“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” Richard Bach
Have you noticed the disappearing bloggers phenomenon?
They start off all eager, posting and commenting and following. Then (the writers especially) start complaining about how much time blogging takes. There’s often a post to strategize how to best utilize their time. For some, school gets in the way. Then there are those who take off for a couple of months or the summer or to work on a WIP.
And never come back.
I’ve noticed this with writers. They begin writing, bright-eyed and bushy tailed. The writers complete a rough draft and think, That wasn’t so bad. Then they join a writing group or take a workshop or find a critique buddy. They submit pages. They’re told their manuscripts aren’t as awesomesauce as they thought.
They back off.
Do they take the feedback (after some time spent in a fetal position under a table) and work to make their manuscript better?
Some stop writing.
And that’s a shame because it takes more than a first attempt at a rough draft for most mere mortals to become published. Others take a deep breath and work on it some more. Many, many times. They query. Most receive many, many rejections.
Some more stop writing after that.
Then there are the other ones who write something else. Writing is a process. Each word we put down makes us better. Each word we take away makes us better. We write by measuring words. There is so much to take into account with every word we put down on paper, let alone every sentence. Every page. Every chapter.
It takes a lot to stomach the life of a writer. The business is designed to shout; “NO!”
But we have to keep at it.
Back to the bloggers. I wonder where they go. Have they stopped writing? Have they given up on making connections? Forgoing platform? Or has life gotten in the way?
To me, blogging and writing go hand-in-hand. It’s a balance. We blog to learn; lean. Blogging has provided information and opportunities I never would’ve obtained otherwise. But we can blog instead of writing. If we started blogging because we write and then stop writing, something is wrong. It’s time to reprioritize.
It happened to me. I was posting nearly everyday and it was zapping my writing energy. When I slowed to three days a week, I began editing my WIP in earnest. Now I’ve been putting energy into writing something new and blogging a little less.
If writers stop blogging because they’ve given up on writing, then they’ve lost the support system that can keep them going.
Then there are those who land the agent or the contract. They blog. But they don’t comment on other blogs. They don’t even comment on the comments they receive. I’m sure they’re busy and with hoards of people reaching out to them, they don’t have the need to reach out. To me, they’re losing the part that’s special about blogging. It’s all become about platform instead of a relationship for some writers.
Elana Johnson seems to be able to do it all. She doesn’t post or comment everyday, but she makes an effort to be in touch by either responding to comments on her blog or leaving thoughtful comments on other blogs. She has an agent and a book (Possession) coming out next year. And Elana is writing another book. She is part of the Query Tracker Blog Team and The League of Extraordinary Writers. and is a cofounder of Write On Con . How does she keep up? Who knows? Maybe she has ten nannies and an intern named Fred who writes her comments. (I have no evidence of this, but you never know.)
Blogging hasn’t been around all that long. Will it go the way of My Space? What will happen with Twitter? Facebook? Or will blogging continue to be strong, continuing to displace the more traditional forms of book promotion?
Personally, I miss bloggers when they disappear. I’ll realize I haven’t heard from a person in awhile. And I’ll find their blog, disappointed when the last post was months ago. If they’re writers, I wonder if they’ve taken a break from writing or left to immerse themselves in writing. If they disappear from the blogosphere, they don’t have to answer to anyone. If so, will they return to writing?
Not everyone can do it for the long haul. Not everyone is meant to.
If you are still in it, send me an e-mail. Leave a comment.
I’m still here.
P.S. Next month is NaNoWriMo. Boy is it gonna be quiet ‘round the blogosphere.
Have you taken some time off from blogging?
If so, why? What made you return?
It's nice when writerly blogs take a hiatus but tell other bloggers first though - they don't have to of course but it's just nice!! I hope they return too as well cos if I'm following them they must be good! LOL!!! But seriously!!! I find blogging so addictive but it's becoming so overwhelming it eclipses the writing. And yet I find I really need it too just let off tension. If I'm struggling with a piece of writing, I blog instead - but not serious stuff!! :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't know myself how long I'll keep up with the blogging! So far I'm having a ball - it's fun for me - but how long can I keep this up?? If it's just me writing blog pieces everyday - forever - but it's the reciprocating that's really really taking so much time! LOL! But it's like what's the point if no-one reads and comments?!?! Oh quelle dilemma!!
