slow blogging

This year has been a tough one for many of us, myself included, although I have been more fortunate than others. As a result, my writing has pulled me in different directions and there have been times (including just recently) when I wondered if I should give it up completely. This also included blogging.

I have been blogging for eleven years (that’s some milestone right there!) and throughout that time, I have met some lovely people around the world, built up a small community, and continue even now, to get followers.

With other forms of social media (and people can sometimes forget that blogging is a form of social media), there is only so much that can be said. As a writer, blogging is a form of creative expression and outside of writing my stories, blogging gives me the freedom to express myself to others. I feel comfortable doing it and I enjoy it. So, in the end, I have decided to stick with it.

When I began blogging, I had set out to make it part of my writing journey. It helped me write to deadlines, focus on my topic, and meet other writers. Lately, I’ve been hearing that blogging is ‘dead’, but that has been said for many years now, and yet blogging continues. Without blogs, I would never have read articles that would help me with my craft and learn how to be an indie author. I would also never have known about online courses and seminars that I have learned so much from. Without blogging, I may never have progressed as far as I have done. Without blogging, I may never have had author interviews or receive book reviews. I owe blogging and the blogging community so much!

Having said that, for some time, I was against the idea of doing a newsletter. It sounded so much like blogging and would only be another thing to add to my ‘to do’ list. However, after learning more about newsletters, I have recently caved. I am currently working on creating a newsletter and plan to have my sign up form up and running in January 2021. I’ll keep you posted!

As a result, this blog will be an extension of the newsletter and vice versa. Also, I will be blogging less – about once a month, although there may be other posts appearing from time to time.

This is just another step in my writing journey. I hope you’ll come with me! 😉

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year. Let’s hope that 2021 has better things in store for all of us. Stay safe!

And don’t forget, First Christmas is available on Amazon. What’s a shameless plug between friends? 😉

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.

Tag: slow blogging

The Art of Slow Blogging.