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You pinned your shiny new blogging badge on with high hopes.
You read blogs. You like blogs. You especially like it when someone reads your blog.
But lately the mojo isn’t there. You’re in a funk and you can’t figure out why. The ideas are not coming to you.
No one shows up. Or not enough people show up. Or too many people show up and you can’t keep up with the comments.
You are wondering if this whole blogging thing is just a time suck.
Maybe you should quit.
“Quit?” you say? “I can’t do that. Can I?
Well, yes.
People quit blogging every day and, in fact, most people close up their blogs within 3 months of starting them.
But before you pull the plug on your blog (or leave it lying in a field, starving for attention), try these things:
5 things to do when blogging isn’t fun anymore
1. Publish guest posts from other bloggers.
It gives you a break and introduces your readers to a new voice. Just be sure the blogger you choose writes about things your readers are interested in. Because if you blog about your big RV adventure and you give a post to a a blogger whose site is all about the aye-aye—also known as the world’s largest nocturnal primate—well, that just wouldn’t make sense.
2. Mix it up.
Maybe you need a little variety. Try a video post. Or an interview with someone you admire who your readers might like to meet. Post links to other bloggers’ sites when they have a cool post out. Find resources on the Web and write a “Free Stuff I Found” post.
3. Write about something you care deeply about.
Who said that every post has to be connected to your blog’s reason for being? One of the reasons we watch the late night shows is to get the ‘unstructured, unplugged’ celebrity. We feel as if we get to step behind the ‘velvet rope.’ We get to see what they’re really like, how they feel about things.
Use the ‘velvet rope’ strategy to tell your readers what matters to you. Maybe it was a moment of grief. Or a personal cause that holds meaning for you. Or a life-changing event and how it impacted you. It’ll give you a blogging break—and these posts are usually easier to write.
4. Give yourself some breathing room by making an editorial calendar.
It is amazing how a calendar takes the pressure off. Even if you just jot down ideas for blog posts, you’ll find that it’s much more simple to create posts from them than creating every single topic on the spot, when you are feeling the pressure of that blank screen.
5. Step up your blogging.
“What?” you say. “Are you crazy? I’m about ready to throw in the blogging towel and you tell me to blog more?’
Try it.
New ideas spawn more new ideas. Writing more makes you write better, faster, easier. I’m guest posting a lot these days and I find that my own CatsEyeWriter posts aren’t taking nearly as long to write.
Because I’m in the groove.
What about you?
Do you ever feel like blogging isn’t fun anymore?
What do you do to get back in the groove?
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There have been more than a few occasions when I’ve felt like throwing in the towel.
Looking back, there were 3 posts I wrote early on that I thought were particularly funny and I sat there giggling as I wrote. (I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing at the time.) Other than that, I can’t really say that blogging has ever been *fun* for me.
It’s been enjoyable in the same way that programming was enjoyable while I was first building my skills – time consuming, painstaking, frustrating at times – and ultimately very satisfying. I love how I feel after I click that Publish button. Getting there is another story.
I write a lot. Most of it never makes it to the blog. This is the battle of time vs. quality. My shortest, quickest post took about 2 hours. I’ve spent days on some of them. When I hear about people writing several posts a day – or firing off a post in 15 minutes – I sometimes feel discouraged. Like maybe I’m not cut out for this.
In considering what you’ve written here, I’m wondering if it would be worth pushing myself to *publish* more often.
Thanks for your words of wisdom and for setting an example, Judy!
Patty K recently posted..Success- failure and doing stuff instead of just thinking about it
Patty,
Okay, fun might be different than funny. I don’t often laugh out loud when I write a post either. Sometime I hope I make my readers laugh, though. : )
For me, the times when blogging is the most fun is when I think of that perfect topic and it almost writes itself. Come to think of it, that doesn’t happen that often, either. I want to say that 2 hours is too much time to put into a post, but, know what? I’ve been there many times myself. Once I have the idea thought out, it goes much faster. I;m trying to train myself not to write mini-novels with each post. I’m getting better, slowly. (Must be that book in me that still wants out.)
Thanks for sharing here, Patty. You definitely should try #5. I love your posts. : )
Great tips Judy. I think that everyone hits a slump once in awhile. I know I do. One of the things that I have found has really ramped up my blogging and made it more fun again is joining a blogging group or tribe. Getting ideas from other people and interacting with other bloggers can be very inspiring!