Take care
x
I have noticed the same cycle with bloggers. Gung ho usually leads to crash and burn. We just can't do it all.
ReplyDeleteMy balance (if you can call it that) is to back off from commenting. I hate it, but something's gotta give and my Real Life / Writing certainly ought to come first.
I'm with you on the balance. In a business that constantly kicks you in the face, I need the blog and the confidence it gives me when people read and comment to remind me I actually can write something entertaining from time to time.
ReplyDeleteA decade of writing for publication and going on four years of blogging and I'm still here. not planning to quit anytime soon.
I find that blogging is what keeps me going when I need to back away from my novel for a bit. I have other jobs that are really intense right now (for a couple of months) that prevent me from focusing on my writing - but I keep on blogging so that I'm "in the game". I find I can blog about twice a week. Keeps my identity as a writer front and center.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should bring this up. I was having trouble adjusting my blogging schedule, stopped, started, went to 3 days, got my act together went back to 5 days, and am now in revisions on the second book so am not blogging or commenting as much as I'd like to.
ReplyDeleteBlogging is tough, it really is. I could spend (and have) hours on the blogs just tooling around and commenting. But then it got to be like a popularity contest and I stopped. I can't comment like I used to. Somedays I can't even comment on my own blogs comments.
Now the weather has broken and the agents are back at their desks, I'm trying to get the revisions done by next week. (hahaha) so I can query by the end of the month. I'm not doing anything else these days.
Well, except visiting you.
Nice post! And very true.
ReplyDeleteBreaks can be good ... as long as they don't turn into breakups. It's hard to not get disenchanted with the whole process sometimes, but I think the blogging world helps this. People are usually very encouraging and have great tips and advice :)
And next month is going to be crazy! Yay NaNo!!!!!!!
I actually had a different blog that I started last year, and I deleted it after only a few months because I felt it was taking too much time away from my writing and that I wasn't getting what I wanted out of it - to connect with other writers.
ReplyDeleteDuring my time away, I did a lot of evaluation. What I wanted to get out of blogging, and how to get it. I also realized that part of the problem the first time around was me. I was new to blogging, and was sort of flailing about. So, after a few months of evaluating, I decided to jump back into blogging. I'm really glad that I did. This time around, I'm truly getting what I wanted to get out of blogging - that connection. It's also a great place for me to stay motivated to keep going, to keep pushing forward.
Blogging and keeping up with other blogs can definitely be exhausting, but the rewards of making connections with people make up for it, in my opinion. There are times when I need a bit of a break to focus on my writing, because that's always going to be my first priority, but I don't think I could ever step out of the blogging world completely!
ReplyDeleteAw, you are too sweet. I so wish I had an assistant named Fred! That would be soooo awesome. Sadly, this is all me.
ReplyDeleteI think most people do what's important to them. In all aspects of their lives, actually. So the people who disappear, it's because blogging isn't that important at that moment in time. And sometimes it shouldn't be. I do like it when they come back though.
And I never thought I'd NaNo this year, but maybe it's just what I need to actually get some writing done! Hmm...
I completely agree with you. Blogging has given me so much that I would have not have received anywhere else. I never posted on a daily basis so I can imagine how taxing that must be! I guess the purpose is what matters. If there are bloggers out there just making a transition into publication, then I can understand why they leave once they are published. I do miss them though :(
ReplyDeleteYours is the second post I've read in a day about bloggers blogging less. I've noticed it too for about the past 6 months, and am not sure what the reason is. I do take time off, about six weeks in the summer, and then a week or two at the holidays. I chose those times because I find that blogging and publishing in general is really, really quiet then. But I do put up a few repeat posts from a couple years ago to keep my blog active in my absence. And when I come back, it's always refreshed and with some new perspective to add to the mix.
