I can’t help but notice the decline in blogging activity these days each time I sign into Google Reader.
Can we blame it on the season? These glorious spring days? All those months of being trapped indoor for hours at a time?
Hmmm…..What do you think?
Used to be I’d nearly panic when I logged into Reader and saw all those unread blog posts waiting for me. Although I have a good number of blogs that I follow through Reader it’s not an outrageous number or even close to the 200 number that one blogger claimed the average blogger follows. But still….
A lot of people start out blogging with great enthusiasm but eventually run out of steam. I’ve sometimes wondered if that won’t one day be my fate as well. Some days it’s tough to even imagine we have something worthwhile to blog about. Ideas become stale. We feel uninspired. I mean, how many different ways are there to blog about the same subject?
Blogging is a big commitment. Life happens. We get busy. We enter times of tribulation. Our job takes us away, and our family life. Many bloggers are also authors, and when push comes to shove we’ll choose writing over blogging. It’s just the way it has to be. There’s no getting around it. And yet, there is no saying we can’t take a break from our blogging activity from time to time. Why not? Aren’t we all entitled to a vacation from time to time?
Have you been as committed to blogging lately and have you also noticed a decline in the number of people updating their blogs? Do you periodically take blogging vacations?
Laura Best 
writerwoman61
/ April 7, 2011I haven’t noticed much of a decline, Laura…I follow more than 50 blogs, and often have a dozen or two posts waiting to be read (which I force myself to wait to read until I’ve finished writing mine!). I have a couple of folks I follow who have stopped posting regularly though (LIFE!)…disappointing!
Wendy
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011I have some that I’m considering removing from my Google Reader because they haven’t updated for many, many months. At some point you wonder if they have abandoned their blogs altogether. Yes, life has a way of throwing us curves. I absolutely understand.
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StoryTeller
/ April 7, 2011I’m still here, slogging along!
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011Yes, Holli! I can usually count on seeing an update from you!
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StoryTeller
/ April 7, 2011But I do wonder where all the commentors have gone! My response rate has been dismal lately. 😦
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011Ah! Your sad face made me feel sad… 😦
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Diane Tibert
/ April 7, 2011A blogging vacation? Perhaps if I were on vacation myself, I would take one.
I’m still new at blogging — just three full months in — but I still have the desire to post regularly.
I missed posting Monday because I was busy building a carrier for the back of the truck to transport a miniature donkey home. I had started a blog, hoping to get it finished, but sleep won over.
So I finished it today and posted it.
I follow about six or seven blogs, and they seem to be posting regularly, but since I’ve been on line so little the past week, I won’t swear by it.
Spring is a busy time for everyone . . . well, unless you’re a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, and then you have all the time in the world to shine up those clubs. 🙂
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011I’ve actually noticed a decline this past month or more. There are some bloggers who are pretty faithful and as Holli said, “still slogging away.” Maybe I just pick the wrong blogs to start following. Anyway, I’ll keep waiting. There were obvious reasons why I started following their blogs in the first palace so perhaps things will pick up.
Yes, you’ve been rather busy I’d say. I trust Mayzie is getting settled in and used to the kids.
I do think that spring is a busy time, and many of us are out enjoying the fine weather.
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joylene
/ April 7, 2011For myself, I’m noticing a change. It’s a long story; here’s the short version… I’m working on the WIP to the book that comes out next month. I’ve been struggling. Then just recently I changed the POV to first person present tense and WOW — it took off. Suddenly I’m rejuvenated. I’ve connected in a real way with my other protagonist. I have two. I can’t get the words down fast enough. When I get up in the morning, I read all the new blogs on my list. Then I get cracking on my WIP. The idea that I should write a new blog nags me. Sometimes it nags loudly. But tearing myself away from my WIP is hard. What’s a blogger to do???
I guess we humans (bloggers) are more alike than we realize. I can’t wait to get my WIP down, get outside and do some gardening, spring clean the house, and have enough blogs stored that I can actually relax. To date I have none.
I swear I’m going to get organized. I’m just not sure when.
Great post, Laura.
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011I think I can cut you some slack Joylene. I know you’ve been very busy and, as I said, for those of us who are writers out writing must come first.
Funny, how a change in POV can make a world of difference to a story. I recently went through that myself, and once I found it, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t tried it before.
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Tricia
/ April 7, 2011I’ve kept up my same pace: sluggish. 🙂 I’ve never bought into the daily posting. That’s too much of a commitment and I’d never get anything done. I used to blog twice a week in the beginning. Now I’m lucky to post once a week. In fact, I’m due for a post and have nothing. My mind draws on many blanks.
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011Daily posting is a HUGE commitment. Wow! I’m is awe of anyone who can come up with something to write about every day. I usually wait for something to grab my attention. Very rarely do I plan ahead, although I’ll soon be back to work for a spell so I may write some posts ahead of time. But that remains to be seen.
I like your posts when we got to read your published work online. I love getting to know people through their writing. 🙂
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Carol Ann Hoel
/ April 7, 2011I think a vacation is the right word for it, Laura. We write and write, and suddenly find ourselves empty. A little respite will cure the soul of blog burnout. It’s better to rest when the urge demands than to put it off until the very idea of blogging makes one cringe. I don’t want that to happen to me. I like blogging. I want to keep it in balance, and this is an engaging challenge. Blogging probably won’t stay balanced without an intentional plan.
