Blogging Burnout
by Jenners • 04/29/2009 • Blogging, Writers Workshop • 45 Comments
Thursday = Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop
Participate, read, comment!
This week I’m choosing:
4.) Have you thought about shutting down your blog? Why haven’t you and what would cause you to make that decision final?
In the past few weeks, it seems there has been a bit of a malaise around Blogland (or at least the parts I visit). Some bloggers have shut down shop altogether. Others are on an extended hiatus. Others have admitted to feeling a bit more blase about blogging. I’ve felt it to a degree too.
I recently read that the average life of a blog is about 6 months. At that point, many bloggers either run out of stuff to say or lose interest. I’m hitting the 6 month point about now, and I do feel a need to reevaluate why I am blogging and what I want to get out of it.
I think there is a definite “honeymoon” stage with blogging. When you first start, it is a fun little thing to do. Then you get a comment or follower outside of your immediate social circle. This is when the blogging addiction starts to infiltrate your bloodstream. During this time, you just can’t get enough — you spend your nights thinking of blog posts, you agonize over each post (“Is it funny enough? Will they like it?”). You watch your number of comments rise and your followers increase. You spend all your free time blogging or visiting blogs.
But, like any addiction, there starts to be some hints that not everything is as wonderful as it initially seemed. Perhaps your self-esteem begins to rise and fall depending on the number of followers you have. Perhaps you write a great post and only 5 people instead of 20 comment on it. Perhaps you find other bloggers that are “better” than you and begin to feel inferior. Perhaps you start trying too hard, and blogging becomes more of a chore than a fun thing. Perhaps you start feeling that you MUST visit as many blogs as possible so that they in turn will visit yours (the “Ponzi scheme” of blogging, as Mr. Jenners calls it.)
At this point, blogging might begin to feel overwhelming. For me, when the focus started becoming more on “how many followers do I have?” and “how many comments do I get each day?” I started to feel bogged down by blogging. I began stressing over visiting everyone who commented on my blog and leaving them a comment. I felt that I had to somehow recognize everyone who followed my blog to “thank” them for reading my blog. And it started to be a lot of work — and it felt like work. At night (with my two to three hours of free time), I would slog through my blog visits. The number of blogs I was reading climbed to over 150. Each day, I would face a Google Reader that listed something like 295 blogs posts to be read. If I skipped a day, the Reader would list 500 to read. If I went away for the weekend, the number could climb to over 800. It was ridiculous, and I realized I couldn’t keep up this pace … nor should I.
In the past few months, I have been struggling with this dilemma. BlueViolet and I even talked about it via e-mail. As you may know, BlueViolet decided that her answer was to delete her blog. I like the social aspect of blogging, but I’m finding it overwhelming. I want to visit every blog of someone who visits my blog, but I don’t feel like I can. I would love to read every post by every blogger I like, but I can’t. And I’m sick of having the house look like a pigpen due to my blogging obsession. In short, I think I’m facing the 6 month burnout.
So I’ve been asking myself: Why am I blogging? What do I want to get out of it? And the honest answer is that I enjoy writing and blogging inspires me to write in a way that nothing else has. I need this creative outlet, and I do like the social aspect of it too. But I need to stop the focus being on the “growing the blog” and put it more squarely on “writing the blog.” I need to stop posting for the sake of having a post go up. I need to focus more on challenging myself as a writer. I need to refind the joy I initially felt when I started blogging. And this means scaling back on the social aspects — the visiting every blog that remotely interests me — because that is the part that is getting a bit burdensome and tiring. I want to keep the writing part; I need to cut down on the visiting.
So, my friends, I absolve you from visiting my blog if you really don’t want to and you are just visiting in the hopes that I’ll visit your blog in return. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, and I appreciate anyone who takes the time out of their busy day to read whatever I’ve put up here. But I just can’t keep up this pace anymore, and I need to cut back. My blogging “honeymoon” is over. I want to blog because it is fun and inspires me creatively. I want to grow and develop as a writer. I hope you enjoy what I put out there, and I hope you’ll continue reading. But I’m not promising to visit everyone’s blog all the time like I’ve been trying to do because if anything is going to shut down this blog, it will be trying to keep up with everyone else’s blogs.