ReplyDeleteI started my blog as a "palate cleanser" for my YA writing, to give myself a chance to stretch out and use my own voice, instead of one of my characters. I love it when people comment on my blog but I certainly don't hold it against them when they don't. I only blog once a week because I wanted to be sure I'd keep doing it. I was afraid if I tried for more, I'd fail. I wanted to succeed. In any case, don't be too hard on people who don't comment. It doesn't mean we aren't reading and enjoying.
ReplyDeleteI hate "missing" bloggers, but I understand how the writing can get left behind, which is why I decided pretty early I would not be posting every day. 2-3 times a week works for me.
ReplyDeleteI signed up for my first NaNo and I will probably cut down to once a week on the blog for November.
I think Elana J. is Superwoman. How else could she do all that stuff?
I'm here!!! I'm here!!! I still blog every day only this round I've been commenting less and less, not by choice, just happens that life gets in the way! I've been super busy trying to multi-task and get ready for NaNo which is right around the corner.
ReplyDeleteJust so you know I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon, even during the month of November I'll be that avid blogger that pretends to have it all up front (but behind the scenes I've taken a back burner to life).
Glad to know you're still around :) I've been working hard to get back to commenting regularly! The number just keeps growing
For me, when the writing is going poorly, my creative self gets in a negative loop and I don't really blog or comment either. When it's going well, I'm energized and more pumped about being in the community or writers.
ReplyDeleteBlogging has in fact been around longer than any of the other social networks. Blogger was launched in 1999. I kept personal blog from 2001-06, and found that the real explosion happened probably five+years ago. Some of the tools like RSS feeds and "following" are more recent, but as a platform, blogging allows for more in-depth content, and that's what gives it staying power.
I noticed the same thing with friends from college who moved to the city to be actors, writers or directors. Everyone was initially eager and motivated and then all the great opportunities didn't just fall into people's laps. It was HARD. Some needed to walk away to reprioritize and come back focused, others (like Elana wrote) did what was important to them and it was no longer the performing arts. In the end, those that needed and wanted to do it had the discipline, determination and perseverance to keep at it and have all made headway.
ReplyDeleteYou write because you're a writer and I'm so happy that you're still here. I look forward to reading your blog every single time :)
time :)
An interesting post. I'd say that at the moment I fall into the too much blogging and not enough time writing category. I need to find a better balance. And with NaNo WriMo coming up I'm wondering what to cut back on!
ReplyDeleteI must confess, I am one of those bloggers you speak about. I do like to blog, but sometimes, life gets in the way of blogging. I am here and if I do leave again, I will say so. I do enjoy coming to your blog and I am so glad that I found you.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day.
@ Old Kitty, I like the advanced blog-break notice too.
ReplyDeleteI think you're smart by keeping most of your posts short and letting the posts get lighter when you're in the throes of writing.
There are so many good blogs out there, but we can't read comment on all of 'em!
@ Vicki, writing does have to come first. If we begin slow and stay steady, hopefully we won't get burned out.
@ Travis, four year?! You're definitely in it for the long haul!
@ Sheila, I agree with your philosophy. I may take some days off of blogging for a vacation, but I like to keep blogging even if it's limited during busy times. It keeps my writing interest up, even if I take breaks from fiction writing.
@ Piedmont Writer, thanks for visiting!
It does feel like a popularity contest sometimes. If it's all about collecting followers, that doesn't feel fun.
@ Erica, I don't think my writing would've improved as much as it has in the last year, even with the time it takes. Resources are key.
Good luck with NaNoWriMo.
Wow. You said so much here, Theresa, and touched on some important truths. My blogging life keeps my writing life healthy. It's what keeps me encouraged and motivated and accountable. And it's what keeps me from feeling alone in it all. I took a bit of a break last summer - moving, vacations, the usual - but I can't imagine staying gone for long. :-)
ReplyDelete@ Jessica, it's good that you thought it through and created a blog that worked for you.
ReplyDeleteMotivation is so important.
@ Meredith, both blogging and writing are so intertwined, I couldn't give up either... either.