Danielle McGaw recently posted..Hey Cool Kid! Look at Me!
Danielle,
I started a ‘blogging buddies’ program last November. It did add that certain spark (and kept us all accountable because we knew someone was waiting to read our post). It was great fun. Sounds like you had the same kind of experience. Thanks for sharing that idea. It’s a good one.
Thanks for these great tips. I’ve been blogging for (not quite) a month, so I will file these tips away for (if/)when I do need them. Right now I’m still in the honeymoon stage, and writing fuels more writing, and it is a lot of fun! Blogs like yours are so helpful and inspirational to me as I start out! Thanks again so much!
Julia,
Ah, yes, the honeymoon days of blogging. Great term. : )
Blogging is fun for me most days. But then there are the “I can’t think of a thing to write about” days. Glad you found this helpful and best of luck in your journey. Please visit us again!
Here’s another idea:
Write shorter posts.
Make your blog post a 3-parter, invite comments, use those comments as fuel for more posts.
Scott,
Timely comment. And so true. Sometimes I think the problem is that w try to cram too many ideas into one post. When actually, a series would work better (and give us 3 or four new posts!). Thanks for sharing here.
Always love the advice given over here, Judy – no wonder you have such an involved community.
It’s tough. A lot of people look at blogging and say, “I could do that.” Cool – prove it. Write day after day, even when you don’t have the energy, and your creative juices are dry.
Then we’ll talk about how easy it is.
‘Course, you could always stop by a certain site at the weekend for some ideas…
Danny Brown recently posted..Why We Don’t Charge for Blog Topics
Danny,
You nailed it with the write day after day thing. Even if you don’t blog every day, you should write every day. The more you do that, the fewer times you will run into dry spots.
And glad you brought up the For Bloggers, By Bloggers blog post idea bank. (I may be biased here, but it’s the best deal around: quality blog post topics you can run with…and all free!). If anyone is reading this, you can find them at:
http://bestbloggingtipsonline.com/category/blog-topics/
Thanks for stopping by, Danny. : )
Go Judy! I’m bookmarking this one! Great ideas. Well-written. As always.
Ollin Morales recently posted..Profiles in Courage- Six Writers and Their Success Stories
Ollin,
Thanks for reading. I know that you deal with these same issues over at your blog. : )
Great post! I’ve been blogging for seven years and found myself nodding at many of your points- someone I know once said- that if you blog and want to sustain it, you must “need the space” and I think that’s been the key for me- regardless of the ebb and flow of readers over the years- I’ve written there because I’ve needed the space- and that has been the reason I still blog today.
Aisha,
Wow, a 7-year blogging veteran. That’s over twice as long as me. I’m impressed! There is something to your comment about needing the space. I feel that way, too. That surely makes it a little easier.
I am finding a wealth of information in your posts Judy. Thank you for what you do. Point number 5 has been true for me time and time again. Usually writing inspires more writing. I have been at it for almost a year now. Don’t see any reason to stop now.
David Willis recently posted..Good is out there
David,
Approaching the one-year mark? Cool. I find of all of these , #5 works best for me, too. Best of luck as you continue the journey.
Hi Judy,
I also think so much depends on WHY you’re blogging. If you’re a professional writer looking to gain visibility and prepare an author platform, then the tough spots are easier to endure. I completely agree with your tip on building an editorial calendar. I actually keep an “idea box” on my desk and jot down all kinds of little things throughout the day. It keeps the ideas flowing and helps me in a funk.
I also like your #5 tip: step up the blogging. I’ve been blogging on more of a weekly schedule now (one of the things I love about WordPress is you can schedule blogs to be posted automatically weeks in advance–huge load off my shoulders). I’ve noticed this frequency has built my audience of subscribers, as well as my Twitter followers.
I love your tips and look forward to my email notifications from your blog!
Best,
Shari
Shari Lopatin recently posted..Barnes & Noble Welcomes Self-Published Writers Yup!
