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Are My Blog and I Breaking Up?

Are My Blog and I Breaking Up?

They come in short spurts and are unannounced; even I am unaware they are about to occur. I’m speaking of blogging blackouts, periods of time where some unknown force keeps me from blogging. Has is it ever happened to you?

These stretches of time find me allergic to the keyboard. I suddenly don’t have much to say, and that my (temporary) preference for real-life interaction outweighs the desire to write.

If might be my post-Super Bowl hangover, but I think these periods are happening with greater frequency, and I’m not sure what to make of it. I can only compare it to an old high school girlfriend. It starts out hot and heavy. You guys spend every waking moment together. Next thing you know, you take a “weekend for yourself.” That’s usually followed by ONLY seeing each other on the weekends. Then every other weekend. And then, of course, the imminent breakup looms over your head for several weeks…at least until someone has the courage to step up and call it off.

In most cases, the boyfriend or girlfriend will move on to another person to date. But if I am getting tired of ‘dating’ blogging, who should I move on to? Does blogging have a sexier cousin I should know about?

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The thing I find ironic is that these blogging blackouts always come at a time when I NEED the extra income. At a time when I am relying on blogging to open up new doors. Perhaps I am putting too much pressure on myself. Blogging wants a ring and I’m not ready to take the plunge.

So how’s your blog dating going? Please tell me I’m not the only one with trouble in paradise.

View Comments (20)
  • I too suffer from these Blogging blackouts.
    It often happens when too many things are happening in reality that I’m just too tired to sit down and relay it back in my blog. I’ve now become a seasonal blogger … displaying many dry spells until I flood the page with updates.
    Perhaps not the best method … think I need to make more effort.

  • It’s what I feel, too. After a year, it’s suddenly become tedious. But though I’m shying away from the writing part of blogging, I still find myself commenting on other blogs. Am I just going through the motions? Am I in search of a sexier cousin of blogging? Seriously, I ascribe it to a momentum of idleness. Absenting yourself from your own blog creates its own momentum. Hard to get back in the groove. I’m praying that’s all there is to it though and that I’d be back chirping merrily along while doing my daily blog routine again.

  • Great post! I’m the same way. Hot and heavy, then pull back. I think for me it’s about being in my own head for too long at a time, then seeing how much I can accomplish “in the real world” that does not involve blog writing, promoting, and social networking. It’s nice to feel solid forms emerging under my toiling fingers. Grounding.

    I’ve been reading a lot lately about the future of blogging. Like you and Jan, I find myself wondering if there is a new sexy cousin out there who wants to make out in the barn.

  • In times like this, I find it’s nice to have a few blog post ideas waiting in the queue. Some old idea you never got around to, or a pre-formatted Q&A or Link of the Day type.

    This idea must have been conjured from my subconscious while sitting on the bench most for my high school soccer experience.

  • I go through stages too, but it never leads to a break-up, but after a while, something inspires me and I’m blogging a lot again, perhaps it’s a new interest, a new political issue, new debates around publishing.

    Keeping on reading blogs and engaging with the issues in your niche will mean something is bound to inspire you again.

  • “Does blogging have a sexier cousin I should know about?”

    I hear that Twitter is usually game for a hookup with no strings attached.

  • I have definitely had my fair share of blogging black outs on previews blogs – and they can really stunt growth. A lot of the time it is from starting to quick and getting burnt out.

  • This has happened to me a couple of times and I will continue read other blogs in my niche to stay updated and see if I can find anything to inspire me.

  • Yeah, to quote Rachel and Ross from friends…I think we’re just on a “break.” In fact, thanks to your comments, I’m already finding “her” attractive again.

  • Yes! I have been having trouble since the holidays. I just can’t seem to get back into the swing of things and have been seiously neglecting the blog. Luckily, I have some awesome contributors who give me at least one original post each weekday, but what about the other 24 open spots on the page that need to be updated once a week or so?… I have seriously considered trying to sell and going back to a plain-old diary-type mom blog – at least I wouldnt’ feel so guilty if I didn’t post something for a few days.

  • My mom blog and I have been on the outs for a few months. I have a new prettier, sexier blog now Http:www.hellomio.com. Plus I’m doing an exercise called create something everyday and posting it on my new blog. But rest assured, I’m sure I will grow tired of this one as well. Is there such a thing as blonogomy?

  • there is so much junk out there it would be great if people cut back on blogging and only made posts when they had something interesting to say.

  • Maybe blogging is not what you expected it to be.
    Maybe blogging was just OK when it was a hobby, or a new occupation, but now that it is an obligation, it became tedious, just like almost all repetitive works do.
    Because repetition is an announcement of problems. Then enters creativity, the solution to repetition.
    Start using your creativity to break the bonds of repetition. Blog about anything you like, not just your selected niches. Maybe you just need other niches to make this fun.
    Maybe you need to step off blogging for a while and try other things. Then, when you are out of the problem, you’ll see it with another perspective and things get clearer.
    Try to seek for fun on your activities.
    Be well, good luck!

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