@ Elana, my other theory is you only need three-hours of sleep per night.
Did you get burned out from the outline? That seemed like writing a book in itself.
I know you struggle with balance like the rest of us.
@ Saumya, you're smart not to post everyday. It's a lot!
Even though published authors seem to do less blogginwise, many of them are accessible on Facebook and I think it's amazing to have such easy contact with such great writers.
@ Joanne, I wrote this post because of the huge number of people blogging less or not at all.
Your break did seem very organized!
@ Judy, I think once a week is a smart strategy. Somehow it's easier to go up than down. I enjoy your posts.
ReplyDeleteI'm not talking about number of comments. I know more read than comment. There are many blogs that just go out for a long time and the people sort of disappear. It's those relationships I miss.
@ Lisa, Elana IS Superwoman!
2-3 days is definitely manageable.
Good luck with NaNoWriMo.
@ Jen, you never really disappeared. Just slowed a little. Everyone has to do it from time to time.
I noticed when I hit a certain number of followers it just got so. hard. to. keep. up.
@ Laurel, I worry some people just get demoralized all around instead of reaching out. Writing is hard.
I didn't know all of that about blogging. But writers blogging to this extent is pretty new. I wonder if we'll all keep it up. You've been blogging for a VERY long time.
@ Kathleen, I'm glad you enjoy my blog.
Not everyone is going to make a living from acting. Not everyone is going to make a living from writing. People find something they're better at or feels more realistic for them.
@ Ellie, I think for NaNoWriMo, bloggers aren't going to be blogging much. And who can blame them? It's a BIG challenge.
@ Choices, I'm glad you came back. I missed your poems and your comments. For you, life got in the way. Glad you're better.
@ Shannon, I agree with every single thing you said. Without blogging, it would be easier to give up. Even if it's a time taker, it's worth some time for what my writing life gets out of it.
And when it's not, I'll take a (short) break too.
For me a huge reason I stopped blogging wasn't even my need to stop writing- I liked supporting and interviewing other writers whether I was writing or not- but I can't physically keep up with reading and commenting on everybody else's blogs so it was either leave or look rude for not commenting, etc. and I didn't want to look that way.
ReplyDeleteI intended to make the rounds more of everyone's blogs to say hi more often but I've been too sick. This is the first time I've looked at my bloglist in a month.
I wish there was a way to do this- to keep up the network and encourage others while I work out my issues with writing (if I ever will) without it having to be all or nothing. But when you are on daily IV infusions kicking your butt and all you can do is get to and from them then sleep in between all the tests and doctor's appointments, it becomes a moot point no matter how much you wish you could keep in touch with people.
It's amazing how quickly people disappear too- if you're out of sight, people forget you immediately. I can count on one hand the bloggers who have emailed me to see if I was still alive in the past month- knowing how sick I was when I left and that I was getting worse.
So I think it's important to remember that social networking is one thing- friends are something else again.
I won't lose track of my friends whether I write or not in future.
I wish I had the energy to do NaNo even if not the inspiration this year but best case scenario seems to be my treatments won't end until the 15th and while in the past I've knocked out a NaNo novel in 11 days, I don't have the eye power for that anymore.
Maybe some bloggers just burn out. Maybe others leave because they just can't do it all or real life forces them to.
~bru
LOL, I think Elana has a stable of clones that do all her grunt-work. ;)
ReplyDeleteFor me, blogging is like a support system; not only that, it holds me accountable. I don't want people to think I've given up if I quit blogging, and I love connecting with people through their blogs. It would be easier to give up if not for everyone I 'know' in the blogosphere.
I've cut down to about once or twice a week, but I still trawl other blogs daily. One of the best, and most unexpected perks of blogging is that it's helped me hone my voice and writing style.
Great post!
I totally agree.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about balance. (Although I've only been around for about two months.)
I find blogging to be a great way to bring words back after my muse ran away with them.
:-)
I love blogging but I've learned to limit my time with it. Too much of a good thing leads to burnout. I plan to be around for the long haul :)
ReplyDelete@ February, it's so good to hear from you. I know you got sick and ended your blog abruptly. I've sent you a private e-mail to check up on you.
