downs
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has considered this! I think you're right, there is a certain nostalgia and joy that you can get from reading the old posts. There are certain things I have learned or experienced that I forgot I captured in a blog post. It's pretty cool to remember those things! Thank you so much for commenting Abigail! :) <3
DeleteI have never thought about getting rid of old posts. I like looking at them too much. Seeing what I was up to and the things I thought about is interesting to me. However I might be a little shook if someone lurked through all those old posts!
ReplyDeleteReading through the old posts can definitely bring a fresh perspective to the present! But I'm with you - I have no idea what hilarity is hidden in the archives, LOL! Thanks for commenting! <3
DeleteI'm definitely in the keep-old-posts camp. I think it's good to be able to look back and see how I've grown (and maybe even for readers to have that opportunity). And like you said too, I go back and read other blogger's old posts, and often they speak to me just as much as recent ones (hello, your posts too). Also for me, blogging is a spiritual thing - I pray over my posts and readers, and what to share, etc, so unless God impressed me to pull particular things down, I don't see it as my business to do so, if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, there is my opinion! Thanks for listening, haha. :)
Jessica, you are literally so wise! I love your approach to blogging. I also pray over my posts and see my blog as a ministry as well as an outlet. Thank you so much for this comment! A lot of great insights here. :)
DeleteBefore I made a move to go self hosting, I accidentally deleted majority of my posts in Blogger lol. And then I become too lazy to change the url and finding the pictures that I used on the post, so all the deleted posts went straight to the dustbin.
ReplyDeleteBut, I do keep them in my folder, with only me as an audience.
Oh no! I would be so upset if I accidentally deleted my posts, but it does happen. I love that you save your old posts! I briefly had a blog before Acoustic Erin and I still have all of those old posts somewhere on my computer in document form. It's fun to look back! :)
DeleteACK I have been so tempted to hide some of my old posts! They're just... ugh. Bad. I usually try to pretend that they don't exist, but every once in awhile someone will say "oh I just read a bunch of your old posts!" which sends me into a puddle of cringe on the floor. :P
ReplyDeleteAw, I'm sure they're not bad! But I totally relate to the cringing! It can be hard to leave old posts up because they are full of randomness - "I usually try to pretend that they don't exist" AMEN! But if someone enjoys reading them, then that's worth it, I guess? GAH
DeleteI'm so torn on this. I keep wanting to hide a couple of really old, (REALLY BAD) posts, but I'm so nostalgic that I can't bring myself to. At the same time, though, I think I'll cry if someone reads them. xD I really need to work this out.
ReplyDeleteYES YOU GET THE STRUGGLE! It's literally one of those really cringy hard decisions to make. You can always hide and save them if you need to! :) <3
DeleteI've reverted some of my posts to drafts from when I was also still figuring out blogging. XD I posted some of my book chapters and now the chapters are not like that at all anymore so I reverted them to drafts because they were no longer relevant same with a character interview with a character I don't have anymore. XD
ReplyDeletestoritorigrace.blogspot.com
I get that! I think your content definitely has to be relevant and not confusing to the blogger you are today! :)
DeleteI typed out a whooole comment and then blogger sucked it awaaaayyyy :( So sad.
ReplyDeleteBasicallllyyyy I think this is super interesting! I have thought about this too! 14 year old Olivia wrote like she was an expert on EVERYTHING. AGH. CRINGE. So I compromised by hiding my content in a little drop-down menu where you CANNN technically access it, but it's really hard. LOL.
GAH NO that's the worst! It's happened to me before, too :(
DeleteOh goodness I feel you! Younger Erin was crazy random...I still am to be honest, but MY WORD THIS WAS SOMETHING. I like that idea! It's still there but someone would really have to want to search for it!!
I want to delete my old blog posts but at the same time I don't. They're a part of me, who I was and how I got to where I am now. My posts were at times very stupid though (I started blogging five years ago as a young teen) and just the thought of people reading them is very embarrassing haha.
ReplyDeleteI feel you - the struggle is real! Some of my old posts don't even make sense to me, haha. GAH But at least we're not the only ones who feel this way!
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