Why Giving Up Blogging May Be Your Worst Decision

Thinking about giving up blogging? Think again.

I’ve been posting to one or more blogs regularly since 2005. That followed three years of running an online forum and several more years of belonging to one or more groups or forums. I became active online in 1995, but had at least a passing fancy with computers for years before.

Blogging Adventure

A latecomer to blogging, I still have managed to see the blogosphere change dramatically. Technorati was the driving force for many bloggers, a platform by which they got noticed, connected with other bloggers and, hopefully, monetized their sites. Technorati’s influence has gone the way of MySpace and Digg, virtual afterthoughts in all things Internet.

Blogging’s strength can be credited largely to WordPress which took the blogging model and ran with it. Early on, WordPress experienced the usual growing pains, but by the time Word Press 3.0 rolled out, those problems largely disappeared. Today, WP is a stable and broad platform, an excellent content management system whether you use it for blogging or other purposes.

Gone Dark

Lately, I’ve been visiting the blogging sites of some of my colleague writers and have found two that haven’t been kept up in at least six months. Both sites offered engaging and sometimes instructive content, but each appears to have ceased being updated. No word from the blogger that the work had stopped, just an aged post occupying the home page. They’ve gone dark, but nobody has turned out the light.

I understand what may be driving some bloggers to quit, especially writers who have a lot of other projects and perhaps personal websites to manage. Matt’s Musings faded in 2011 as I allowed a steady stream of contributors to fill in. I stopped accepting guest posts last May, realizing that this blog belongs to me and it is my voice I want out there. Besides, I have an ulterior motive for continuing this site. Read on and I’ll explain why giving up blogging may be your worst decision:

It is your site and your voice — How do people find you other than you making regular queries? Querying for work is great and needful, but I must admit that most of my current crop of clients found me. Matt’s Musings was one of several platforms where my writings brought me work. Without it, I would lose an important marketing tool.

You can express yourself — You can’t possibly express yourself to the degree that you want anywhere else including on Facebook, the site that seems to have the most impact on pulling people away from blogging. Sure, longer form writing is possible, but it just isn’t the same. Facebook may also delete your content if Mark Zuckerberg changes the rules again.

You own it — Unless your blog is hosted Blogspot or WordPress.com, you probably own the site and have arranged your own hosting. You dress up your site the way you want it to look and you backup your files automatically. Why contribute content to a site that you don’t own when you can connect with your readers at the home base you do own?

Your expertise can shine forth — People who are experts in anything always have a home site where their thoughts can be shared. Unless you have a redirect to a new website, people may assume you have quit writing. Why degrade your expert status by gradually disappearing or getting lost in a sea of Facebook users?

No blog, no income — It is no secret that bloggers make money off of their sites. Yes, paid links and paid content are no longer part of the mix, but a display ad can certainly be a money generator. Matt’s Musings is not a direct money maker, but I’ve garnered work through this site that pays for my web hosting and my time writing articles many times over.

Having Fun

My points here aren’t meant to dispense guilt on anyone. Your reasons for not blogging may have everything to do with your schedule, your interest and your workload. Still, I would venture to say that you have blogged for the fun of it, not worrying about grammar, syntax and a host of other rules we must follow when writing for our clients.

Merry Christmas: Now Take a Break!

I must confess: I’m having a hard time wrapping it up today.

You see, after today I’m taking a 3-day break from my labors, one of the few times in a year I put my work to the side for more than one day. It isn’t because I’m addicted to my work, rather my work is constant and affords me little time to take off. Unless I don’t want to earn money!

This year I planned it so that I would have three days off for Christmas, given that the holiday is on a Sunday and the following day is a legal holiday. Who wants to work when everyone you know will be celebrating?

Today is “finish up” day and I’m tying together all of my loose ends before I log off. Early this morning, well before sunrise, I found myself awake and once I was ready to write I wrote five articles. The writing muse within me took over and I was able to come up with five original stories, source my information, complete my edits and upload each article. That allowed me to finish next week’s assignments for a client days in advance and turn my attention to the loose ends.

Ah, but I also chose to work out of the home today, thinking that the distraction of having my wife and children nearby would make it difficult to work. Nada.

At the cafe I like to call home at least once a week, it is quiet with few people coming and going. Still, I managed to strike up a conversation with someone I hadn’t seen in months and thus began my downward spiral into my “I can’t wait to hang it up for Christmas,” mood.

So, I decided to take a break and write this article, one I have been mulling around in my head for the past few days. Besides wishing you a “Merry Christmas,” I wanted to simply encourage you to take a break too.

If you can’t put your work to the side for more than a day or two, then take smaller breaks and work part of the day and simply goof off the rest of the day. Visit family. Entertain friends. Take in a movie. Go bowling. Relax.

When I do come back to work on Tuesday, it will be only for half days for the rest of the week. My advanced planning has given me that luxury and I know my family will be glad to see more of me and I, them. Come Jan. 2 I expect to be back working at my fevered pace, but maybe with the knowledge that my R&R did me much good.

It’ll do you good too. Your work can probably wait and your clients may have long scattered to their vacation destinations, giving little thought to pending projects, deadlines and a host of other “things to do” that are part of our daily schedule.

Meanwhile, I’m returning to my last article and expect to have it done well before my self-imposed 6 p.m. deadline. Merry Christmas!