When a blogging slump hits…
Published November 27th, 2007 in Blogging.
What do you do when you hit a blogging dry spell? Have you ever felt like you just didn’t have any good ideas for posts anymore… what was once a deep well of creativity has run dry? I’ve been feeling a bit like that lately. I knew it would happen. It happens to everyone, so I hear. Right now, I’m blaming it on the fact that we’re expecting our second child in July (yay!) and “pregnancy brain” has set in with a vengeance. Some days I feel very productive, and some days I want to just sit on the couch for hours, blankly staring at the wall. Anyway, it’s incredibly frustrating, because what I really want to do is provide helpful and informative content for you that will keep this blog growing steadily as it has for the past 10+ months.
So, when it came time to post at the Blog Herald this week, I thought it would be helpful to me to work on a list of solutions for the inevitable slumps that hit now and then. One of my suggestions was to ask readers for help. I especially like to help people solve problems, so I’d like to know if there are any questions I can help answer for you? Any problems I can help you solve? What’s the next thing you’d like me to cover with regards to learning to customize your blog?
What do you do when you hit a blogging slump?
Get an online education about a subject you enjoy. There are so many great resources on the web you can learn almost anything. Whether you want to learn html or you are more interested in getting education grants for college there’s a website for you!
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38 Responses to “When a blogging slump hits…”
- 1 Pingback on Nov 29th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
First of all: congrats on the upcoming second child! There’s nothing as nice as being blessed with a new child.
In regard of the blogging slump: been there… What I do now: I just start a draft for EVERY thought I ever have that might turn into a post, and pick up one of those drafts when I’m not that creative at that time…
Hi Randa,
Congratulations. I am suffering a blogging slump also except I have no excuses apart from my brain is completely full of character design rather than blogging at the moment.
I’s really like to see yor customisation process of wordpress - how you start - sketching etc or on the PC/Mac, what themes do you find a good starting point too. How you work do you use something like topstyle or CSS Edit or jus manually adjust the CSS?
Hope that’s not too many questions
I remember hearing Garrison Keillor say that he didn’t think there was such a thing as writers block. “Plumbers don’t get plumbers block” he said.
I thought “baloney.”
I used to try to get ahead with my blog posts, so I would have posts in reserve, but I couldn’t keep that up. Now if I’m looking for something to write about, I will surf around the net for a while or look at other blogs and try to find a topic that sparks my imagination or gives me some inspiration.
When I have a blogging slump, I just let it be. There are other priorities in my life which needs as much attention
When the inspiration to write returns, I will continue blogging. That frees me from any pressure to maintain my blog in a certain way.
My current mood is “Brain Dead”. I seems to be unable to get any ideas. I might need to start meditation (perhaps shave my head while I am at it), lol.
Yeah… been there too, but whenever this happens I usually go to interactive parts of the site like forums and user blogs to get some ideas for something that might interest the audience.
DeepFreeze suggested meditation, I am not so sure I would go there.. since during meditation you have to go to the “happy place” and that would sure just make me want to go to cancun or something not to blog
Some people find inspiration from their Creator. Just ask Him!
“A Happy Place”, hmm… I can only imagine a few places, e.g. 1. Being on top a mountain just before the sunrise. 2. Being on a deserted Beach. 3. Being on a park bench with someone you love (not my mom). Sign… those were the wonderful places where inspiration flowed like clear water from a slow moving river.
If you’re finding it hard to think of ideas, I think it’s best to just switch off the computer and forget about it for a while. Inspiration will strike eventually, and it’s better than forcing yourself to post for the sake of it!
I have yet to hit a dry spell with my blogs (probably because they center around the Boston restaurant scene, which is always changing), but I can see how this could be an issue for bloggers. I agree with Jessica who says simply turn off the computer and let ideas come to you naturally. Probably better then trying to force yourself to come up with ideas.
There are two things that help me stay consistent with my blogging even on days where I just don’t feel like doing anything.
First, I try to keep about ten posts backlogged at all times. It’s kind of difficult to get that far ahead but it works great when you go on vacation or just feel down in the dumps.