Shari,
Yes. Absolutely. Sometimes we professional writers forget that we have a bit of a head start with blogging. That writing comes a little easier for us. Glad you stopped by and left a comment. Please join us again soon. : )
I really like these tips. I’ve been a webmaster for 5 years.. blogging every single one. I think another great idea for people who are tried of blogging is to write the posting on paper and have someone else type it for you. It helps when you just feel like eating cake and watching a movie instead of sitting at the computer for 30 minutes typing a posting.
Along with that it helps to use wordpress amazing scheduling feature. You can plan ahead and write any number of postings in one day and have them go live on different dates and times. Since I have 30 plus blogs that feature is a lifesaver! Thanks for the great posting!
I agree. The WP scheduling feature is a timesaver and takes some of the stress out of managing your deadlines.
Judy, I learn so much from your blog, and this post is no exception. Your points are very helpful.
Something to go along with your edictorial calender suggestion (#4) is to be aware of timely causes/events that interest your niche group. In my blog’s short lifetime my niche group focused on a subject, Tube Feeding Awareness week. The subject made it easy to plug into my blog’s posting schedule and create material that was timely to the online discussions. Also, because folks in the niche were more actively searching the focus subject during that time, it increases your exposure. A win-win for everyone!
Rose-Marie recently posted..Quick and Easy Independent Practice for Low-Tech AAC
Rose-Marie,
Excellent suggestion. If you take even a 6-month calendar, you can certainly plug in events and issues that are time-senstive and would fit to write a post about on a certain day or in a certain week. And that takes care of your post for that day .
This list could have been much longer. Thanks for adding to it. : )
Hello Judy,
I’ve been reading your blog since being introduced to it via Robyn M Fritz. I love this post, it really caught my attention. What has helped me is remembering that just because I think I’ve hashed (and rehashed) a topic, it might be new for someone else. So, when I’m really at a loss I repurpose popular passages from my book or from previously published articles. But here’s the interesting part: I don’t just cut-and-paste the text. I make myself type the passages out again. All of sudden, as I’m typing, new ideas and fresh twists come to mind! It’s worked every time.
Again, great post as always.
Regards,
Ellen
Ellen recently posted..Put Your Paws to Paper – Why Old-Fashioned Thank You Notes Make You Stand Out From the Pack
Ellen,
Wow. Great to meet you. Didn’t know you read my blog. Thanks for that.
You know, what you have described is quite common—and a strategy many writers use to warm up to a new day of writing. For some reason, that manual, almost non-thinking, behavior (retyping text that already exists) wakes a part of our brains and gets those ideas flowing again. It’s a good tool (and sign of a creative person if it works). : )
I was describing to Robyn a new online friend of mine, @winecountrydog (that’s his Twitter name). Since your clever book was written in the voice of Bella the Boxer, you might enjoy reading a couple of posts I wrote about @winecountrydog (actually visited him in the Sonoma wine country last May). :
http://catseyewriter.com/2010/04/30/3-things-winecountrydog-can-teach-us-about-branding/
http://catseyewriter.com/2010/05/07/dont-burst-my-bubble-why-i-think-the-social-media-bashers-are-wrong/
(Im trying to talk him into writing a book.) : )
It sounds counter intuitive but I agree that stepping up your blogging can help. Your blog is like your partner (hear me out here!). The more time you spend together the less you drift apart. Miss one post (or date night) and it’s easier to miss the next! (Or do I just have a really unhealthy attachment to my blog?!)
Karen recently posted..Three Simple Ways to Target Your Writing
Karen,
Nice analogy there. Increasing my output has worked very well for me, too. It not only gets me in the groove but it makes each subsequent post a little easier to write. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
I have a brainstorming session. Without censoring myself, I type as many ideas as possible. I think about what’s trending. Can I write a post about it? I think about my personal life. Can I apply it to the focus of my blog? I usually end up with more ideas than I think I have. I also spend some time visiting others and commenting.
Katie,
Good strategy, leaving that inner critic out of the process when you brainstorm. Like you, I like to take a personal experience and figure out how it relates to a topic blog about. Ideas are all around us!
Judy, I just passed the two-month mark and still feel very energized and not at all likely to quit anytime soon! (Especially not at three months.)
Still, I’m already looking at ways to mix things up, just because I know my readers like variety. I, who shy away from the look and sound of videos of myself, am considering my first ever video post. (Oy vey!) But even though I know I’m going to cringe, I suspect my readers are going to love it.
