Blog Interference
Despite the fact that I regard blogging as necessary to both my professional development as well as my ongoing personal branding, it's clear that in the past few months, I've fallen down on the job. I've actually gone over a week without posting on several occasions, which is just not my style.
Here's some of what seems to be getting in the way:
- Work and lots of it. I am just swamped with projects right now, many of which have not lent themselves to blogging. Or at least I haven't found any inspiration in them. They are things I need to get done in order to move on to the next thing I need to accomplish. Reflection has taken a back seat to action, something I always warn against, yet here I am, doing it myself.
- Blogging for clients. I agreed to maintain a blog for one of my clients, which has sucked up some of my overall blogging energy. I find myself keeping an eye out for stories to put on my client's blog and in doing that, have less time to spend here.
- Mental clutter and the fact that not all of my fixes seem to be working. The multitasking, in particular, continues unabated.
Mostly it's the work though. Seriously, by the end of the day I have nothing. I've tried writing in the morning, which is generally my better time for thinking, but even that hasn't worked well. I start to think about all that I need to accomplish and the next thing you know, I'm working on my "to do" list.
Aside from the fact that I feel like I'm letting people down by allowing my blog to go stale, I can feel that I'm going stale too. Not good when you make your living from your ideas.
I have no solutions right now. This is more of a diagnosis kind of post. Or at least an acknowledgment, which is always a good start. Maybe it will open up some new lines of thinking.
I can certainly identify with this, Michelle. I've had to let up a little on the pressure I put on myself to publish every week and as my blog list fills with unread blogs, I'm marking full categories as "already read" without looking at them. I never do that to your blog! I always look at it. But maybe I've also been grateful for a little time off that you didn't intend to provide me.
Good writing depends on having the luxury of a two hour block of time. I'm tired of the blogs that have to put up something every day. It's worth waiting for something worth reading.
Betsy
Posted by: Betsy Hansel | March 09, 2009 at 07:19 PM
I am glad I am not the only one....
Posted by: Britt Watwood | March 09, 2009 at 09:49 PM
Thanks Betsy and Britt--and Betsy, you've given me a whole new perspective on this--that I'm giving my readers a break! :-)
Posted by: Michele Martin | March 10, 2009 at 06:29 AM
Thanks, Michele. Misery loves company, and it's somewhat satisfying to have your company (and others) in this one.
This winter has been rugged, lots of focus on details, not enough vision, organizational paranoia, ennui and angst, all rolled up in one.
I needed a break, and was lucky enough to get one. Maybe now I can get back to what passes for normal.
Posted by: Andy | March 10, 2009 at 03:48 PM
Wow, thanks for sharing such honesty! I recently discovered your blog and have gotten alot of benefit from many of your postings. One of your recent posts even helped spur me on to starting my own which I'm now in the process of setting up. Anyway, keep up the great ideas.
Posted by: Darrin | March 10, 2009 at 04:12 PM
Sometimes, the well is just dry. I think it's natural. I also suspect that the vast majority of your readers are commiserating with you. As a creative myself, I've learned you can't fight it. "It" will return when there's room for "it." This is just a quiet, "it-less" season. Nothing wrong with that. It will pass. The faithful will wait!
Posted by: sherill | March 10, 2009 at 06:03 PM
Hey Michelle
Your honesty is a great example. Most all who care & agree find ourselves "walking in your slippers." Check out what David Spark posted about the 5 People Who Broke The Rules of Social Media and Succeeded http://mashable.com/2009/03/10/breaking-social-media-rules/. In your post, you are helping your readers see how " the best social media advice one can take is to simply follow your own convictions." quoted from David Sparks above.
TY Leslie
Posted by: Leslie | March 10, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Kia ora Michele!
I know the feeling. Too well. Recently I am without a PC at home. D'you think I can get into the blogging routine I was in before, without a PC? Not a bit of it. Not just now. There must be ways. But . . .
If you have not already visited it, may I introduce you to Joanna Young's blog. She has a whole series of posts on topics [ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ] related to this theme.
I do hope this is not me 'trying to teach my granny to suck eggs'!
Catchya later
Posted by: Ken Allan | March 11, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Hey Michele,
Though I've only been blogging for a few months, I completely understand where you are coming from.
Writing has always been kind of painful for me. I've never been the kind of person who can just put all my thoughts down in one burst and then go back and clean it up afterwards; I have to edit every damn word and sentence as it comes out and that makes the process very slow. (That's also why I could never whip out a paper the night before it was due in college.) The end result is that I sometimes avoid blogging because I know it will be difficult to get each post where I want it.
Though our reasons for not blogging as frequently may be somewhat different, I think we can both take it easy on ourselves - after all, we're giving readers a break :).
Posted by: Elisa | March 11, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Hi Michele!
That's okay if you "give us a break". It's great to share this difficult time with your readers too.
I've been walking with crutches for 3 months, I'm busy enough with students blogging, it gets really hard to slow down and make the effort to think in English, in the evening...
Meanwhile, when I come visit your blog, don't worry, there is so much for me to reflect and learn, among so many ancient, precious posts, that you could go for a long holiday and come back again, I still would have plenty of "treasure maps" to unfold.
Ines
Posted by: inpi | March 12, 2009 at 07:00 PM
Thank you everyone for your supportive and encouraging comments. It's good to know that I'm not alone in this.
One thing I've realized is that I'd rather publish nothing than do crappy posts, which I think in the end is a good thing. I'm thinking that soon this will pass and my brain will once again re-engage. I'm already mulling over a few things, so we'll see what pops up this weekend.
Posted by: Michele Martin | March 13, 2009 at 07:47 AM
What a shame that "vacation" has become a dirty word.
No need to put in face time, neither at the office nor online. Sometimes our best work comes from having a few days or weeks off!
Posted by: QuestingElf | March 15, 2009 at 04:16 PM
Hi Michelle!
Hey, don't be too hard on yourself! I find then when you have a break from something that you do day in day out, when you do re-launch into it, you'll do it with a passion!
Like a few of the other comments here I'm also about 'quality' not 'quantity', so if I have to wait a few weeks between your posts it won't stop me from coming back and checking in!
Hope you shrug of the flu soon and winter doesn't hold you down!
Cheers
Matt
Posted by: Matt Blackstock | March 19, 2009 at 07:01 PM
Ditto what the others have said!
One additional thought. Your posts are usually long, with lots of good information and "chewy" ideas.
Please don't feel you have to post that way all the time! Short posts, a sentence or two, a provocative question, a link to another idea...all are good, too.
Then, when the well has filled for you again you can continue with the style that's most comfortable for you.
Thanks again for all your great writing!
Jane
Posted by: Jane N-B | March 25, 2009 at 04:37 PM