ReplyDelete@ Tere, I think you may be on to something with Elana having clones.
You said what I should've said - blogging helped me find my voice. When I figured out how I sounded and what I was projecting about me, I was able to get ahold of the voices of my characters and the tone of my manuscripts.
@ Misha, bringing words back after your muse ran away with them?! What a tempestuous muse!
Hopefully you learn about balance quicker than I did.
@ Solvang - too much of a good thing - well put.
Some great comments here, and such a timely post!
ReplyDeleteI just severely cut down my blogging to once a week (and not commenting or checking any blogs) because I had to study for a test. I'm back full swing now. But genrally, that balance between writing and blogging and living life is so hard. I need the support of my blogging friends, it helps me be a better writer and I learn things at people's blogs that are important. BUT if I have a deadline for writing, it does take first seat. So I try to balance it. But I'm nowhere near ready to give up blogging!
Theresa, I'm so glad you're still here!I understand taking a break, but I don't like it when they go off missing without saying anything, because I get worried!
ReplyDeleteElana J is super-woman! :)
Great post, Theresa!
ReplyDeleteWriting is very hard and it's very easy to give up. So I commend any writer who hacks it through the doubt and rejection and makes it to a completed novel. A shot of tequila and a congratulations is well deserved.
As for blogging, I've met some really good kindred spirits and I like the community and the support. But you do have to be consistent with posting. I blogged for almost a whole year before I even started to get regular comments.
But like others have said, life does happen and you have to adjust.
I do often wonder what happened to the bloggers that don't post anymore. Hopefully they are just living their life and will come back!
@ Lydia, taking a break to take a huge exam is a very good reason.
ReplyDeleteI agree, writing needs to come first.
@ Talli, that's how I feel. People disappear and sometimes it takes me awhile to realize it. But when I do, I wonder, where are they? What happened?
@ Karen Strong, thanks.
It took me a long time to get followers and commenters too.
I know how many blogs I read where the writers are so passionate about writing. When they do, I wonder if it all became too much.
I'm a pretty new blogger (since I think April) but I can't imagine quitting. I love this community so much. And like you, there are opportunities I've learned about because of blogs or twitter. I think if we keep everything in perspective, and try not to be instant successes, then it all balances out. It's just too much fun to quit!
ReplyDeleteI used to post blog entries MWF, but now it's more like TTh. For a while I was posting fewer entries because I couldn't think of anything interesting to blog about. But you're right; I have noticed that there are more people who will disappear for weeks or months at a time. It's a shame, because I enjoy their blogs. But maybe life gets in the way, as you said.
ReplyDelete@ Julie, you're only here since April? I agree with your statement, "I think if we keep everything in perspective, and try not to be instant successes, then it all balances out."
ReplyDelete@ Neurotic Workaholic, I noticed you were posting less. Sometimes I don't have as much to say and other times I write a bunch of posts close together. But now I save them instead of posting them right away. For example, this post was written last week.
I think life does get in the way.
I try to keep up as much of a balance as possible--at first, I was blogging and writing posts a couple times a day, but then I started focusing on my draft. Then, it flipped back. I'm getting a schedule down though, writing in the morning, blogging in the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteLife does get in the way sometimes. But I'll definitely warn people if I'm going to be MIA . . . like you, I know a few bloggers who just left without a word.
Dude, you guys, I wear no capes. Clones would be frickin' awesome though. I'll take some of those, please. :)
ReplyDeleteTheresa, I don't know if it's the outline or just my own lack of laziness. Maybe both...
This is a hard one--finding balance with blogging. I know I struggle with it.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that too. I try to keep a steady pace myself but lately my priorities have shifted a bit. I really must finish my book! I'll sometimes throw up a couple of photos now and then so folks know I'm not gone for good.
ReplyDeleteI've also noticed that I'm not reading as many blogs as I have in the past, particularly agent ones. They were becoming too discouraging and shifting my focus from finishing revising my book to whatever "no-no du jour" they were blogging about...too distracting and not a productive way to spend my time. I prefer encouragment not dashed hopes right now ;)
PS - I agree about Elana!
