True Blogger Confessions, and the Way Forward
Over the last two weeks I have taken a break from this blog to examine my options, to decide the direction I want to take, to see where I want to go with it. I was not happy with where I was and I did not know what to do about it.
In the past, I followed a textbook blog start; I linked to everybody, I worked trackbacks, I posted often, I commented like crazy on everyone else’s blog, I wrote posts on blogging, on Wordpress, I wrote numbered posts… everything they tell you to do. And you know what? It worked.
I had a blog that often had 5-10 comments or more a post, a blog that was linked to often, one that broke the Technoratti 100K in about 30 days, people emailed me with questions, they sought my advice… and I was miserable. I was having no fun, there was no joy in it.
So I took a few weeks off. For 2 weeks, I did not post much of anything here. Heck, I did not even look at the admin panel for a solid week.
I still blogged, just not here. For the last 2 weeks, I have blogged for fun. Remember that? Fun. Where you just wrote and put it out there, and it was not about page views, it was not about RSS readers or getting links… it was just about putting it out there and seeing what happens.
So for the last 2 weeks, I just blogged. I blogged about old friends, relationships that did not work out, memories circulating around my head, my faith and even mentioned genocide in Darfur. No common theme, no rhyme or reason, just having fun.
You know what?
It was a blast! I had so much fun… it was a joy to write each day, having no pressure on me, no worries about RSS subscribers, no agenda… just fun.
I decided I could not do this any more.
I had decided that today was going to be my last post here. I was going to announce that I was bowing out of “professional blogging” and was going to go back to having fun. My posting had been sporadic of late: Surely I had lost all my RSS readers and had no doubt killed any progress I had made. If the key to success is daily posting, then I had screwed the pooch big time. If the key is linking to everyone and his brother, then I was over. If the key is commenting on everyone else’s blogs, then I was toast.
Then a funny thing happened: I checked my stats.
Last night, I checked my stats and noticed I was still about where I was when I was posting regularly. Huh! Then I checked my Alexa rank and noticed it had improved dramatically over the last month. Hmmm. The I checked my feeds and I have to tell you, I cringed as I waited for the window to open, waiting to see how my inattention had destroyed my hard won readership. The page opened and… I had actually gained readers since the last time I checked 2 weeks ago. The kicker was when I checked Technoratti and saw that I was about to break the 50K mark, moving about 10K since I had quit careing. People were still out there linking to the content.
I had broken every rule in the book and had not hurt myself at all. If anything, I was probably better off than I had been.
This changed everything. I was up all night thinking about the implications for this blog, my business and me.
Here is the deal:
I am Politically Incorrect. I live life on my own terms and have taken great pains to structure my life to be a certain way because I like it that way. When I started blogging, I somehow forgot that. Instead, I did exactly what everyone else did, and so I got exactly what everyone else got. Well, no more.
Here is what you can expect from now on.
Fewer, better posts.
You are busy. You are running a small business or you wish you were. I could post a fluffy post here everyday (and have in the past) but honestly, does the web need more clutter? Do you need another post to read in your feed? Wouldn’t your time be better spent with your family, your employees or on deciding your goals?
I know mine would. So, effective now, no more short cute posts. No more memes. No link trains. Very little speed linking. (If I just cannot help myself, I may speed link in an aside).
I am 35 years old. Conventional wisdom says I have about 40 more summers, 40 more season opening games, 40 more Christmases. In view of that, I just do not have the time to crank out posts just to increase my post count.
More on topic posts
In the past, I have talked about everything from blogging to internet marketing to poetry… No more. This blog is about working for yourself and living life on your own terms. That is what I will write about. If you want to know what SEO plugin to use, there are any number of blogs that talk about that… this is no longer one of them.
Writing geared toward readers, not bloggers.
Sometimes I think we bloggers write for other bloggers. I admit, I have done it. After all, we want that link love, we need the validation, and we need to increase our page views… bullfish. I am done with it.
If you like what I write and want to link to it, I am glad and hope you will. But I will be damned if I am going to beg for links, write link bait or Digg bait. I just do not have that sort of time… I am here to help people realize they can change their lives, not to build content for social network sites.
More Resources
The site will be changing a bit over the next few weeks in order to provide you with more resources, more tools and more knowledge to use your business to take charge of your life and to help you live life on your own terms.
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The current plan calls for a post about every 4-6 days on average. If you are afraid you might miss something, you may want to subscribe to my full RSS feed to make sure you stay informed.
If you have suggestions as to how to make the site better, have ideas for topics, want to guest blog on the site or have just missed me and want to say hi, the comments are open.
Category: Blogging, Personal Freedom 22 comments »
July 25th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Hugh,
I think your observation – “Sometimes I think we bloggers write for other bloggers.” is right on. I also worry that often those who blog are only speaking to those who blog.
However, often that need to connect with other writers is based on wanting to have a conversation not just readers. Since we know most people are passive readers, 1 out of a hundred leave a comment, you kind of need to write for those other bloggers so that they can help jump start a discussion.
Just the same – I am anxious to see you speak more on topic as that is what I came here for in teh first place. Keep up the good work.
July 25th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Good stuff. I wouldn’t see the point in blogging if it was too much like work.
As for writing for readers, not for bloggers – spot on.
