1)
Excited
and spending a lot of time both posting and visiting other blogs.
2)
Burned
out because you are out of ideas or have realized it has become a huge
time-suck and you are neglecting other things.
3)
A
realist who understands the benefits and how to balance blog time.
To get
yourself into the third category, think about:
1) Personal Goals – Once you determine your own agenda, the rest will be easier. Be honest
with yourself about why you are blogging. Is it for the writing practice, to
win points with an editor or agent or to gain popularity with readers? What
information do you want to convey. What FOCUS do you want for your blog? WHO is
your audience?
2)
Consistency – Readers, editors, and agents want
to see you are posting at a steady rate. If you can’t commit yourself to
posting on the same days of every week, at least dedicate yourself to posting
the same number of times a week (Most people feel 2 to 3 is ideal).
3) Variety – Change
things up. If we’re bored with our blogs, then chances are high that our
readers will be too. Take some time to brainstorm and make a list of things we
can do to change the tone. Write about something different. Have a guest
poster. Post about something controversial. Stir up discussion. Be creative and
do something fun. Create or try participating in a blogfest. (Two examples are
the Top Ten: http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2013/02/overcoming-adversity-blogfest-ninja.html and the A to Z: http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/)
4)
Benefits – Consider what you can both get and
give to the blogging community. I have connected with some creative and
talented individuals, developed a new system for my blogging, refined my
communication skills, and initiated what turned into an amazing relationship
with some of my readers! Other benefits might be to establish
accountability partners, develop your writing skills, cultivate a habit of
writing, create, authenticate and advertise your personal brand, build
relationships with fellow readers, increase your confidence and motivation in
writing, educate yourself through reading blogs in different niches, build back
links through comments on other blogs, grow your social network through the
syndicating of posts through social media sites, increase blog traffic, develop
new marketing ideas from others, and receive constructive feedback on ways to
make your blog/platform even more effective.
So, employ and enjoy blogging, but keep it in its proper place.
11 comments:
Inspiring post. I think I'm on the verge of two trying to fall into three. LOL
Counldn't agree more. However, when I have a guest post from another writer, I whizz madly around many blogs in the hope of driving more traffic in his/her direction. :0)
I try to do it while I'm nursing and on the Ipad. What else do I have to do? HAHA.
Inspiring post - I love the long list of benefits!
I never realized when I started blogging that it even needed structuring, but that seems to be what everyone likes to do. Pretty odd. May consider something like it...
This post read my mind. I'm trying to find the balance right now, but still not sure exactly what it is. Like everything else in life - it flows better when we find the equilibrium.
You've provided some food for thought. I'm still in the playing-around-having-fun stage. (1+3?) Whatever the goal, the blogosphere is a fantastic resource, that's for sure.
Do you approach reader vs other writer followers differently or do the tabs do that for you? (And does that question even make sense?)
Great advice in your post! I'm doing both Alex's blogfest and the A-Z challenge. It definitely spices up the blogging world for a while!
Thanks for the inspiring post. I still love blogging, but do get in a rut sometimes. But then I read something wonderful and remember why I love writing in the first place.
The benefits really are huge. The feeling of community is tangible. I will blog as long as my brain and fingers are in sync.
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