So unfollow me if you want. Drop me from your reader. Unfave me from Technocrati (whatever the heck that means anyway). Say “The hell with you, Jenners. If you’re not going to have the time to read me, I’m not going to read you.” It is OK. I totally understand. But I’m not going to quit writing. I enjoy this too much, and I want to keep on going with it and see where it takes me. And if you want to join me, I’m happy to have you along. But if you want to get off now, that is OK.
Life is too busy to do stuff you don’t want to do or are doing out of misguided sense of obligation. And I’m not saying I’m not going to read anyone else’s blogs anymore. I will … I just can’t read as many as I’ve been trying to and I can’t always visit your blog if you visit mine. I’ve got to start going to bed earlier. I’ve got to keep this house clean. I’ve got to spend more time with my husband. I’ve got books I want to read. Movies I want to watch. Photos I want to organize. Exercise I’ve got to do. In short, I need a more balanced life — blogging will be a part of it but not as much as it has been. I hope you understand.
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I just saw this post now, and I think you made so many excellent points.
I've had much of the same dilemma in the year and a half of WildARSChase. I think we have slightly different goals for our blogs- yours is more of a therapuetic/narrative/story-sharing thing, and mine's more of a straight humor thing, but I get what your saying about all the other intangibles of blogging getting in the way. You want people to comment, to appreciate, to add you to his or her reader, etc., and that can take away from the actual fun of just writing stuff.
Excellent post… though I'm glad to see you've kept up with the blogging since you've written it.
I understand completely! That's why I quit entrecard and now visit and comment on posts that interest me on blogs I follow and that are on my blogrolls.
I've been blogging over a year now and have three blogs. It's fun and I enjoy the posting, but very time consuming.
I think I know exactly what you mean. I am hitting the six month mark as well. My blog is really my journal about my family, so I enjoy it from that aspect. Making friends as a result are just a bonus!!
So, this is why you’ve disappeared from my blog, LOL! I can’t believe you were visting that many a day. No wonder you were on burn-out. I visit few (10-15 ish), but I’ve been feeling some of the same blogging-slump on writing my own blog. I’m hangin in there though. At the end of the day, I just love writing … the followers, comments, etc. are all just bonus
I love reading your blog so please don’t burn out completely!! I love your writing and you are so funny BUT I completely understand!
I completely understand what you are saying…I have been feeling the same way lately. And, my house looks like a pigpen too!
I have really cut back to blogging about 2 or 3 times a week.
As for losing followers if you don’t respond….look at Dooce or MckMama or Pioneer Woman…they NEVER respond to any of the comments….even though, I realize there are like hundreds or thousands, but whatever.
Hmmmmm… I’m up and down with you on this one. I was all honeymoon for a long time and then moved on to various social media outlets and wow, watched so much take of at once.. and I’m not totally serious here, but the whole blog thing is kind of a dime a dozen at some point, the whole comment back when someone feels like commenting on my site.. is probably the hardest thing.
And a lot of the ‘big’ bloggers never do it.. so?? big deal huh?
My addiction really is about learning new things… and there’s so dang much to learn at first, that I think we all get caught up in that part of the honeymoon and then once we master it to a degree… we go… oh.. now what?
I just pre-posted your guest post for next Tuesday… so this post of yours today has me cracking up!
Hi, loved the post. Visiting from Mama Kat’s. As someone who is just getting reacquainted with the blog world and already relating to so much of what you just posted, I thank you for a welcome eye-opener to why I’m here. I too, want to use my blog to work on my writing but could easily get lost in the ‘attention’ factor. Thanks for the post!
