Thank clarita for the camel.
Amy Mengel haunted me in February 2010 when she announced she stopped reading social media blogs.
Despite an intent to focus her blog reading, she wrote on her own blog less and less — and quit this summer.
Am I following in her footsteps?
Kasey Skala‘s, too?
I used to write on this blog every day.
Not lately, though.
I also used to peruse dozens of other blog subscriptions every day. I commented everywhere, inspired left and right by everything I consumed.
I comment less and less these days.
This camel is connected somehow, something to do with the analogy to its drinking and storing water for so long until it needs to drink again.
Thoughts?
@adityar
I was going to leave my own comment, but you have said it far better than I could have.
BTW Ari, hope you aren’t thinking of quitting.
I for one would miss you.
I feel your pain, Ari. Not that it’s pain, but it is a very real feeling for me. I’ve not written as often as I used to, nor have I posted my videos. I’m still writing, but not commenting and visiting other blogs nearly as much. I’ve yet to deliver a guest post for you, and others and as much as I wish I could do it, that guest post gets pushed aside for client deadlines.
For me, it comes down to being too darn busy with my business to do it as actively as I once did. That’s ok. My business is way more important. However, I have to stay involved and ‘in it’ in order to provide social media consult and blogging services to some of my clients. I also firmly believe I got business by being online; I can trace it back to online activity. I can’t completely give it up, but I can keep it in balance. It’s important that I do what works for me, regardless of Klout scores, follower counts, blog comments, etc. As @adityar mentions below, we can get overloaded with information and that can in effect, shut us down.
Hang in there, Ari. Re-evaluate why you’re here, recognizing that your motivations for being online might have very well changed from when you first came on the scene (much longer than I have been here!) and is something very different now.
@EricaAllison You infrequently visit other blogs and yet you are here. That means a lot. Thanks.
@Ari Herzog It goes back to what @DannyBrown said up top, Ari – quality over quantity. I don’t pay courtesy calls; I go when I see something interesting (I’m still receiving your blog posts in my inbox, remember) AND when I have the time. Unfortunately, I may find it very interesting, but lack the time to get there. I’m moved to comment by what I’ve read. I read a LOT of posts; I don’t always comment.
Completely understand where you’re coming from, Ari. Much like @EricaAllison points out so well below, business takes precedence, as does family. I have a 17 month old son now, with a second baby on the way in February of next year.
Family comes first, then work, then “me” time, which includes the blog. I deliberately cut back earlier this year, and wrote about the change in tempo and direction at the time. It’s worked out well for me, since I no longer push myself to have a post out by a certain day.
Freeing myself of being a primarily social media-type blog has also been freeing, and allowed me to really write the stuff I want, when I want, which takes the pressure off again.
I do need to comment more elsewhere, as I miss the interaction I had with folks even as little as 12 months ago (or less).
But I wouldn’t worry too much about writing less. You’ll write what you want, when you want, and the people that care will still be there for you when you do.
Good luck on your decision.
@DannyBrown@EricaAllison
Nice one Danny.
“…the people that care will still be there for you when you do.”
Oh yes.
@DannyBrown@EricaAllison Congrats Danny; two kids can certainly change your focus and priorities.
@bdorman264@EricaAllison Yessir – I may even stop blogging altogether ad go live on a farm.
@DannyBrown The frustration is when I tell my students to maintain a blogging schedule — whether it’s daily, weekly, monthly, whatever. Because if the schedule changes a lot, people tune out.
How can I instruct people if I can’t drink my own medicine?
I have some ideas to write about, so no fretting I won’t be here.
@Ari Herzog I would offer them the premise that goals and schedules change. Much like their career paths will change, so will blogging (perhaps even more so, given the medium).
I often find people tune out because of the content, as opposed to the schedule. I know I’d rather read great over generic that’s mediocre based on a schedule that needs to be met.
Perhaps your students can simply write when they feel inspired, and have that proviso on an About Page to set expectations?
@DannyBrown@Ari Herzog Well said, Danny! Great beats generic mediocrity every time! And major congrats to you on baby #2! 🙂
@EricaAllison@Ari Herzog Thanks miss – buying the ear plugs now… 😉
I think slowing down and relaxing a bit is important for bloggers. We tend to take our blogs too seriously! The phase you are going through is the result of Blogger-Maturity, I guess.
@adityar You hit the camel on the hump with this …
” … we need sustainable ways of consuming and creating content.”
After participating in five blogging challenges in a row (total fun BUT I’m exhausted just thinking about it), I made the executive decision to scale way back on blog posting. I may put up a fresh post once a week and, then again, I may not. I’m focusing my efforts on moving away from my blog to do more guest posting and I’m making my biz my highest priority.
If anything, at least you’re being aware and acknowledging that. Then as mentioned previously, you think this over, prioritize, etc.
Ultimately, only you can decide what’s truly important for you anyway, Ari. Whatever you decide, though, you can be sure you still get readers who’ll patiently wait for your next post or comment. 🙂
Thanks for your honesty, Ari, I can understand you, been there, done the same things. The ego trip: I want it all and I want it now!
Your camel analogy is attractive but unlike us humans a camel drinks a lot because by instinct (and geared for survival) it knows it will have no water resources for some time to come. Do we need a blog to survive? Danny gives you the answer: family first, then work, then the “me” thing.
I have been following your blog these past months, appreciated your advice and enjoyed reading your posts. You will find your pace, I am convinced, and your readers will still like you (I will, promise).
Warm regards from Switzerland, Barbara
At the end of the day what does it all mean? If you cut back on your writings because of lack of interest or other commitments, will it affect your lifestyle, income, etc? If you don’t frequent other places, you can ask the same questions.
I network and I enjoy it; does it wear me down at times, absolutely. Sometimes there just seems to be a ‘sameness’ to everything and I wake up in the morning and wonder what the heck I’m doing. However, I’ve also discovered I like to write as well. Did I miss the boat as everybody seems to be reevaluating their purpose online and it usually means cutting back? Maybe, but I was never an early adopter anyway.
Good luck with whatever you decide; you will always be ‘that guy’ for me who actually put my name in lights. That was a pretty big deal to me and still very much appreciated.
@bdorman264 Hey now, you and only you put your name in lights. I merely photographed it.
@adityar History indeed repeats; and my thoughts today are not unlike my thoughts of the past. I suppose the question at the end of the day is whether I write for me or for you. That is, I know I write for me — but then why do I include social sharing buttons for you?
@adityar Bravissimo! Very well stated. I applaud you. (cue “Chariots of Fire” music). Effecting “real” change in the “real” world is as good as it gets.
@caroleona What about what I write do you appreciate?
In a nutshell, the insight and the filter/funnel of information (there’s so much out there, makes me dizzy!) I appreciate that you are very in touch with what’s going on and generously share it. I get to learn a lot of good stuff, marketing, cool tools from you, you even have an exclusive folder in my email for me to store all the goodies you share with all of us! @Ari Herzog