After seven years of blogging, I'm starting to notice some patterns in blogging. And many of them make perfect sense.
Major holidays Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and July 4th are often family times and bloggers are too busy to be online. At least we hope so. Other holidays such as Labor Day, Memorial day and President's Day will also see some level of absenteeism in the ranks. Outside the USA are more holidays that draw people away from the blog world.
Summer is the most common time for vacations. Over the course of the months, bloggers will take a week or two off from this world just as they do the old day job. Some might do a blog slowdown for the entire summer so they might enjoy the fine weather. And since the blogging community is world-wide, not all of us have summer at the same time.
Some bloggers take a break because something needs their attention before the blog. It might be overtime at the day job, a family illness, a book that needs editing or finishing.
And many of us just need a break now and then. Can I remind you of post-April when many of us took a week or more off from blogging to recover our energy after the Challenge?
I hope that the blogging friends I've met here and on my personal blog always come back from those breaks. For the time being, I've changed my blogging schedule from MWF to MW only as I spend my hours on my newest space opera romance series.
How about you? What other reasons do people take blogging breaks for? Do you still maintain a schedule even when you slow your blogging down? Do you take holidays off from blogging?
Susan Gourley is published in epic fantasy and in romance that she writes as Susan Kelley.
22 comments:
Hi Susan - I notice the breaks around family time and appreciate the space it gives me! Also sometimes when an American holiday appears ... I get another space in my life. This year I 'collapsed' after the A-Z ... and then decided that I just need a complete break. I've been around .. .and will be back in a month or so ...
I like keeping in touch .. but looks like the bad penny - I'll always be back! Cheers to you and enjoy the rest of the summer ... and I'm so ad hoc at posting - essentially when I'm ready I'll post - but on my return I must post more often I suspect ... lots has been happening ..
Cheers to you - Hilary
Hi Susan, nice post. My brother has been blogging since he was 18. All this time he suffers from the lack of spare time, you see, he tries to lead his blog even on holidays and that's the problem. When I had read you post I got that there is solution. I think hiring essay writing service will help him get relaxed a little.
I can't wait to hear what you've been up to, Hilary. I know you'll have lots of pictures and stories about the places you've been.
When blogging becomes too stressful, it is work instead of fun. I think that is why do many people drop out. Thanks for stopping by, Jessica.
A break can recharge your thoughts. One time when I was taking a blog break, I noticed one blogger posting two to three times a day. There is a point when people post too much, and that blog is no longer active. Like the tortoise. Sometimes slow and steady is the place to be.
I think blog breaks are great, especially if one can get consumed with it. Its nice to take a step back and evaluate if one is spending too much time online and less time doing other things or spending time with families. I have taken breaks before, but not recently. I do notice that there are patterns of times where there are lots of activity on blogs and times when it is slow. It seems that the majority of blogs I follow post something on Mondays and not a lot on the weekend.
betty
It was crickets around here after April ended.
I'll take a break for vacations and stuff. Since I'm just once a week on Mondays, I can usually work around that though.
I was blogging since I was on senior high school. Usually I'll take a break when holiday
I was blogging since I was on senior high school. Usually I'll take a break when holiday
There are some really dedicated bloggers out there. I wish I could be as disciplined. I always promise myself that I will try for some kind of a schedule to follow, but so far I haven't bee successful with it. I am kind of loose with how often I post. That's what I like about the A-Z challenge. I am forced into a routine.
One thing I have recognized is that it may take a few days for readers to catch up with my latest post.
That's why I don't blog every day. And actually I do the same for the blogs I follow. I may not have the time to sit and read posts every day. But eventually, I will get to them.
I take breaks when I feel worn out and can't think of anything to post about. Just a week or so can help.
I take short breaks when I have nothing exciting to report. Mainly I write up our travelling adventures and we are not travelling every day, but I am still writing up our last holiday in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, should you be interested, your very welcome to have a read and travel along with us, so to speak.
You are spot on about blog breaks. I don't really plan them.
As bloggers know, it takes a lot of time to compose a quality post so breaks are an unintended consequence of our largely unpaid hobby.
http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com/
I've taken breaks from Twitter, but my blog is someplace I don't break from too long. I've made some wonderful friends who always drop off a comment, especially when I'm down in the dumps. They really cheer me up, so keeping up with them is good for me.
I like to take a month off around the holidays but lately I've taken shorter unofficial breaks when I feel like it. Blogging is spontaneous for me and I rarely stick to a schedule. It comes and goes according to my moods, like all of social media seems to be with me.
I think it's necessary to take regular blog breaks, here and there, for whatever reason. They stave off burnout and internet fatigue. Many bloggers do take a break after the April A to Z Challenge.
I break just to catch my breath, unless I'm taking off on a trip or have a family emergency. Like anything you do routinely, stopping is a great way to refresh and make it easier and more enjoyable.
After every A to Z Challenge, I've always taken a short two or three week break.
But this year I extended the 'recovery period' because I was drained after the challenge. To date, I still haven't resumed my once-a-week posting.
I've definitely been taking a seasonal break (and needed it!) but I'm still lurking every once in a while. I think it's healthy to recognize the seasons in life and blogging.
I've changed my blogging habits since I first started in 2009. Back then I faithfully posted daily no matter what the response. Now I pace myself more. I slow way down during my summer months in order to milk each post for what I can get out of it.
Pacing is important in all that we do in life. Prescheduling my posts helps a lot.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
I go through cycles of having lots to blog about and struggling to blog about something (8 years will do that now and then). Right now, I blog about twice a week on my regular blog, and once a week on Tumblr blog, which is recap of what I did on my Blogger blog.
Funny thing is that it's easier to write the recap blog then it is to post in the main blog.
Burnout, it's a good thing.
Father Nature's Corner
Good Luck with your new novel. For the main reason, that I've ranked my novel as the highest priority, I only blog about 4 times in the month, and I usually published a special blog posting for some holidays.
Shalom,
Patricia
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