I love your honesty… after a two month hiatus from my blog (I know it felt MUCH longer, didn’t it?) I can tell you to write because you enjoy it… not because you want an audience… lol I feel like part of what you wrote was directed towards me but I know it’s only because of my “I’m back” comments… Honestly? If you hadn’t stopped over, I still would read what you write because I enjoy you. And I write because I enjoy IT. It’s when you start putting the pressure on yourself to be the “best blogger EVER” that it starts going sour…
Plus, if you read blogs all day long, when would you have time to read fantastic books to tell me about?
I miss BlueViolet… if you happen to hear from her again, let her know I’ve thought about her…
I wondered what happened to BlueViolet! Wow! Deleted, huh?
Just don’t you go deleting anything!
Oh man, I was feeling the SAME WAY earlier today and even posted a poll about how often I should post.
Then, I read YOUR post and was like YES YES YES!!! You were saying exactly what I was feeling!
I am a people pleaser by nature, and it has seeped into my bloggy world. I feel like I have to post even if I don’t want to. Just say no, Caitlin, just say no!
I am with you to the bitter end, Jenners, whether it be yours or mine.
I was always good with unrequited love…
Are you really going to exercise?
I’m just gonna say, “Amen, Sista”. I just went through the list of blogs I was following and deleted several. I was following a ton of coupon bloggers and those ladies post like mad! 5-1943 post per day. I just can’t take it any more. I still have them all on my blog roll so I can visit them on my time, but wonderful people, like yourself, were getting pushed way down on the list. I just didn’t like it.
So you blog on with your bad self. Write what you want. Don’t feel the pressure to comment or even visit. I’m kinda like you I write what I want to and share photos with out of town family members. Sorry if everyone doesn’t like it, but I do!
Have a great weekend!
You are right where I am. Even the 6 month thing- I have been blogging way too steadily for 6 months now. I just can’t keep up and now I am actually suffering physically from it- with all the data entry I am doing at work- my hand is actually tired! I sometimes just have to hit the “read all” button. I have been blogging for over 2 years, but I think the key is to pace yourself. I have cut my posts down to about 2 or 3 a week, and I stopped posting on the weekends. I’ve also stopped trying to “grow” my blog as well- it’s just too time consuming! I totally understand.
Eff that Jenners. Suck it up like the blogging champ you are and VISIT blog world. We need you. And I’m totally dropping you if you stop commenting on my page. Not cool.
That being said I’ve been scaling back my comment love too. I LOVE to write and I consider a daily post my own personal challenge. In the end I’ll have this awesome account of my family life so I can’t see EVER pulling the plug.
I visit other blogs as often as I can but I’ve removed the pressure to keep it up. I no longer cut myself when I read less than 10 blogs. So that’s good.
Tesori, this was my experience too! I completely expected that the only people who would ever read my reviews would be family but I didn’t take into account that they don’t listen to me when I talk about books, why would they read about it! hahahaha. I have been pleasantly surprised that the blogging community has embraced me. And we are embracing you Jenners. Do what you need to feel that you blog is yours, not other people’s.
Hey Jen! I totally hear you!
This said it all to me…
‘I want to blog because it is fun and inspires me creatively.’
That is the whole point, isn’t it? When I started it was after really thinking about why I wanted to do this. And that was the exact reason. I did’t care if anyone ever did read my blog, in fact I expected that no one outside my immediate family would ever read it. The truth is that no one in my immediate family even reads it! I put the Blogging Without Obligation button on my blog and I mean it. There is no obligation. None. Zip. Nada. I have been pleasantly surprised at the followers I have…51 and growing…but I didn’t set out to grow a blog…just to put my creativity in writing. If someone wants to read it? Great. If there is a desire to comment? Awesome. But I don’t – can’t – won’t blog about just anything and I don’t – can’t – won’t spend every waking moment reading and writing either. I would miss reading about you and your little one, but I would understand. And I completely agree. So….I don’t want you to comment to me about what I have said. Now go forth and live life to the fullest…and if you want to write about it…I will be reading.
