Having the Blogging Blues is a real thing.
Seriously, I suspect I’m not alone in attending an occasional blogging blues fest. Every full moon blogging demons just show up and claim our creative thinking space. Even the pros have demons, (in their sleepless nights), to fight off, too.
As a part-time blogger, spending plenty of time doing this blogging thing for years, I’m not immune to the BB’s.
I still find times in the journey where I fight them off big time. Those are the moments when I find myself feeling really, really, really out of focus and defeated. And it is usually around the full moon.
I’m like a little jumping bean just ready to explode. I want to catch a great shot.
In those moments I feel over-exposed with not knowing which direction to turn. Lost in the blogosphere wondering WTF am I doing here anyhow?
It’s 2 or 4 am, maybe I should just go back to bed? Or stronger coffee.
It is frustrating, and not fun. And then I remember, if I get my footing back and just focus on 3 important things, I can shake those blogging blues away and they’ll disappear into the background.
Commitment – to myself, my blog, my voice’s content. If I’m not excited about what I’m writing, why would anyone else be?
Content – share content containing a voice that speaks to the audience I resonate with. Focus on one person who I believe is my ideal reader.
Community – connect and engage – read and share comments (within reason).
After finding clarity on that, I penned 10 rules I follow to keep me on track. Let’s call them my Personal Blogging Moontras Mantras.
Mantra #1 – I’m a blogger, therefore I write first – if I don’t my creative juices get distracted and my content follows suit.
Mantra #2 Write content that includes my life and moments my ideal reader will enjoy.
Mantra #3 Don’t be ashamed of who I am, be authentic, but remember it’s not all about me, it’s about that reader I connect with.
Mantra #4 Set a time limit for my efforts, one that works with my life. My ideal reader, just like me, has limited time available.
Mantra #5 Don’t ramble on forever in a post – get to the point. It’s okay to hit the delete key!
Mantra #6 Reply to comments daily – be a great host.
Mantra #7 Check spam folder daily – delete all spam after making sure there isn’t a valid comment in there to approve.
Mantra #8 If fellow bloggers comment on my blog, circle back around and comment on their blogs. Bob around the blogosphere and have fun.
Mantra #9 Visit other blogs, depending upon time available. Visit 1-5/day (include ones I follow or ones I’ve never read before and leave a comment to encourage them).
Mantra #10 Each day, before the moon hides behind the trees and the sun rises in the sky, remember to stick to commitment, content, and community. AND HAVE FUN!
Besides, it’s important to remember that getting up a 4 am does not make it any easier to capture a picture of the moon or to write a blog post that doesn’t take you 3 hours to write! LOL!
Post Inspiration – Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday #SoCS – Blue
PS – Did you get a great photo of the moon? Share your link, I want to see what it looks like where you live! Do you have trouble sleeping when there’s a full moon? Do you get up at 2 am to try to get a photo? What fun do you have planned for the weekend!?
Those are great guidelines, Shelley. Blogging isn’t as simple as I thought it would be, but it’s more rewarding than I thought, too. I never – never with a capital “N” get good photos of the moon. It mocks me and my camera.
Thank you, Dan, I agree with your thoughts on blogging.
And…as you can see, I never get good photos of the moon either. I don’t know why I try. Thought a tripod would help. It didn’t 😉
Love this Shelly, love your blog. Really just truly enjoy everything you write so more than likely….I really like you. You come through in your posts and connects with your readers like a personal conversation between friends. Wishing this had a reblog button though. I’d reblog this!
Aw, thank you, Laura, I appreciate your words of encouragement – I’m blushing really!! I have never been able to figure out the reblog widget/button. I don’t believe it will work with my theme or something?! I appreciate you saying you’d reblog the post, that means a lot to me!
a little vodka and orange juice tens to help me …
LOL – those work well too :-)!
All those moon shots help me realize that great photographers have plenty of unusable shots, too. But you’ve used them providing encouragement! Good guidelines, especially the one about having fun! 🙂
Thank you, JoAnna. I’m one of those, every picture can be used for something kind of photographers. Glad you enjoyed the photos. And you’re right – have fun is the key! Happy Saturday to you!!
