As I make the rounds of the blogs I've not been reading for the last few months, I've noticed a disturbing trend. Some have gone dark. Not dark the way I disappeared, but dark as in over. POD-dy Mouth, a fabulous blog about finding good books in the mass of dreck that is self publishing, has closed her doors for good. The fabulous and always entertaining Miss Snark has bid adieu to her adoring masses. Squawk Radio, a popular blog by some NYT bestselling romance writers, has pulled the plug. What, or who, is next?
Is the thrill of the blog gone? I don't mean just for the individual posters, but for the readers as well. Blogging was all the rage two years ago when I began, and it was widely seen as a way for authors to interact with their readers. Is that still going on, or have readers become disenchanted by the ease with which they can contact their favorite writer? Should there be some mystery between an author and her public? I'm just asking the questions. I certainly don't know the answers, and I can't speak as an author with a public. Do I hang out on favorite author blogs? No. Some of the authors I like I discovered as a fellow writer going to writing blogs.
I still enjoy the way blogging makes me feel like I'm part of a community, the way doing the rounds makes me feel like I'm sitting at a table and shooting the breeze with other writers. But I can see how blogging can detract from the real business of writers — writing. Ultimately, we are supposed to be typing words into a file that will hopefully become a book. Any other use of our time is extra-curricular. It's necessary for sanity, perhaps, but not strictly necessary.
The thrill isn't gone for me yet. What about you?
I’m still at it, even though I’m going through a blogging dry spell right now. (Thank goodness I can still comment!) The main thing I get out of my blog is emotional support, a strong network of friends I’ve never actually met. That’s what keeps me going.
I think the problem for some may be burn out. I feel a lot of pressure to come up with something interesting to say every day, and that gets to me sometimes. Doing that for 2, 3 years wears you down. If I had to write just on one topic, such as writing, I would have given up long ago. Sometimes we just run out of things to say.
I do hope your favorites will be back after a blogging vacation, though. It might be harder to give up than they think it will be.
Umm. I agree with Terry. And, I have been working my heart out on a project so I will be back better than ever. 🙂
Hey, Terry! Yep, I think you’re right about burn out. How do you keep talking day after day about the same thing? You don’t, basically. That’s why life and other stuff creeps into my blogging. When I first began, I experimented with different tactics. One was a diary, sort of “What I did today in Hawaii” kind of thing. That didn’t get much interest, so I shifted gears and tried to stay writing and industry focused.
But I have no credibility. I’m not working on a multi-book contract, and I don’t attract writers who think I may know something they don’t or have the key to the publishing secret. 🙂
And I’m okay with that. After my absence, I know I lost any regular readers I may have had. But I’ve decided that this blog is for me anyway. It keeps me in touch with writing stuff and it keeps me connected to my friends out there in blogland (like you and Cyn) who come along and comment from time to time.
When it’s time to use this as a tool for my career, I’ll shift gears. For now, I’m just trying to post regularly again.
Hey, Cyn! I’m glad you’re not quitting blogging either. When I would pop up from time to time, I noticed you hadn’t posted either. Glad you’re working on a project though.
Hey, how’d the novel turn out? You finished, right? Have you revised yet?
Lynn,
I finished one novel (no revision yet) and am half way through the second. HOWEVER, the mitigation plan over 300 pages now has taken all of my time and attention. It is like a non-fiction book with edits and reviews.
I know now what it is like to work with an editor LOL ARG
Cyn