Second, if I just can’t think of anything to write about, I take a look at my favorite blogs and basically post a comment to one of their articles on my own blog. Surprisingly, these have been some of my most successful posts.
I know that first up in the morning I am hopeless but give me 2 or 3 cups of strong coffee and the creative thoughts start to flow. This might sound funny but fish oil is also meant to be very good for brain function. Don’t laugh give it a try!
I think this happens with every job. When you’re uninspired to work, you’re just uninspired. I doubt this is unique to blogging. However, I think a good way to get out of a slump (for me) is to have a cup of coffee and take my pup for a walk. After that I usually have thought of something!
The main thing is to keep doing what you did when you started the blog. In other words keep your “mojo”.
Thats why people came here at the start and thats whats going to make them return. Express yourself as much as you can.
Your blog is awesome anyway, its just a formality that it will get stronger and stronger, its that good.
Regards Andy
Yes, i’m with Lisa, but i usually…. smoke one cigaret too.. I know, it’s bad for my health…
Congrats on expecting your 2nd child. Speaking from personal experience, life becomes a bit of a whirlwind for a while after the 2nd arrives.
Why not write some posts about ‘in utero designing’
I have questions about blog things but I’ve come to realize that I don’t have time to do them. I did just start a facebook profile and I learned how to import my feed into the profile so that was neat. I’ll think about a question that if you answer I’ll have the time to implement!
I get this feeling all the time… the well is empty and I just can’t motivate
I can really relate, as my creativity took a nose dive after quitting smoking a few weeks ago. Very hard to concentrate these days.
But one thing at a time - got to beat the smoking this go round.
Recently I’ve been taking more time to get out visiting other blogs and taking part by commenting - that’s how I came across yours by the way.
I also liked an earlier commenters idea about reading other blogs and then instead of commenting, do a post with the commentary and trackback. May have to try that.
Something that has worked for me, depending on which blog I’m working on, is picking up a newspaper. Usually within a couple days I can find lots of inspiration.
No need to get depressed, it’s not like you owe to someone to keep writing on your blog. I have a lot of blogs that i keep updated and the main reason that i do so is that all of my blogs are about things that i ‘m passionate about, makes things easier.
I think it’s the holidays, too. They’re making everybody have “vacation brain” (while we’re naming brain states).
I would like to know how you code the various pages. Basically, talk about what it is like, what considerations you have to think about, in order to make a template (theme)? I’ve dug into the coding a bit and find things so confusing! Is there a standard you go by? How do you integrate customization (widgets and such) for your themes? I know there are lots of other resources out there, but I would love to hear how you work.
Congratulations on the pregnancy! I suffer terribly from “pregtonic” brain as my partner calls it. (my second is 18months now so just starting to get some sleep again!).I am not sure whether my pre children brain has ever returned but there you go, that’s motherhood for you!
I have just written a blog about ‘bloggers block’ which you may find interesting: Bloggers Block - Some top tips shared Not trying to spam you honest, just thought you might be interested.
Toni
I didn’t know you were expecting Randa! Congratulations!
I agree with Lauren - surely some of the “slumpiness” has to do with the holidays. I’m in a bad dry spell right now too. I swing from two extremes just like you (and I’m not even pregnant)!
Some days I get really frustrated about it because I know how fast things move in the blogging world and it seems like if you take a break for a week you’re out of the loop entirely. Other days… I could care less. Lately I just feel stretched too thin or something, and I lose all motivation to do anything about it. It like one of those situations where you’re so far behind, or have so much to do - that you don’t want to start at all. Yep, that’s me right now.
Congrats on expecting your second child. Like the commenter Ebook I used to write posts ahead of time to have a reserve but that reserve ran dry pretty quickly once the slump hit me. I guess it’s all about scanning the environment in your industry and then write about something interesting when something happens.
I usually get into a slump after I’ve spent a few weeks of doing a lot of blogging. The best thing that I have found - at least it works for me, is to keep going. Admittedly, some of the next few posts don’t usually turn out to be some of my best posts, but, of I stop and over think it too much, the are even worse. Sometimes it’s good to know it’s not just you that runs into slumps.