Blogging is fun, but it is work, too. That’s one of the secrets about it. I like your 10 tips. You don’t sound blue at all.
Yes, it is both, that’s for sure. I’m glad you liked the tips. I’m not as blue now that the full moon has arrived and I proved to myself that I most definitely can’t get a better shot of it. Ever. Unless I win the lottery and buy better camera equipment. LOL! Thank you for sharing your thoughts – I hope the skies cleared some so you could see the moon!
I feel your pain, Ms Shelly. I went back to bed after watching a movie. When the full moon is gone I will go back out early in the morning. Nice shot above the tree line. g
LOL – I should’ve gone back to bed, but I was stubborn and determined. The tripod didn’t help either. I need to shop for a different lens from the place you got yours from. Maybe that would help? If not, I shall give up and just watch the moon instead. It is quite fascinating to watch as the animals walk around the yard in the moon light.
Way to persevere with the moon shots! Since my goal in life is to get enough sleep, night photography has to take a back seat. I really REALLY like your blog mantras. Very good advice. We should all form a blogging support group :). Happy Weekend!
Thanks – Copper was going nuts trying to keep up with me changing locations for 3 hours. I could’ve slept an hour and 1/2 more, the better shots were right above the trees. Maybe that was the 3rd cup of coffee?
YES – we should form a blogging support group! Happy Weekend to you too!!!
I can never get a clean, focused moonshot Shelley, it’s frustrating! You’ll get the photo, keep trying!
It is frustrating. It looks good in the viewer before I snap the shot. Oh, well, there’s always next month!
I wanted to be up at 2 am to see the full moon in all its’ glory but sadly my alarm didn’t go off. I was sure I set it!! I have to rely on pictures from others. Thanks for sharing yours.
You don’t have the TB alarm yet? (Tiny Bladder)?! There’s always tonight. The alarm works best if you eat too many Tostitos and a couple glasses of fluids before bed. It works for me to see the moon at 2 am! 🙂
Lol. Guess I’m drinking wine tonight 😂
LOL – as you should – Cheers to 35 years!!!
😊
I sometimes get the blogging blues too, though I haven’t noticed any coordination with the moon. On the other hand I haven’t NOT noticed any coordination with the moon either, I love the shot of the tripod with the oranges in the background…the colors are great.
I think the blues happen to all of us at one point or another. Thank you – glad you enjoyed the photo. It was a last minute take! 🙂
Great shots of the moon, Shelley! I took some “creative” ones too with a feature I didn’t even know I had on my camera! Pictures later on my blog. You always have excellent tips and it is a joy to follow you.
Thank you, Janet! I so appreciate your support and encouragement! I’ll be by to check out your photos!!
Great mantras, especially the “get to the point” one.
Thank you, John – and you do that well!
I’d never thought about blogging mantras before! Yours are great. I’ve certainly been breaking my own blogging rules, lately. Just not enough time to do it all. Your moon shots with that lavender sky–so gorgeous. Well done!
Thank you, Rebecca. I’m sure you have mantras on how to stay focused to write or to write every day outside of blogging and balancing work and kids and their activities! Being able to submit a manuscript you’ve written while doing all of that is a huge accomplishment. PS – I’m look forward to your next blog post, too – no pressure though!!!
My mantras seem to change by the day: mostly finish that to-do list (but it’s always growing!)
Ah, yes, the never-ending to-do list. Keeps life entertaining, that’s for sure!
You bring up great points, Shelley. When I started consistently blogging I posted daily, right after I retired and wasn’t teaching yet. It’s a lot of work! Your points are why I post no more than twice a week, mostly just once. We had a beautiful full moon but no pics this time.