Enjoy the day, Jen!
Erin
P.S. Your pendant is almost done! Again, I think I am creating without obligation as well! Must.Get.Through.First.Commmunion….eph
Jenners,
Gotta tell you, I reached this stage early on…which is sad when you think about it. I decided that when I can I’ll read my faves, maybe check out a few others here and there, but I like to write and this was a great outlet for me to do it. I think that whenever you do anything for fun, it should always remain fun. If it isn’t as much, then you should find a way to make it fun.
By the way, I absolve you totally on commenting on my site just because I came by. But, as always, yours is one of my faves so I’ll always be reading even if I’m not always commenting.
I understand!
I still think its cool that you were my 50th follower!!!
But, I get what your saying and I concur!! Blogging shouldn’t turn into this stressful thing that you feel you have to do each day. It should be fun and special for YOU only. Everything else is the gravy!!!
Yes, yes, yes, yes and YES. (The fact that I referenced your recent comment about this already in my last post should tell you that I can relate. And agree. and relate.)
And you know what? If we all post a tiny bit less, it actually becomes more manageable to visit everyone.
I go through spurts with Poetry and Hums. That blog is over 2 years old and I still haven’t hit 100 posts, so obviously I let it sit for long periods of time. But I keep it because it’s fun. And someone just found a VERY old post on that blog and wanted to re-publish the haikus in it. that was fun.
My food blog is only 6 or 7 months old and I’m working on growing it. Just moved it to self hosted wordpress. I do have a fear that I’ll run out of new things to cook, but I’ve always made new things so it probably won’t happen.
I’ve hit this point too. My blog has become, most times, a five minute scramble post out of obligation just before I crash for the night. And that’s just not fun!
Great post!
I am coming up on my 2 year mark of blogging. I think that it is normal for things to wax and wane. That is just life. And like everything in life its about finding that balance. Good Luck and just so you know, I plan to stick around, b/c I WANT to.
I’ve been blogging for 4? 5? years. You go through dry spells and the social aspect can be a real inspiration killer. Do what makes you happy.
M
Amen! I felt like it was me writing this blog! I’m already starting to feel burn out. I love getting the comments, but my burn out is visiting all these sites, so that they in turn can visit mine! When in reality there are only a handful of blogs that I really do enjoy reading. the others I feel obligated because they visit mine.
Anyway, I TOTALLY am not saying this for you to visit mine, but your blog is one of the sites that I acutally do like to read. And I really don’t mind if you never have time to read mine.
I want to eventually be a published children’s authorh, that is the ultimate goal and this blog was for me to exercise my writing skills and get a few readers, not to be the most ‘popular’ site out there.
Thanks for helping me to refocus, and to write about that very same subject for tomorrow’s post.
I’m going to post only twice a week (as a discipline for me to ‘force’ me to be creative) or as much as I want. I’m not going to post so that I can get a whole bunch of readers.
I’m realistic, I’m sure my readership will go down, now that I won’t be visiting as many blogs, but that’s okay. I need to focus on the bigger picture and that’s for me to become a better writer and to get published!
Sorry for the long novel. You are an awesome writer Jenner and that is why I love reading your blog!
GOOD FOR YOU!!! When I started getting addicted to blogging, I was addicted because I wanted to make a difference and I loved to write. When I started trying to gain more readers and followers, it wasn’t as fun because I didn’t like the obligations and crap attached to all that- and I didn’t like to feel like I was reading other blogs just so they’ll read mine. That defeats the purpose I first set out for. So I’m decidedly against getting to that point. I even crossed off a couple blogs I was following just because I knew I wasn’t going to sacrifice too much time to it- I can’t do that to my family and other priorities. Don’t feel bad at all for doing this- BLOGGING SHOULD BE THIS WAY! Do it because you enjoy it and for no other reason. Your blog is good enough to keep readers without your stressin’ it.