July 26th, 2007 at 7:35 am
[...] blogging with a purpose is tiring. It is work, to tell the truth. As I talked about over here, I recently made some changes. I felt I had to for several reasons… I was getting burned out; [...]
July 26th, 2007 at 9:32 am
I agree with your assessment. I blogged for a year and found it tiresome. The “quality content” that everyone everyone talks about takes a lot of time to produce.
Yaro has a nice summary of blogging as a business model;
http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/616/professional-blogging-as-a-business-model/
So what’s your assessment of the online world? Will you try another online business venture? Or were your blogging intentions other than business?
July 26th, 2007 at 9:47 am
@ Richard- My assessment of the online world? Overall, I have no real problem with it, and I make the vast majority of my income from the internet in one shape or fashion, so obviously I like that part of it =).
I am going to keep blogging for fun on my personal blog. I think of it as my scratch pad, where almost anything may happen.
On THIS site, I will focus on fewer, better articles, probably around 60 a year or so.
I am moving more from a direct income plan for this blog to more of a “brand enhancer” plan. I think it is much more in line with who I am and the things I want to accomplish.
Thanks for writing, it is always a pleasure.
July 26th, 2007 at 9:52 am
@ Roger-
Thanks for stopping by. I am tired of reading posts about making money online from people who never have. I am tired of reading about the “top 10 wordpress themes for 2007″. I am tired of the “Top marketing blogs” or the “top 10 ways to keep thin while gorging yourself”. It is all just diggbait.
I am just done with it. I have no problem with linking to others and them linking to me if there is a conversation, I am just tired of the fluffery.
I am glad you want more, better content, because that is what I want as well. I hope I can meet your expectations for years to come.
July 26th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
I think people can get away with doing the “Blogging 101″ stuff for a given amount of time, but sooner or later you will run out of the generic crap that everyone else dumps all the time.
If you have interesting things to say, and are an interesting person people who find your blog will be engaged and read it more often. The blogs that are personal I read daily, blogs that try and just be informative I only read if they have a title that catches my attention.
July 28th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Nice post man, just subscribed to your feed
July 30th, 2007 at 5:32 am
I really think that when blogging become like an “obligation”, you should rethink your overall strategy.
I am curious to see what you do next.
July 31st, 2007 at 3:48 pm
I wish you luck in your new endeavors. Keep writing!
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:27 am
That’s a good long post. I think you’re absolutely right: blog about stuff you’re interested in, when you’ve got something to say and people will read and listen. I, too, made the mistake of blogging too often when I started out and burnt out quickly. Good luck.
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Fewer, better posts. That is called meaty content and it is, in my opinion, what the readers are expecting from a good blog.
August 3rd, 2007 at 4:24 am
Well, the good ol ways really is the way to go. No pressures, no pointing…just plain clean and simple Fun…appreciate the honesty.
all the best…
August 5th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Very interesting post…and I’m glad you’ve decided to keep blogging–even if it will be far less frequently. One comment though..blogging for the bloggers isn’t bad thing in and of itself. For many new bloggers especially, it’s part of the journey to learning the trade. The reality is that bloggers are more likely to be blog readers than ordinary internet cruisers. And with 50 million+ bloggers in the world, that’s a pretty solid audience…
August 5th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Hugh,
Everyone must find their voice. I’m glad you have found yours. Can I still read your blog, even if I’m a blogger?
August 6th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
yea and blogging cant be about the money either… its gotta be about the passion
August 7th, 2007 at 5:24 am
I feel the same way when painting for someone who has asked for a specific piece or style. It is tiring, stressful and little fun. It wears me out and then I don’t want to paint for awhile. Yet strangely, when I am painting for myself with no agenda, I am at my happiest.
August 14th, 2007 at 6:11 am
I have to say this post has made me feel so much better about blogging. I have just started a blog and I have to admit that it started stressing me out, wondering if I’m doing everything right. Trying to get on the map. I wanted to blog because writing is something I enjoy, I wasn’t looking for more stress in my life, that’s for sure. After reading your post, I’m going to concentrate more on my writing, and take things a little less seriously on the technical aspects for now. Worst case scenario, I’ll end up just talking to myself. And that’s not so bad, I’ve been doing it for years now and I am my best audience.
August 16th, 2007 at 10:35 am
Good for you and I hope that your blogging life is much more fun going forward. I know exactly what you mean about chasing visitors and links simply draining the joy out of blogging. I have experienced the same thing and that is why I now have two places to post, one a business and the second one for fun. It will be interesting to see 6 months to a year out which one is doing better, but I definitely know which one will bring me more joy. I’ll be looking forward to the new you here.
August 17th, 2007 at 6:22 am
I can definitely relate to this.
The big challenge in life is to do stuff that you enjoy. If you keep coming back to that, you’ll keep moving forward.
I’ve written heaps of stuff on my blogs that haven’t earned money for me. But I believe it
will in time, either directly or indirectly. (And even if it doesn’t it’s still practice!)
Best thing is to just have fun, and the rest will sort itself out.
August 21st, 2007 at 9:35 am
Good stuff man. I’m glad that you realized there are greater priorities than even you blog. How much cooler to come back and see the various gains. Keep it up, don’t neglect the faith.
September 28th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
the good thing on this move is… your posts have more quality to them compare to a daily post that lacks content.