Is there a correlation? I think so. I think that people subconciously give themselves goals. "If it's not successful in a year..." "If it hasn't changed my life significantly in a year..." "If after a year I find it's too much work..."
Knowing this already, I've tried very hard to pace myself and keep my expectations reasonable. I have continued to remind myself that this is a writing exercise; a daily warm-up. There will be ups and downs, there will be times I don't feel like it, but I try to do it at roughly the same time each morning.
The biggest, most time-consuming problem for ME (and I hear this in many of your blogs, too) is reading everyone else's blogs on a regular basis. And it's this which is threatening to burn me out. Some people post short or interesting posts, some get a little too enthusiastic and their posts take a lot of time to read through. Now, that doesn't mean their posts aren't of interest to me - I wouldn't bother to type a comment if they weren't. But it's very time-consuming.TS mentioned that I might be getting burned out (which was very astute) and suggested I consider blogging every other day. I thought about it and I even considered which days: M, W, F and Saturday. But in the end I thought I could compromise by continuing to blog daily but checking on your blogs every other day.
Please understand, I don't intend to offend, and you're very important. And if you need me over to your blog right away, pop into my comments section and let me know. But otherwise, I need to free up some of my obligations and this is an area where I have some flex.
What do you think?
39 comments:
Do what's good for you! My blog isn't time sensitive and I'm very erratic with my posting so I appreciate comments ANYtime! I read a lot and often I can't comment until later in the day or even a couple days later, depending on where I am and what is going on.
Relax and enjoy the writing exercise. It's not fun if you feel pressured!
Even though I'm not working due to health I am suffering from burnout too. I can only keep up with a handful of blogs in a given week.
Thanks for keeping us informed as to your concerns.
I think you need to get your act together....
This means reading my blog at least 3 times a day. You can do this by getting you AND your dog a treadmill so you can still do your daily walk for the morning read. At lunch you can make your sandwhich at your desk, you may need to buy a small fridge to put beside your desk so you don't have to move. Your 3rd read can be as you are getting ready for bed at night. You may have to buy a laptop and mount for the bathroom for this. I suggest hiring my husband to get this set up wireless as I don't want you to get electricuted while reading or posting comments.
There! What else in your life can I fix?
I was thinking along the same lines as Michelle!! I mean come on, suck it up.
Just kidding... it gets hard to keep up with everyones blogs. I just do it the best I can when I have time. If it doesn't work it doesn't work. No biggie.
Cheers,
Scott
Blogging, like regular writing, shouldn't be a chore, so cut back if it suits you. For myself, I post as much as I want - several times a day, or sometimes I'll take a week off. But unless my job gets busier (which does occasionally happen) I'll continue to visit daily.
Remember that blogging is first and foremost a "me" thing. I don't mean blog for yourself, I mean you all exist on the wired to provide ME with entertainment. If I go away, your existence will end and you will promptly vanish in a puff of orange smoke. So keep it up. :p
I've been blogging close to two years now and at 1st I felt obligated to post every day....now...not so much.
I've been busy with work stuff this week and enlisted a few guest bloggers to keep the place up this week though. (and it's hard to keep up with reading blogs on a daily basis when you find that there are a lot that you like.)
Why are you asking us? It's your blog. Do as you will. There are no requirements or rules. Have fun. You don't ask anyone about eating and sleeping--or vacations. Unlax. I really enjoy your blog, but if you don't show up every once in awhile, it doesn't burn my toast.
Blogging is supposed to be a fun exercise---exactly what you said. If you venture off into the ‘I must comment to get more comments’ kinda thinking, then it turns into a ‘job’. And that’s not fun. Who wants to work? (ha)
But in all seriousness, whether you comment to please or comment because you want to express your opinions, it’s still very time consuming and sometimes you get tired of the whole process.
Don’t ever feel bad if you can’t get around to someone’s blog. Lately, I’ve been EXHAUSTED and I haven’t even touched my blog hardly. I haven’t gone over to anybody else’s unless I tapped in because someone asked me to, due to certain material.
Blog for “you”. Believe me, people who love your writing will still be here…regardless. You want people to visit, because they enjoy your writing—not because they feel obligated. You’re a terrific writer—you don’t need to comment to bring them in.
There is this one blogger (oh shut me up please!) that has been blogging for a couple of years. She never, ever, ever, ever comments on anyone else’s, but yet, she receives about 80 comments per day. It’s all about the content and writing style.
I’m outa’ here. Oh, and don’t forget to comment on my blog biiaattchh! (HA! Just kidding!!!!!)
I say that people will read your blog whenever you decide to post. We all have lives outside of blogger, or so I hope, so it's understandable to change either way, depending on where your life is at.