I find that some times you just have to get up and turn the pc off. Do something else that you really enjoy for an hour or so. It always works for me whenever I find myself in a rut and the words just will not come.
My Brain freezes at times and i just try to channel my thoughts elsewhere.
What i do is just switch to another pet project. The creative juices then start back to flow.
p.s. congrats on the upcoming bundle.
Randa, congratulations on your happy news!
I find that I have loads of ideas around bedtime but when I get around to putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) the next day I’m either too wrecked or can’t remember the fascinating topic that kept my mind racing the night before.
Sometimes I get an email or a comment that really perks me up and reminds me that I’m not the only one reading my blog and people do get something out of it, so that can be inspiring.
Another good source of inspiration is Stumble Upon - do a bit of stumbling and share some of the quirky stuff that you find with people.
Congratulations on the news of your 2nd child! A very proud moment indeed! I like one of the other posters have taken to writing down lots and lots of thoughts!
I sadly even have a pen and paper next to the bed so that when i am suddenly inspired I can jot it down. I’ve lost count of the amount of really good ideas for posts I have thought of whilst in bed only to forget them the next day!
One of my blogs covers local events so the weekly newspaper also helps!! If I get stuck for a post I read the paper and post one one of the articles. This method usually also drums up a lot of reaction and comments from my readers which is good.
I completely disagree with the “wait for inspiration” thought.
Writing is, just as carpenting, pottery and cup cake making, a craft. The problem often arises when you’re not able to reach a state of flow, where the words magically fly from you fingers… when that happens, you need to open the writers toolbox. You did bring it, didn’t you? What you could do is… create a mindmap of random thoughts or turn of the screen and start writing (then you’ll care less about editing)…
There are so much more you can do, than just sit and wait for divine inspiration.
You don’t even have to ask the readers IMHO. Alcohol is not the answer either.
Just read through your blog’s comments, old and recent, and you’ll find lots of ideas for posts. Take a statement made by a reader and run with it. Make it the topic of a post.
You make some interesting tips on how to turn bad times around. The thing that works for me is a two week holiday. Where i clear my head and come up with some new good ideas. I find this works, because when im thinking normally i over concentrate. But when im in a stress free environment the best of me comes out. So maybe some other bloggers should use this it works for me.
Regards Gary
I hate it when I sit at the computer at 10pm at night and think “I have to get a post out for tomorrow” and I have no topic. Most of the time, I just skip the day cause its better to have no post than a crappy post.
Then there are those days where you have 3-4 topics to write about. You’re so eager to write them that you do and post them out 3 days in a row.
I’ve learned to keep a few (non-time dependent) posts in the drafts for a night when you just don’t feel like writing a post.
Looks like nobody s imune to blogging slump:)
What I have been doing when I get into a blogging slump is to fill in these days’ entries with outsourced articles from other authors. Currently, I am using Constant-Content for this because they are the only site that I have found so far that offers pre-written, mostly non-duplicate content articles that can be purchased immediately without having to set up separate contacts or contracts with other writers.
This is very convenient for periods where I need more time to concentrate on other aspects of building a revenue-producing blog such as promotion, traffic building, networking, and the like. I can purchase the articles at fairly low prices (I have often found good quality articles for $5 or less) and put them up on the site immediately. The only real work that I need to do is to write a sentence or two at the beginning to credit the author and perhaps find an appropriate image to match with the post. If I can find at least three or four such articles in one search, it effectively gives me a “blogging vacation” and allows me to recharge the writing batteries.
In fact I have experienced that it is very difficult to always right some post with innovative and creative or informative ideas. Some times you get the ideas extempore, but for me, that time is when I am not in a writing mood or at least not prepared to write. When I postpone for a day, the ideas vanish. I am too lazy to write down ideas when they come.
Yes, I hit slumps a lot. I usually just feel lazy. I’ve noticed that you haven’t been updating. Wish you would come back soon.
I need a ton of help with my blog. I don’t know how to exclude widgets in archives pages. I wish someone would help me.
:O)