The comparison between blogging and writing is a very interesting one -- and very much correct, too. It's easy to start blogging and writing, but keeping up with both (or either) is very difficult. I think Elana Johnson is rather amazing -- to keep up with everything as she does takes a lot of time and energy.
ReplyDeleteI've been taking breaks here and there due to school (since this is my last year of college, and the classes just keep getting more difficult), but I definitely do come back to blogging, even when I try to stay away. It's not about building platform (although there is that), but the connections and friends made through writing and blogging are very precious to me. :)
@ The Golden Eagle, when I have a day off, I write in the morning and blog in the afternoon. Morning is when I have the clearest head.
ReplyDeleteSome give warning, but then disappear for months longer than they say they'll be gone. I wonder where they went?
@ Elana, I hope you get back to writing. As soon as your book comes out, you know readers will be clamoring for another book.
@ Elle, I guess we all struggle. We like our commenters and their blogs, but if we spend all our time with it, we can't write. But they help fuel our writing too.
@ Elena, short posts are a good way to stay in the game.
I am just like you. My time used to be spent on agent blogs, but I do that less too. Once we feel we have a certain amount of knowledge, they sometimes hurt more than help. Much of it is just opinion.
@ Emy (Sandy) Shin, I like the name change. You had said you'd be concentrating on other things for awhile. I'm glad you're back.
I like my blogging connections too.
You've expressed this so well, Theresa!
ReplyDeleteI worry about bloggers when they disappear. I hope it's just life getting too busy. Finding that balance is really the key. I don't know that I've found it yet, but I do know I love to write & I love to blog! :)
Great post, Theresa! Sometimes that balance-writing blog is tricky, as is thinking up new things to blog about!
ReplyDeleteAh Theresa, how true this is! I know exactly what you mean. I used to try to blog every single weekday, and while it was so much fun and very exciting, it was taking away from me writing my book.
ReplyDeleteI guess it comes down to that balance and prioritizing you were referring to. I was getting too caught up in one or the other and unable to simultaneously do both :S.
I too took a break for the last bit of summer (as you know, and I really appreciate you coming around every so often to check up on me! It means more than you know!), and while things didn't go quite as planned, I think I've returned with a renewed perspective.
Although I've reduced my blogging days to three days a week, I am writing again as well, and working hard at maintaining that balance.
I'm back... because I can't stay away. I miss you guys when I'm gone! It's kind of like that security of coming home after too long away.
Oh!.. and I forgot to add... I completely agree with you about Elana... she truly is a superstar. I don't know how she does it all :)
ReplyDelete@ Jemi, I think sometimes what we need for balance changes as our priorities change.
ReplyDelete@ Andrea Mack, if a person is having a hard time coming up with blog posts, I recommend posting less. It's a lot less pressure!
@ Writing Nut, I'm glad you've returned. Even though you're not exactly where you want to be in your writing, you've made progress. Writing every day is a lot. And most other bloggers can't get to your blog everyday so they miss some interesting posts.
I think Elana struggles with this too, but she still manages to do more than the rest of us.
Yep -just like that! I think people get disillusioned with blogging when readers don't come right away. It's like you're talking to yourself :--) All of it takes time and effort! Great post!
ReplyDeleteI had to take about three weeks off as I was snowed under with work and felt so guilty for not having the time to visit other blogs. I was just working around the clock. I'll also have to take another blogging hiatus, as I'm taking a much-needed holiday in NYC! But I always try to mention why I'm taking a break, in case people think I have disappeared for good!
ReplyDelete@ Christina, I can understand the frustration. When I first blogged, I thought I wrote these great posts but nobody knew about them. Some people figure out how to connect with readers quickly. Not me
ReplyDelete@ Olive, you're back! I get used these names popping up on my blog and going to your blog. You were one of them. Sorry you've been working so much.
Have a wonderful time in NYC.
