Article by Wendy McCance
I have come to realize something about writing blog posts, I am only going to create a new article when I really have something to say. After having a blog for several years, I have finally given myself permission to calm down and enjoy what I do without pressure. I have felt and acted this way through most of 2014, but now I am making an open declaration of my intentions.
Over the years, I have read a million articles on blogging and on being a writer. Every message has been the same, write daily no matter if you have something to say or not. I understand the principle of writing daily to flex the brain and keep you on your toes, but I write every day as a freelancer. Although a different type of writing, I am still putting words to paper.
Blogs are supposed to be consistent. There should be a pattern of posts the reader can count on. I used to write a daily post. As I get busier in my career, I wrote at least every other day. One day I sat down at my blog and realized that I had already written pretty much everything I could think of. I also knew that I didn’t have anything that was truly interesting to say, so I gave myself a break.
I began this blog as a type of open diary. I would have these ideas or bits of knowledge that I wanted to get out into the universe and and so I would write about it. On days when there wasn’t much to say, it was embarrassing to try to force an article. The writing wasn’t as good, the topic boring and overall, it wasn’t something I truly cared if people read.
Realizing that I wanted to write only posts that I was looking forward to getting feedback on, I stopped writing on days that I didn’t feel inspired. It was uncomfortable to buck the system by going against the basic rules of blogging, but it eventually felt empowering. I liked writing only when I felt I had something significant to say. With the pressure off, the fog I was fighting lifted and a slew of new ideas started to flood my mind.
So my question to you is this, how many articles have you written on your own blog that you love? How many days have you forced yourself to write because that was what you were supposed to do? Have you felt empowered by your blog because you get to make all of the decisions, or do you still allow outside noise to dictate what you do on your website?
There are so many areas of our lives that we have so little control over. To create and maintain a blog in just the way that appeals most to you, is a wonderful feeling. Who cares about putting such an intense focus on numbers alone. I am a firm believer in the fact that when you open up and are willing to expose your soul, you will get more followers, more comments and overall more interest than if you write each day because you feel you are obligated to, even when you just have nothing good to say. A few sub par articles and I believe you will lose more interest than what you would gain in new readers.
What do you think?
Wendy McCance
To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]
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This was a refreshing article, to say the least. I have my own blog, but currently I only post once a week, because I have so many other priorities throughout the week, which include my regular day job, scouring the internet for writing opportunities, and working on writing projects of my own. I would like to post more, and perhaps I should, but I think posting less quality articles with more passion behind them is better than a bunch of low quality articles. I enjoyed the read!
Thanks Javier, I appreciate it.
I totally agree and started bucking the system last year. I’d rather be genuine than to be ignored for writing about nothing. It is liberating!
It really is Lynne. So happy to hear there are other bloggers that feel the same way.
I rarely blog 7 days a week, or 6, or even 5….what I DO commit to is 3 days per week (I have 2 blogs)…….I think that if I did anything less than 3 days a week people would forget that I am around lol
It’s great that you have found a balance that works best for you. Thanks for sharing your own experience with blogging.
Hi Wendy -
I’ve always resisted the oft-told advice to writers: (a) you HAVE to have a blog, (b) you HAVE to have an e-zine on your site and gobble up oodles of email addresses and use it as an ongoing marketing tool, and (b) you HAVE to publish endless eBooks and plug them on your site to suck in more business.
My strategy is simpler: do great work as a writer, and people will perpetually come to you with work. With (a), I don’t have a blog because I’m too busy getting paid to write blog posts for other businesses. Also, I like to take a day off when I can - having a blog means your mind is always racing to think up (and write) new posts all the time. It’s draining. As for (b), I hate that everyone you correspond with this days tries to force their online newsletter down their throat - so that’s why I don’t have one of my own. And (c) I haven’t given up on the idea of eBooks, but if I do write more I’ll sell them through my own site. I’m still astonished that in this era of PayPal, a company like Amazon still pays authors (including its overseas ones) by check (what is this, 1965?) and takes months to pay you for your eBook sales.
So I agree, bucking modern trends is not a bad thing in many cases. By doing so, I can concentrate on what I do best - doing great writing that makes a good living for me. All the rest just devours my time.
Cheers,
Kevin Casey
kevincaseycopywriter.com
Thanks for sharing your experience Kevin. I haven’t done the newsletter or ebooks either. Not to say I never will, it just hasn’t been something I was passionate about. I’m trying to listen to my heart and only do what feels right (without the outside noise) which is not as easy as it seems. It is nice to look back and for the most part be happy with the decisions I’ve made though.
Thanks, Wendy for yet another thought-provoking and insightful article. I believe you are ‘spot-on’ about writing for your blog only if you have something to say to the reader. If you’re not enjoying what you’re writing, I believe that comes through and the reader says “If she’s not into this blog, why should I continue to read it?” I always look forward to your articles, no matter how long I wait or how often you post. Please keep up the great job!
Thanks so much Karen Lee. You made my day!!
I think too many of us put too much pressure on ourselves when it come to blogging
I agree.
When I saw your blog this morning, Wendy, I thought of a blogger who has a plan similar to yours with a little different take on having some downtime. Check her out. It takes courage to handle a blog as you want instead of as others handle their or others think you should. Be your own person. You know what’s best for you. We’ll keep reading and enjoying your inspiration.
http://www.thinkingcloset.com/2015/01/08/why-im-taking-a-true-day-of-rest-each-week-how-it-has-changed-everything/
Thanks so much for the comment, support and link. Looking forward to reading about what another blogger thinks of this topic. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Wendy, Great post. I follow and read your blog because of your authenticity. I have noticed the different pattern and assumed you were writing when it felt right, kudos for that. I have always only written when inspired - it felt forced and inauthentic. What I have discovered is how much I love writing, to the point I am looking for more places to write. There are so many blogs that one could read so writing from inspiration rather than just to say something has got to be the way forward.
Love your comment Kym. I never realized how many people were thinking the same thing.
Wendy - Agreed! I am not a blogger per se, but I agree that allowing our writing (blogging) to be guided by the ebb and flow of who we are now, and who we are becoming, almost certainly produces the most fascinating content for readers. Perhaps the idea of writing something every day is more for keeping the writer’s technical skills honed. As we all know, effective and engaging articulation is a craft, and what it looks like depends on the target audience. At mimium, the built in feedback feature of blogging is a great tool for keeping up with changes in that audience.
Thanks so much for your comment Andrew. It’s wonderful to get all of the feedback.