Although I enjoy blogging, I have been experiencing blogging ‘burn-out’. Between blogging, my studies and my writing, it has become a bit overwhelming. This is why I have decided to join the ranks of the slow blogger.
Apparently, slow blogging has been around for a while. I have only just discovered it, thanks to author Anne. R. Allen. She wrote about The Slow Blog Manifesto and she makes some very convincing arguments on why writers should take it up. The emphasis for slow blogging is on quality and not quantity. This makes perfect sense, because as writers, our readers judge us by our content. If we write something that grabs the readers’ attention, they’ll want to come back for more and this goes for our blog posts as well as our stories. For the most part though, our time is better spent focusing on our stories.
Following my post on 5Ways to Bring back the Muse, I read another post by Anne about the overwhelmingly high expectations upon writers these days. Once again, this is where slow blogging makes sense. Time is important to readers and writers alike, and if you feel pressured into producing a high quantity of blog posts, not only will you as a writer feel burnt out, but readers will be inundated with too much in their inbox.
Other writers are beginning to explore slow blogging and questioning how often should fiction writers blog. Author Jody Hedlund has also entered the debate on whether Blogging is a Time-Suck for Writers, and asking Do Agents and Editors Expect Novelists to Blog?
Blogging is a great way for writers to practice their art and connect with readers, yet everyone is different; what works for one does not necessarily work for others. While some may thrive on being constantly on the go, others like myself, are not one of them. Perhaps it’s the perfectionist in me, which is what makes slow blogging so appealing.
So, now that we have entered a new year, I will be taking slow blogging to heart. I’ll be blogging on an intermittent basis. Blogging will slow right down in order for me to concentrate on my priorities, which is complete my last year of studies and work on my various writing projects.
Ideas about blogging has changed and putting the emphasis back on what’s important – our writing. This is what we as writers do best after all.
Have you discovered slow blogging? Have you suffered from blogging ‘burn-out’? Are you a writer who blogs or a blogger who writes? As readers, do you see blogging as a good way to connect with writers?
Image of Galapagos Tortoise by Debbie Johansson.