It's hard to learn balance. I'm still trying everyday. Elana is the queen! She also has a job too (granted she can blog at her job)... but it's best not to compare ourselves to her... I only get discouraged. :o)
ReplyDeleteI'm sad when I lose blog friends too. I even get sad when I can't visit their blogs often enough or theirs mine. But that's how life is--friends can't constantly be in touch.
I'm glad you're my blogging friend and that you're still here, Theresa!
I was thinking about this today as I scrolled through the list of blogs I follow and saw that some people hadn't been around in ages. It would be cool just to know what they're up to.
ReplyDeleteSlowing to three days a week has also been better for me. Less (imaginary) stress and more time for writing and such.
@ Jackee, we cannot compare ourselves with Elana. Agreed!
ReplyDeleteI guess blogging-friend relationships are more tenuous than I had realized.
I'm glad you're still here too!
@ Kelly, I wonder what they're up to as well. When they're FB friends, I have some other connection at least.
Three days IS much better.
I blog instead of doing homework. I hate this class and I love writing something and seeing what everyone else has written.
ReplyDeleteI also love commenting and replying to comments. It absolutely does take a significant chunk of time, though.
In the meantime, I am figuring out character and story stuff in my head...and I'm learning so very much because of all of you guys.
As for the blog itself, apart from the discipline of daily writing, it is for me a journal, an outlet, even a cry in the night sometimes. I hope it never goes away.
There are times when all of you provide the insight or shoulder or laughter that I desperately need....and I can only hope that, from time to time, I provide the same for others.
I have reduced my posts SOME. And there are times when I can't get around to replying to comments left on a post. I do try to not let too much time go (when it's crazy) without at least posting something short explaining where I am....
Great post.....very thoughtful.
I'm still here but I admit, I took a long break. I really needed it. I needed to remember what came first--was I a blogger who writes or a writer who blogs? Once I decided, it was easier to come back, though I still only wade in.
ReplyDeleteElana J. is awesome and I know she works very, very hard to maintain her online presence. She's a great example and I love her lots but her style isn't for everyone and that's okay too.
I worry about people when they just stop....Like did something awful happen? I'm a chronic worrier as it is... I agree with Old Kitty I think if you're taking a break to work on your wip or whatever, giving a heads up is thoughtful especially to us worriers.
ReplyDeleteFYI: Susan Fields will be blogging again...I'll make sure of it. She's just rewriting her whole novel. (I don't know why I thought it was fantastic the way it was...)
I don't blog quite as often as I used to, as is probably noticeable, but oh well. I can't complain because even a little bit of time spent on blogger can be a great educational experience.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what to expect when I started blogging ten or so months ago, but one of the best things about it is the people that I have come into contact with. You kind of get to know people quite intimately through their words. I'd miss that.
ReplyDelete@ The Words Crafter, thank you. Blogging instead of homework. I can totally see that!
ReplyDelete"...discipline of daily writing, it is for me a journal, an outlet, even a cry in the night sometimes..." I couldn't agree more.
@ L.T. Elliot, well put. We writers need to make sure we're writers who blog and not the other way around. Blog writing isn't writing, unless someone wants to offer us a book deal to adapt our blog.
@ Sharon, I appreciate a heads up too, but sometimes those bloggers are gone for a lot longer than they originally say.
Can't wait for Susan Fields to return. I hope she has success with her manuscript.
@ Amanda, I have noticed you around less. Glad to see you now!
@ Missed Periods, you make an excellent point. Because we get to know people so intimately, when they drop out, it's a loss.
Glad you are still writing Theresa.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have noticed the vanishing blogger as well. I have heard that 2 years is when most blogs end; and I can see why considering how many life changes most of us deal with in 24 months.
I also think that the more one blogs, the more work it becomes. Trying to research posts and then comment regularly on the great blogs of others becomes a monster in time consumption.
I like you perspective with blogging and hope my continues to be similar--looking for balance and growth through the experience.
Hi Theresa .. it is persistency, consistency, and having a passion - but a passion that others are interested in .. we need each other ..
