Pondering with a Purpose: Blogging Rut?
Brenda over at Pondering with a Purpose offers up a different writing prompt each Thursday to help us with subject matter....you regular bloggers know how tough that can be at times. Pondering with a Purpose is a hop so visit the site for complete rules if you'd like to join in or to view the list of other participants.
This week's prompt: Blogging rut?
A blogging rut? Never had it happen!
And if you'll buy that (pardon me while I quote George Strait), I've got some ocean front property in Arizona I'd like to talk to you about...
From my front porch you can see the sea...I've got some ocean front property in Arizona...Now if you'll buy that...I'll throw the Golden Gate in free.
Sorry, I digress. That's one of my favorite songs from George.
So, where were we?
Blogging ruts.....right.
They happen sooner or later. It gets tough to be witty or funny or profound or, well, just about anything day after day after day after....
You get the point.
Sometimes the rut isn't bad...kind of like a tire track in the dust. A day off, doing something new, reading new blogs, watching the news are all likely to stir the creative juices.
Other times the rut is more like a raging river and it's going to take a bridge to get across. Sometimes finding new memes or other blogging challenges that are out there gets things back on track, but a little "vacation" from blogging might be called for.
And there are those times when the rut is a chasm, yawning deep and wide, waiting to devour posts and send them packing into obscurity. Those times call for desperate measures...a complete reevaluation of what the purpose of the blog is, possibly a total redesign, asking for outside help, or maybe even shutting down the blog.
As I mentioned last week, I've been at this since 2001 so I've run into all the ruts and I've tried all the solutions...right down to shutting up the shop and walking away. When it's become a chore rather than a pleasure or labor of love, leaving it takes the pressure off and eventually those gears start turning again. You can always come back to the same blog, though for me, the time away usually gets the creativity flowing in a new direction and I start a new blog. It's nice because then you have a choice....invite all your old blog friends to the new site or maybe just a few (or none at all) and create a new community with new ideas floating around.
I hear so much advice about blogging, but I don't think there's a right or wrong way to do it. It's what works for you, what gives you pleasure, what accomplishes the goals you've set for your blog. There are as many ways to blog as there are bloggers and no matter what you post, somewhere out there is your audience.
11 comments:
I've hit a rut or two, but mostly it's been a time thing for me. When to find the time to write.
I need my sleep (like how that comes first?), I am gone from 7:00-6:30 each day, devotionals with Brad have become essential, and now I'm focused on exercise--which I haven't gotten to until 9 pm the last few nights. And then there's reading (haven't picked up a book in over a week), homework, and things like manicures (self painted, not salon). My days fly by, even the bad ones!
Time, time, time...slow it down!
So easy to know, so easy to say....so hard to do. :( But hey, SUMMER'S COMING!
I have gotten into plenty of ruts. Some of it is just a lack of the right words to say at that particular time because of things going on in my life. I have found lately that my most creative moments are early in the morning, right when I'm heading off to work. After work, the blog post in my head, is gone.
I feel like my blog changes continually based on where I am spiritually and emotionally. Where I'm at now is one where I'm finding contentment.
I hope that you will find that too. I really love coming to visit your blog...always going away with something to think about.
I have that problem, too, Simone. I always have these AMAZING ideas while I'm at work and have it all worked out in my head and then by the time I get home....pfffft! It's gone.
Your contentment shows through in your posts and I love seeing it...it's been a long time coming for you. I'm working on getting there. It's all part of the journey.
Thank you, hearing that you like coming here and that I give you things to think about is high praise!
I LOVE this post! Thanks for pondering with me... and I think the whole point is that this blogging thing has got to be fun and restful... who needs more stress in their life?
I started out doing one thing and then did a complete about face and then changed directions again... Not sure where I'll end up in the next year or so.
I've been in a rut so you will see more meme's when you visit me right now. It will come back!
When I fall into a writing rut I find myself tweaking design, etc. instead of creating content. Right now I am struggling to find a focus for my blogging. At least on my main blog. I wandered off into fiction for a while and all my regulars stopped commenting. I'm hoping I haven't lost y'all forever! But now I wonder every day ... WHAT to write about today? Sigh ...
Brenda...Amen! For me, it has to be enjoyable. If I'm stressing...I'm no longer interested. It will be interesting to see where you go.
Debby...Been there, done that, but memes can be a good thing. I made a lot of friends when I took a break and did almost nothing but.
Beth...you and your tweaking! It looks wonderful to all of us, but I know it's you that has to be satisfied. I haven't given up on you. I'm in bit of a spell where I'm having a hard time focusing enough to read, so I actually haven't been doing much of it anywhere, not just on your blog. It comes with either the ADD or peri-menopause and drives me nuts when it happens.
Stopping by to check out the comments. I left mine on Brenda's blog.
Great blog.....NEW FOLLOWER.
Elizabeth
You always amaze me Stacy with your posts and meme's. You hit such important key points in ways I couldn't have said better. Know thyself and purpose of the blog, know that there are going to be ruts and walk away for a while if need be. Right now so much is going on externally that I find it hard to slow down and blog which for me requires a bit of forethought. Thanks for the great post and always such fun reading your posts
: )
Insightful post. Writing does take time, is difficult at times, runs dry, overflows, etc. A full, expression of life.
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