A dedicated reader: Dani
One more point about blogging everyday. Some days I have a lot of time on my hands so I’ll “backlog” posts. I write a few of them at once but set the post dates to have one post each day. That way, I get people staying with my blog if they want but I don’t have to be there everyday!
There’s absolutely no reason to feel guilty about this. I’ve been blogging just a little over 6 months too and I think I hit that same point about a month ago (although I didn’t have nearly as many followers or read as many blogs). What did it for me was the reviewing for other people instead for myself. I started my blog in order to share with people my love of books, but I ended up getting all these requests to review author’s books. I still have a back log of them but decided it was more important for me to enjoy reading the books I like and to write about them than to get free books by writing reviews. In other words, I had to do it for myself. And you should too. I know for myself, that I don’t expect another blogger to come to my page simply because I visit theirs. If I leave a comment and expect an answer in return, then I’ll mark the box that says “email follow up comments” so I can see a reply there. And when someone says something comment worthy to me on my blog, I simply reply in the same place. Hopefully they’ve done the same thing so they see the comment I left for them!
Over from Mama Kat’s.
I’m with Deb as I have been everytime this discussion comes up. It’s extremely hard to do what we do. No kidding. If each of us posted a little less, then maybe it would be more doable. But I read some folks that post several times a day! It’s too much.
I’m coming up on my year blogoversary, but I have slowed down a lot with my posting. I will not post, just to post.
Good for you Jenners for making the decision that’s right for you. That’s all that really matters anyway.
It’s so nice to know I’m not alone in those exact same sentiments. BlueViolet and I had been exchanging email messages in regards to this very subject, too…she had very valid points about feeling like she needed to get her ‘life’ back – some days I feel the same way. When blogging becomes a chore and isn’t fun anymore, it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate – I’m in that mode at this very moment, trying to decide what ‘direction’ I want to go…and you hit the nail on the head with ‘writing the blog’ vs. ‘growing the blog’ – I’m right there with you!
I only recently discovered you and have no intention of abandoning you because I enjoy reading what you have to say.
My visits may be sporadic, but rest assured they’ll be quality visits! (grin!)
Snap out of it woman! You cannot stop. You must blog at least once a day or you will get hit by lightning!
J/k…..I love you and will always visit you……
Jenners, I’ve been feeling some “blogging anxiety” lately too. It’s so nice that my follower list is growing, but I’m spending so much time each day trying to visit everyone. It can get overwhelming. I think I will post less too. I love coming by your blog. Don’t worry about trying to stop by mine all the time. You can’t be superblogger!!
the hell with you, jenners! you’re right… that did feel good!
seriously, you need to focus on you and your blog and not worry about the rest. i used to dread not making every blog in my reader, but boy i have learned on busy days to just hit “mark all as read” and MOVE ON. on days with more free time, and if the mood strikes, i go poke around and visit my favorites.
what i really wish is that we would all post LESS. we should take an oath to only post when we are moved to do so. i think that we would have less to wade through and i know my posts would be better.
I totally understand.
Only do what’s fun. I love when you visit, but I’ll understand if I don’t see you any more.
I follow a lot of blogs, but I don’t comment every day.
I also only post 3-4 times a week. I can’t handle the pressure of posting every day.
I hope blogging becomes fun again.
Hey Jenners! I just started following you over here because I think we are connecting well in the book blog world and I want to know more about you … so stick with the blogging and know there are people that find you interesting no matter how frequently you post.
I am still at 6 posts a week on my blog but that’s how much content I am coming up with right now. When I have less to say, I’m just going to say less! And who knows, I might even start cleaning the house again.
There are definitely different stages to being a blogger. I’m so glad that you’re sticking with it. Reading what you have to say always makes me smile.
Oh girl…you are speaking my mind. All I can say is ditto!
I totally understand the feeling. I did the same thing with facebook. I used to be on it all the time, and now I just go on every once in awhile.
