Keep On, Keeping On
Blogging is a hobby that comes with it a multitude of benefits. But it can exact a high price for them. Blogging is one of those hobbies that — especially while you’re getting started — can, and will expand to consume whatever time you allow it to. There’s always something else you could be doing, ranging from technical and aesthetic setting on your platform of choice, to crafting yet more content, to researching your subject matter in order to create more content to marketing all your hard work from the top of every mountain you can find, shouting, “Look at me!” into an often heartless void.
Ok, that might’ve run away from me a little at the end there.
But the point remains, give blogging an inch and it will take a mile if you’re not firm in your boundaries.
At first though, you may not see the need for such. ‘This is great!’, you might exclaim. ‘Why would I ever want to put limits on THIS?’, you would further inquire.
And sure, there is joy to be found in those early days of unconstrained passion. But what about a month later? Three months later? Will you be left in a happy relationship with your blog, or burnt out and unable to stand the sight of it?
Hint: The average life of a blog, last I looked into it, was a hundred days.
Just a hundred days. And you have to imagine that is bolstered upward by those who have been at this for quite literally more than a decade.
Where am I going with this? Well- The idea I want to get across is that blogging isn’t an endeavour to be sprinted. You need to pace yourself if you want to keep going for the long-haul.
What that pace actually looks like is going to be different for everyone. You might be someone who can happily form a daily writing habit. You might, on the other hand, only want to put something out once a week, or hell, once a month. You might be quite OK going on a grand promotional tour for every post you make. Or, more likely, you’ll quickly learn you can’t stand that crap.
It’s OK to try things out and see what works for you. It’s also OK to completely change your mind about what works for you. The important part is that you immediately and with extreme prejudice drop anything that doesn’t work for you. There are no obligations to keep here. Nothing you must do, even if it’s something you kicked off yourself.
Lost drive for a particular series of posts? Pfft. Early grave for that line of posts. Better than risking your drive for blogging as a whole.
To end, I’ll reiterate what I and practically any other blogger will tell you — if your motivation slips and stop posting for a while, that is OK. Don’t let the time since your last post be the reason that gap grows any larger. Just come on back. I understand the mental block that can build as the time goes — I’ve been through it myself in the past. But I can assure you from this side of the fence, people will just be happy to have you back. :)
This was posted during Blaugust 2022, the annual blogging event hosted by Belghast. Blaugust is an event aiming to welcome new blogger blood into the fold and revitalise those who’ve been at it a little longer.
The Blaugust Discord is still available to join in year-round!