*sigh* What I won’t do for these people…
Another thought: You write, “Or a life-changing event and how it impacted you. It’ll give you a blogging break—and these posts are usually easier to write.”
I’m currently working on just such a series of posts. They are both easier and more difficult to write. Easier, because they require no research at all, and I can just write what’s in my heart…
…and more difficult because I’m writing what’s in my heart. There’s some pain involved, as well as some sorrowful memories. But I know that writing about these things is good for me. And my readers are connecting with it.
*sigh* What I won’t do for these people…
Courtney Cantrell recently posted..Confessing My Creative Sins- Pt 2
Courtney,
I know what you mean on the video. I’m not naturally attracted to that media, either and, in fact, haven’t gone down that road yet. And on the “writing from the heart” posts, sometimes they flow out of me and other times they are harder to write. But readers seem to respond more when you have shared a personal part of yourself.
Sounds like you are already starting to mix it up. ; )
Yup! Trying to anyway. Blog-as-lab again, testing to see what works! ; ) I know for sure, though, that the more personal I make it, the more interest it holds for readers.
No CommentLuv for me today, it seems. Site server’s been janky for the last 36 hours.
Judy, thanks again for the tips. It’s impressive how you choose topics that really resonate- you must be a great listener!
This is going to sound really simple but it works every time. When I’m burnt out with blogging, I end up TALKING with friends about the topics related to my blog. For some reason, TALKING helps me feel the fire once again. I get recharged and then hit the keypad hard again for extensive amounts of time/posts.
The fact that TALKING is such a different communication style than typing- helps recharge the blogging batteries.
Reid,
I love it when I learn a new blogging strategy from a reader. I spend so much time inside my head when I’m thinking about new topics that I never considered having a conversation with someone else. And even if it’s a rather one-sided conversation, maybe, just maybe, giving your thoughts a voice frees your brain up to consider more new ideas.
Thanks for sharing your tip here. : )
Basically, I fall under your #2 things to do. I don’t blog everyday; but when I do, the topics are never the same. Sometimes my topic is about parenting, font collecting, watching anime, reading manga, macro photography, or cooking. One thing though, I have never concerned myself if somebody went or want to read my blogs. My reason for blogging is so I could jot down ideas that I plan to reread at a later time. It is kind of my open diary. However, if somebody would actually read my blog and post a comment, I would be very glad.
Thank you for sharing these helpful pointers.
Irivetz,
What I was trying to say in #2 was to mix up the format of your posts, not your topics. If you want readers to hang around (and come back), you need to be consistent with the topics you blog about. That is one of the best ways to develop a loyal audience of readers.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts . : )
Judy,
Thank you for clarifying. You are right that I need be consistent with the topics that I blog. My indecisiveness is getting me nowhere. I am kind of in a box where I don’t want to come out of because everybody else is doing it already. I am going to be OT (off-topic) here. How do I decide what topics to blog if someone is already blogging it?
Irivetz,
There are no new topics. Just fresh ways to write about existing ones.
My advice to you is to think first about what you are passionate about. Because without the passion, you can’t write post after post without burning out. Many bloggers write about the same topics. But they approach them in unique and different ways. And if you put a little bit of yourself in each post, well, there is only one ‘you’ in this world. So find a topic you are passionate about, write with your own take on it and put a little of your personality in and, bam, you have a unique post.
For beginning bloggers, it is the narrowing down, finding that one topic or niche, that is the hardest. Best of luck to you.
I get it now. In February I had an amazing productive day and wrote 3 blog posts. “Cool!” I thought, “I’ll schedule them to post for the next 3 weeks.
Good idea and bad idea. Writing intensely nourishes my creativity and idea flow. Not having to write a blog post for 3 weeks disconnected me from the process.
So most of March came and went sans blog posts from Blue Horse.
So what did I do? A repeat: wrote 3 posts on April 1st.
It kinda works. If if could write 4 at a time my posting schedule might be more consistent . . .
Thanks for listening, and thanks for your human-sized practical posts.
Barbara Breckenfeld recently posted..On the fence about social media
Barbara,
I know. Writing ahead of time can work both for and against you. When I do that, I tend to still jot ideas down as I think of them and do my free writing to keep my brain clicking along. For me, the more I write, the more the ideas keep coming.