Has Blogging Become a Chore?
Have you ever looked at your blog’s dashboard and whimpered to yourself, “Oh, I cannot in any way, shape, or form write a blog post today?”
We have all been there, right? Or, is it just me?
After eight years of blogging I have whimpered that more times than I can count and there have even been times when old, now-defunct blogs of mine have died a miserable death because I simply stopped posting.
Blogging, I’ve learned, is a test of endurance. You have to stay relevant, interesting, up-to-date and cutting edge and on top of that you have to spell check!
It’s tiring work, but there are ways to combat blogger fatigue.
The first thing to do is simply make sure you are writing about those things you are passionate about. There are some people who start blogs because they fit a niche or because they can earn money from it. That’s always pretty dangerous. Sure you might be able to earn money from that blog, but are you truly, honestly, and authentically in love with your content? If the answer is no, blogging may quickly become a chore for you.
Have you set realistic expectations for your blog? Some bloggers are perfectly suited to write a blog post per day or even more, but that rate of posts may not suit you. There is a simple formula for gaining more traffic. Do you know what it is? Post often! The more you post, the more people will read. It’s basic math. If, however, a rigorous posting schedule is beyond your ability to handle, please slow down. You may blog twice a month and then use the other days to create fun social media updates on your Facebook page, Twitter, Youtube, and Pinterest. Feel free to play around with your content. Blogging doesn’t always have to be a 500 word missive. It can be an easy 100 word post on Tumblr. Have fun with your blog. Don’t make it a chore.
And finally, have you allowed earning opportunities to cloud why you blog in the first place? Sometimes distractions allow you to miss the beautiful reason why you began blogging. Perhaps you started blogging to share family milestones or to share your love for food, or design or technology. And then, the offers came! You started to worry more about the offers than your content and blogging quickly became a chore. Never forget to concentrate on your blog’s content first and foremost. Everything else must play second fiddle to your content and your voice because once that’s gone, what else do you have? Treat your blog like another child. Coddle it, nurture it, feed it, so it will grow.
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its only a chore if you’ve got nothing really worth saying, and you’re only blogging for “SEO” purposes – in which case do yourself a favor and give the blogging thing up cause you’re just giving Panda more content to chuck out
Great post. I run around 7 blogs, so at times it does seem like all I do is post and promote. I truly love blogging, though, so that helps.
Brilliant.
Jennifer, every time i read one of your articles, I find myself agreeing 100%.
I always enjoy what you write.
And so far, after nearly four years blogging, I’m still loving it.
I post 3-4 times per week, occasionally five. But I am yet to run out of things to say.
I have a few other theories on why bloggers lose their “mojo”, which I wrote about this past week…
http://www.greatfun4kidsblog.com/2012/02/if-youve-lost-your-blogging-mojo-read.html
I think you’ll like it.
x
Jennifer,
I just wanted to tell you that I love reading your articles. They are always so relevant and informative…thank you!
Jennifer, thank you for a wonderful post of encouragement!
Very relevant, especially when it looks so much like a contest these days.
This was just the encouragement I needed. Thanks for sharing…and that we all have those “can I do it again?” days.
I definitely had periods during my blog’s 3.5 year life where blogging felt like a chore. That was because I put too much pressure on myself to post several times a week. Today, I blog 3-4 times a month and have fun on Twitter and Facebook in between blog posts. I can’t write a post everyday, but I can do quick posts on my Facebook page. This has given me a new lease on blogging life and blogging no longer feels like a chore. Great article, Jennifer.
This is so encouraging! I love your suggestion of using facebook, twitter, etc, on those days we don’t blog. There are plenty of ways to get a little traffic, for days when we take a break from writing.
It’s also nice to be reminded that the sky won’t fall in if we miss a day or two!
Blessings
Mrs. White
My blog is one year old today and I feel like I’m still earning credits before I get my diploma. (LoL)
Thanks for all the great tips and reminders. :)
Cindi, the header on your blog today is absolutely adorable! Happy blog-anniversary!
Sometimes it’s about taking the time away from blogging and social media to get inspired. I do that with movies, my fave TV dramas, and reading books and magazines. Other ideas could be crafting, visiting a museum, or attending a lecture. I find that doing so revives my creativity and even gives me new ideas.
Good advice! Blogging is definitely a test of endurance.
It helps to take a break once in a while from blogging. This is a good way to rejuvenate the writing juices and decide if a blog is worth continuing. Our interests change over time. What we enjoyed blogging about two years ago, we may not enjoy today.