ReplyDeleteBut next month .. oh oh .. a time to regroup for those of us who are not achieving a novel in November - brave souls though and a wonderful achievement ..
It will be wonderful to read all about it .. on their return ..
Have a great weekend .. Hilary
@ Slamdunk, I didn't know most blogs ended in two years. I hope that doesn't happen to me. But I'd like to be able to change the name of my blog when I'm no longer a sub.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm going to have a big time puller so I'll see if I can keep up the same. I may have to reassess my balance.
@ Hilary, I'll be interested to hear what all the NaNoWriMo participators will have to say in December.
For now, I have so many comments to keep up on just from this post!
I miss you guys when I'm tucked away doing revisions...
ReplyDeleteand I too miss people when they just stop blogging. I worry. I care.
As for published authors, I can totally understand why they don't leave comments...they are usually under contract deadlines, and sometimes on tours and it's a lot of work. Plus they have SO many followers.
I only have 500+ followers and it is so hard to get around to everyone. But I do agree, the relationships with my bloggy friends and regular commenters are very special to me. I try hard, but I know I #fail.
Elana is superhuman and at least 30 kinds of (fr)awesome. :)
Are you doing Nano? If so, buddy me at: the-sharp-pen
Happy weekend,
Lola
I started a web site almost two years ago and almost as a forethought started a blog. To my surprise, I wrote almost every day on it. (I have kept journals for decades.) Now I have slowed down. I still write every few days. There is so much you can say and there comes a point when you repeat yourself although I try not to let that stop me. You can say something a little differently and maybe reach someone else because you did so.
ReplyDelete@ Lola, I've missed you too. But you periodically check in, which is nice.
ReplyDeleteI have trouble keeping up with the comments with 300+ followers sometimes, so I don't know how you do it.
I'm not doing NaNoWriMo. I don't even think I can keep up the 1k per day I signed up for in October anymore.
@ Siggy, thanks for visiting.
I wonder if I'm repeating myself sometimes. I find that more people get a chance to visit each post if I don't post everyday.
As far as I can tell, Julie Powell has stopped blogging. Last entries were months ago, and they were pretty short and lame (just describing her appearances in different places).
ReplyDeleteI guess she's had her fifteen minutes of fame...
@ Aravinthan, it doesn't surprise me that Julie Powell doesn't blog since hers was so specific. After she finished cooking, she got the book deal and then got a second book deal. I don't think the second book did very well and her fame may be up. Writing a book about cheating on her husband probably made her less endearing.
ReplyDeleteI only have 70 followers, but I probably follow 300 blogs so I have a tough time keeping up with it. Doing NaBloWriMo has helped a little (though thinking of something to post everyday is tough).
ReplyDeleteThe online writing community has really helped me though, so I'm trying my best to keep up! I'm learning so much from everyone!
@ Lisa, I agree that thinking of something to post everyday is tough. My advice is do what you can. Having 70 followers is a good amount. I had that number in March and it just kept going.
ReplyDeleteI am still here too - but the reality is, when you work hard to write every day and receive almost no feedback, you can get discouraged. I think some bloggers start as a way to reach out and share rather than just to write but when they get no response or very little response, they get discouraged and decide it just isn't worth it.. If I wasn't so driven to write - almost addicted to it - I would find something else to do too! But I just keep writing and hope that someone values what I do:)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, when bloggers leave, I miss them too.
@ Deborah without feedback it is discouraging. I've enjoyed your blog. We all have more readers than commenters.
ReplyDeleteI'm blogging less now that I'm finishing my work in progress. I'll probably get back into it later on.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm not going to give up! Even if I have to write ten books to get one published the traditional way.
This is a great post and very true!
@ Aubrie, you were one who pulled back to get work done, but e-mailed me to let me know.
ReplyDeleteYou write more than anyone else I know. You'll get there!
Blogging is a good way for writers to encourage each other. And the support system can make all of the difference.
ReplyDelete@ Jo, a support system can make all the difference. Without critique partners, information, and overall support I've received from the blogosphere, I'd never have a chance of being published!
ReplyDelete