PS.badoozer changed her site just an fyi..
a spammer scooped up her blog in less than a day, so you'll want to change her blog addy in links. I put the link on my blog.
I posted probably close to 1000 blog entries over the last 20 months or so and reached a point that I got burnt out. I ended up closing all my blogs except for two of them and mostly just focus on the one which contains 650 of the posts.
For me, blogging has always been an extension of my journal writing which I have been doing for ten years and generations of my family for seventy years. I look at it as a record of my life to print out and pass on to my children. As you mentioned previously, it is also self medicating and allows me to "recycle" some of the thoughts floating around in my head and put some order to them.
After the burnout time, I settled into a rhythm of one post daily except on weekends and have kept at it pretty faithfully. I've always said that I would quit when I ran out of things to write about but it hasn't happened yet.
I've seen a lot of bloggers come and go and reckon I'll see a lot more. It is a fluid medium and thus ever changing. My list of essential blog readings changes it seems on a weekly basis as some fade and others fill the gap.
And, you asked me why I didn't start a blog? ;o)I love your blog, but you need to give yourself some slack. I can hardly keep up with the few I visit.
Relax, YOU are in charge. I'll be around regardless!
Sounds reasonable to me. My biggest issue is that, although I find many of the blogs I read everyday (and you, my dear Saur, are still on the top of my link list!) interesting, I don't always have anything to add via a comment and often I just don't have the time. It's not just the time it takes to write a comment, but also the checking back to read the response (if any) to that comment.
The same is true of my own posts. Although I just love to see what others have to say about what I say, I feel obligated (and rightfully so) to acknowledge the comment with a response. Again, there is a time factor involved and it is in this area that I fall short most often. Believe it or not (perhaps you should be sitting down), I don't always have something to say! Shocking, I know - sometimes I can't believe it myself!
You just keep writing and I'll keep reading - deal?
~Mike
Actually, I have to disagree with ~Deb on her bit about "commenting is all about the writing." I know a blogger who has been doing this for about five years who gets more hits than any non-celebrity's blog that I know of, but rarely gets comments. I think a lot of that is because she never reciprocates. Some comment sections turn into chat rooms for the people who visit, but I think the best way to get comments (if that is a goal of yours) is to give them.
Ditto what everybody else said! and that michelle... what a good problem solver she is!
Only kidding, of course. Whatever you write, I read because I like you and your style... and, hey, you linked me, so I find that a compliment in its own right.
Write whenever you want, and drop by whenever you can... this is all supposed to be for fun.
I am with you on this. Once you have gotten a long list of friends you want to visit...it does become hard to keep up on a daily basis.
I am going through the same thing!
I usually interact with those who comment at my blog because I don't get many comments.
Although I do check my site meter daily to see where people are coming from, I'm not especially concerned about the numbers.
I also have blogs that I visit regularly, but I don't often comment because it's time-consuming.
I blog to practice my writing and to learn, and I'd do it even if nobody were reading it ... I think (not too sure on that, actually).
Blogging itself takes up valuable time, so I try to do that as best I can and leave the rest to chance.
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
I'm with Kathleen. And the only reason I started a blog is because I wanted to create a user name. Then, occasionally, I have the urge to spout off about something. But I'm not really very committed (as you have noticed). I prefer to just read other blogs.
I have been constantly amazed at your talent to write what you do every day, not just rambling about your day, but such interesting topics and incredibly well-written... not many people can do that every day on top of being as busy as you must be with the rest of your life.
I don't do a huge amount of writing for my blog, but I still can spend hours reading other blogs and leaving comments.
If you don't come by as often, I would certainly understand.
I'm totally with you, Saur. I've cut back significantly in my visiting around from time to time, and notice others doing the same ... It's no big insult in my mind coming or going. I think most people understand. :)
Like you, I so enjoy all my blogs I visit, but the main reason I started blogging was for my own writing enjoyment. But it's not an obligation, to anyone. All the same, my door's always open.
I think that someone is taking that cat's body tempature - and forgot the Vasoline.
It takes over your life and it's not the posting as much but more the visiting others to keep up the hit juice and google madness.
I'd urge you to keep your reading list down to the essentials.
I've cut back since the school year started but I find that I still have some time and blogging provides a great escape after working all day. For me it's a place to unwind and collect my thoughts when things are getting a little too hectic, and a sounding board for things I woulnd't necessarily express otherwise.
Saur,
Even though you're the only one who posts on my blog I'm glad to see you go. It stressful knowing that someone who is anal about grammar is actually reading my posts.
I thought in an earlier blog you said you had one of those hairless pussy cats, did it grow hair?