Thank you, Terri. I agree – it’s a lot of work. And you host prompts too, that’s an added layer I don’t do. The moon was fun to watch after I gave up trying to get a photo of it.
enjoyed your tips so much
and I will reference this to share with others when need arises – because I know three bloggers that quit blogging this month –
part of it was burnout – and not sure what else – but I think what you have wrapped up in this post shows balance, boundaries, focus = and ways to stay in the game for the long haul and with more joy.
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I would add to take blog breaks before they are needed – but then that might not work for everyone – and I know I forced some breaks for a few years that only robbed me of some blogging joy and then gave me a funk upon returning – ugh – not cool. So now I still take breaks – but let them happen naturally.
_
and getting back to your tips – 7 and 8 I need to work on.
but 9 – well I love 9 – I love visiting new blogs and have encountered some special posts and sometimes new connections –
Lastly -= no photos of that awesome full moon – oh wait – I did get a shot of the moon through the blinds but not super clear –
however, I enjoyed the moon so many times – it was so clear this last week
Thank you, Yvette, I’m touched by your feedback. I, too, have seen many bloggers give up. My hope is to share a little bit of advice someone might stumble upon to help them refocus when the going gets tougher than we planned on happening. Blogging can be fun and hard at the same time. You’re right – breaks may help – I’m like you, I let them occur naturally with what is happening in my life. You do wonderful at visiting new blogs. I don’t know how you find the time to do so, but I’m thankful you do and that you’ve stopped here to share your thoughts.
I’ve received some tips on how to catch better shots of the moon. Maybe next month I’ll try those out. It was a stunning one this month.
Hi Shelley – the moon was special this month – and that might also be part of what I enjoyed here.
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and I am not sure how I manage to visit new blogs too – but I know one way – and that is sometimes I read comments on posts (when time allows and at certain blogs where I like the energy) and I am pretty sure that is how I discovered you = through a comment on BB’s blog.
and so to add to your tips – which were done so well – and you are never haughty and trying to be the expert – you just let your seasoned advice and confidence flow without staunch! and I mean that –
anyhow, this morning over coffee – I actually thought about this post (and Janet W. has a post you should check out – it is similar but different)
and then I thought of a few “BLOG PET PEEVES” I have – and started a list –
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oh and one more thing that works for me (just to add in case people later come here for tips on getting that blog going and staying in it with balance)
well I make sure the content of my blog I helping me “hone” or “develop” a new skill or hobby.
When I first started – I was sharing literature that inspired me. Then fine art – paintings and artists – were my passion for a while –
and street photography has been a heart’s desire since 2001 (took my first few pics back then) and over the years – the blog has given me a reason to hone this skill (win win)
and more recently – last couple years – I want to work at writing fiction – and so I joined in with flash fiction writing challenges.
‘Of course that had stages and waves – stopped for a while –
and then this summer I committed to ending the year with trying to join in with two fiction challenges a week – I can miss one week if the schedule demands – but my goal is to not miss more than two weeks – and that little nudge has helped me get into the mood when I could have ignored the blog –
and it so easily could be a month or two without any – so having that goal to reach has been important
Thank you, Yvette – your thoughts and tips add very well to this post. I appreciate you sharing them. I’ve been very tempted to do Blog Pet Peeves…someday…maybe!?!
I like your suggestion of using how you hone or develop a skill and write about it as a way to keep writing.
You do so well at interacting with other bloggers, I don’t know how you find the time to do so, what are your tips about that? Thank you again for sharing!! I’m thankful we crossed paths here in the blogosphere!
I will be back later too share my tips about “connecting” –
in the meantime – thanks for the comment on my cars post – and I will reply there – but guess what? you were in my head a little when I popped that post out – the part about “disclosing a piece of yourself” came to my mind –
No moon shots for me Shelley – I will admire yours instead. We won’t have a harvest moon that big and bright for another 30 years!
Is it just me, or have we had several moons that claim to say we’ll never see that again for 30 years? I’m glad you can admire my attempts 🙂
You know you have a point there Shelley – each eclipse or “Super Moon” seems to be called a “once-in-a-lifetime event” – hmmm.
I’m glad I wasn’t just hearing things in my own head! 😉