I am enjoying my blogging, for now–I don’t stick with much for long, I am sad to say–because it gives me an outlet to get stuff off my chest without exploding and feel as if I am having a meaningful conversation. I don’t get very many comments, but I am choosing to believe that is just fine with me. Whether anyone else reads it or not, it is an outlet for me. I am surrounded by a moody eight year old and frustrated six year old, with a husband who seems to always be gone, even when he is home, so it is needed for now.
Maybe that is what your blog is…something you needed yesterday, still like today, but maybe isn’t so necessary for tomorrow.
I will miss the read if you quit though. It is my only adult conversation some days! (please don’t think I am trying to make you feel guilty if you decide to quit…not my attempt).
God Bless!
Becky
“So unfollow me if you want. Drop me from your reader…”
Omg, never!!! Your site is so awesome. I totally agree with your post sentiments. Get some rest and focus on writing. Don’t worry about commenting on other people’s sites. Blogging is not a job. It’s a hobby and something you should enjoy. I hope you keep writing but at your own pace. Heck maybe even skip one a couple of days. And you don’t have to check out my site. I mean it, I don’t want to see a post from you : )
I’ll keep reading your blog even if you cannot visit my blog and leave a comment. That’s not why I blog. I like reading what you have to say.
And I blog because it’s a chance to connect with folks around the world.
It’s a bummer when someone decides to go off line but if that’s what they need for their lives that’s just the way it is.
I’m glad you’re going to continue to share your thoughts because I’m going to continue to read!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I’m glad you mentioned BlueViolet, too… she must have been one of the followers I lost.
I know exactly how you feel… and I’ve noticed it going around, too. Like you, I’m struggling with getting to all the blogs I want to visit. I feel so guilty. I need to get over that. I have enough guilt and stress in my life. Lordy.
All the things you said you have to do… me, too.
Anyway, all that was just to say, I understand
Jenners, i couldn’t have said it better myself. I have been blogging for almost a year and half but in the beginning it was only a couple times a week. Now I try to post every week day, but for me not for anyone else. I post because I like to write. I post because I like to reread some of the things I felt were important to write about. Sometimes I feel like no one is reading it and what is the point, but other times I’m amazed at how many have stopped by. i’m trying not to get my value out of my followers, but like you said, sometimes it his hard to see twenty something on your blog and 398 on another. Here’s hoping you get out of blogging what you truly desire and BTW you are under no obligation to stop by my blog. It will be there after your house is clean…LOL
I feel you on the burnout. I burnt out several months ago and decided to just blog a few times a week. I told myself that if I am really really busy (like I am right now) that I will stay off the blogs until I have free time.
I really enjoy reading other people’s blogs (even the ones who never comment on my blog). However I never feel compelled to read anyone’s blog every single day!
I’m glad someone mentioned Blueviolet. I wondered what happened to her. I’m not surprised when people who don’t blog frequently delete and run, but she posted a lot! I’m happy to hear she was just burnt out.
Happy blogging! I’ll always stop by to say hi.
Ok I have been doing it for four years now and yeah, burn out happens from time to time. I will be taking a tiny little break while on vacation – although not a complete break – I’m thinking I would go crazy without it at all.
I have been blogging for almost two years now. I only really started loving my blog back in August of last year. Before that I would post about once a week if that (it was too much with LM being born). Then I signed up for NaBloPoMo for September and I have been blogging almost everyday since. I never do a post thinking or caring what anyone else will think, it’s for me, my journal. If god forbid one day I am gone I want my kids to look back and hopefully say, man mom was a funny gal or look how much she loved us.
I do love blogs and I do love visiting tons of blogs (just figured out google reader last night night, lol only took me two years) but I don’t let it run my life. Believe it or not when I took on this attitude my “readers” went from maybe 24 last fall to almost 180. If those 180 leave me at least I still think I am funny and worth reading, lol!