I started off as a LAZY Blogger... and as for me... NOTHING'S CHANGED!
"Burnout" shouldn't be in the same sentence as anything that doesn't pay the bills. Do it because you love it and no more. If someone used "burnout" to describe a relationship or with regard to eating too much chocolate, it should be a warning sign.
That said, overindulgence makes sense. Nothing at all wrong with straightening out priorities every now and then.
I think you've got exactly the right attitude. I too have noticed that other bloggers come and go, and agree that in large part it's because visiting other blogs takes as much or more time as maintaining your own. I've simply given myself permission to not make it to everyone every day. It's a good compromise, when you don't want to give up your own blogging, which I don't. In fact, I just wrote today about why I am not likely to give it up any time soon.
i read so many blogs a day...its not funny. But then, i usually wait to read them until i have already tried to sleep at nite and realize that the sandman is not coming to visit me. So i kill an hour reading everyone's stuff.
I would hope no one is offended by you not reading their blogs everyday, i know my posts can get awfully long-winded as i tend to ramble on. No worries-- you do whats good for you.
I think you should definitely keep your own blogging up to as often as you would like, and feel comfortable with. I find blogging to not only be fun, but also very theraputic and reflective. I'm so glad that you haven't stopped this whole process - yours is one of my favorites!
As for checking others' blogs, inclusing mine, comments are appreciated ANY time, whether once a day, week, or even month.
There are no expectations to be met. :o)
Just that you keep on bringing us your thoughts!
If I had thirty comments on my blog I would definately do the every other day thing.
Oops I posted a long blog, but I usually don't because I too have a difficult time finding enough time to read through a long blog.
Thanks for the comment on my site concerning my mom, it has been a very rough week, but things are better! God bless you and yours, that kitty looks stressed out by the way! What did you do to him?
Blogging is meant to be enjoyable, not a chore. It is meant to be a small part of our lives ... not the whole of our lives ... it shouldn't take over. Just do what works for you, and come and visit when you can ... no-one will be angry, we all understand. Chill out, enjoy life, take a break. Look after yourself and take care ... Meow
Just in case you dont have comment notification I decided to post this up here ... finally got around to reading about your St. Augustine ghost tour. LOVED it. That's all I can say. I love this stuff.
When you have time I'd like to invite you over to read an older post of mine. Look for "8 Reasons", in my Best of section in the sidebar. I think you'll enjoy it. :)
Take care of yourself, lady!
Just stop reading other peoples pages. Just do your own and your comments, thats what id suggest.
Do what works for you!...we are not being paid do this and all of us started doing it as an exercise for ourselves, not a constituency. It is one of the reasons I have backed off of my writing and tried to put it in the proper priority que
Notsocranky is so right
I understand...especially on some of the long posts...I feel bad that sometimes when I'm going through all the blogs I come across and say "Oh good...no post to read" or "Oh good...its a short one". But I don't always feel like that. Sometimes I enjoy sitting down and just reading up on everyone no matter how long. Sometimes I don't...I wouldn't feel bad about it though...
Blogging is a social activity. Different people benefit from relationships in different ways and intensity. Even the busiest bee can get tired pollinating too many flowers.
Heh. Approaching one year, and I'm realizing I have no time to blog. That's why I'm on an on and off hiatus. :(
If I had more time, I'd keep it up. Just don't.
Wow, there would be NO WAY for me to visit all my favorite blogs every day! That was true even before I threw up my own site... I have a lot of favorites. I am sure no one would be offended if you cut back.
I've been blogging eight months now, and its really paying off in terms of what I set out to do. That is, to meet guys. I might quuit some day if one of them ever gave me something better to do! Heehee!
hey, saur. really, would you want more people to read your blog and comment? i think you've built up a pretty good following already, enough to serve as a pretty good sounding board for contemplation, rants, or whatever other ideas make their way into posts.
i hope i've found a happy balance in my own blogging ... just posting every few days and reading others' blogs every day, if possible. i have noticed that blogging and forum-type participation can take up quite a lot of time to the detriment of family time, study, etc. i used to post all the time over at bbs.chinadaily.com.cn for a couple years. to my shame, i believe that was one of the reasons our church planting effort eventually failed. not the reason, but maybe a symptom of the real reason. anyway, i think blogging is a much more worthwhile endeavor than forums. i consider my current blog a sort of way to impact society, or at least societal discourse. i believe your blog is a great platform for spreading ideas and learning.
thanks for all your hard work, but we really don't mind if you work just a bit less ... we'll all still be here!
i'm still here, a year later.... even though I haven't become famous, yet. I mean, what else are you going to do if you have no life?
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