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011I often think I’d like to set certain days to update my blog. Ideally, that’s what I’d like, but for some reason I can’t seem to find a schedule and stick to it. I know several bloggers who take time off to rejuvenate. I can see that looming in the background, but not yet.
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jenniferneri
/ April 7, 2011I’ve def noticed it- and I thought the same thing!
Spring!
Everyone’s outside!!
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011There are much worse things we could blame it on, Jennifer!! So I’m sticking with my spring theory. 😉
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Barbara
/ April 7, 2011I’ve noticed it from a few blogs that I followed where I haven’t seen anything new in months. I just started blogging myself in July and still feel a little like I’m getting my rhythm. There was a period where I did go MIA for two weeks…maybe a little longer. Life got in the way. It is a commitment, but such a good vehicle for writers.
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011It is an excellent vehicle for writers. I can only imagine what it would have felt like years ago, before I knew any writers, to have a blog and meet other like-minded people. It definitely would have inspired me to keep writing I’m sure.
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Tracy
/ April 7, 2011I’ve increased my posts to every day for the A-Z Challenge and it’s been fun, but also a much bigger committment than my usual 2 or 3 a week. What I don’t like is when blogs start off with things like…”I don’t have much to say today.” or “I have writers block…” Well, then I’d rather you not write anything at all!!!
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Laura Best
/ April 7, 2011Tracy, you are amazing. I’ve noticed an increase of posts on your blog for sure. For some of us, we need a challenge to keep us at it regularly. I guess whatever works. Keep up the great work and great blogging!! Yes, we do notice!!
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Carol J. Garvin
/ April 8, 2011I hate to admit it, but I follow 100 blogs on Google Reader! Of course, not all of them offer something new to read on a regular basis (and I couldn’t possibly keep up with them if they did), but I’ve noticed fewer new posts in the past couple months. Spring fever may have something to do with it, but I think there’s a cycle of blogging inertia that sets in, too. A lot may depend on the original motivation for blogging.
My goal is to post on a regular schedule. I don’t always achieve it, but if I’m going to be away, or want to take a break, I’ll try to work ahead and schedule posts to run in my down time. I don’t think our visitors mind if we take occasional breaks as long as we let them know when we’ll return. Otherwise they’ll only continue to check our sites for so long before they give up and permanently write us off.
P.S. Like your new look here, Laura. Fresh and crisp… nice for the new season. 🙂
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Laura Best
/ April 8, 2011Carol, I haven’t counted how many I follow, but I do know that many have not updated for a long, long time so that makes me feel as though I can justify adding a few more along the way..Haha!
Most things do run in cycles, so why not blogging as well? You do seem to post regularly and I’ve been trying to stay consistent as well. It’s a good idea to write posts ahead of time and I do plan to do that, that way I’m not scrambling to think of something which does occasionally. Most times I just like to have ideas come as they may. I don’t think that’s such a great system but that’s pretty much what I do.
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Tooty Nolan
/ April 8, 2011I’m so glad that other people have noticed. I thought it was me. It was bad enough that people had stopped buying my books: Now they didn’t seem to want to hear about my trivia either. So we’re all in the same boat. They say that misery loves company: I think perhaps they’re right.Or is it really me?
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Laura Best
/ April 8, 2011Hi Tooty, thanks for visiting my blog and for your comment. It’s nice to meet our readers. Nope, I guess it’s not just you. It definitely must depend upon the blogs we follow as some people haven’t noticed a decline. I’m sure after awhile things will pick up. Hang in there!!
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Carol Benedict
/ April 9, 2011Even though I like blogging, I don’t post regularly anymore. Since my blog theme is “tips on writing,” I do quite a bit of research for most of my posts to make sure I’m giving accurate information. Sometimes I’d rather do other things–and at this stage of my life, the other things are a higher priority than blogging.
I still visit several blogs regularly, and try to leave a comment if I can think of something others haven’t already mentioned, but I’ve stopped browsing for new blogs to read. I visit every blogger who leaves a comment on mine, but otherwise I’m content to keep up with the few who I’ve come to think of as friends.
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Laura Best
/ April 10, 2011Something we all need to decide is how much time we want/can devote to blogging. We all have a different set of priorities and need to be able to balance our blogging time with the rest of our lives. I’m sure, as well, that our priorities also change as new things happen in our lives.
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Dave Ebright
/ April 11, 2011Just busier than a one legged man in an a$$ kickin’ contest.
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Laura Best
/ April 12, 2011Ha! Now that I’d like to see, Dave!!! Yes, you are a very busy man these days so I’ll let you off the hook. How does that sound?
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Helen
/ April 12, 2011Well, since you asked, I’ve not been feeling very motivated in general lately. Perhaps I just need a change of scenery? Wish I’d taken part in the A-Z blogging challenge. That would have given me the kick up the backside I need.
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Laura Best
/ April 12, 2011It sometimes helps to motivate us if we do accept such challenges. I guess that’s why they exist. I’ve personally never committed to anything of that nature before. It is hard to sometimes come up with ideas to blog about and once you know what you want to blog about you’ve actually got to write it. Not always an easy thing.. Who knows maybe sometime I will take part in a challenge..Glad you stopped in to visit, Helen!
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