When you first start blogging, you likely felt like you had so many ideas and so many things to say and you promised yourself you would blog every day and respond to every comment and it would all be the best thing ever. And for the first couple months it was. Your blog posts brimmed with excitement and you looked forward to having the chance to put your thoughts down on paper (meaning, on your computer). As time passed, you started to feel less excited about blogging and found yourself struggling to come up with content. You hate to say it…but blogging has become a chore. We’ve all been there. But I’m happy to say that after three and a half years of blogging, I still love it and while I may have days where I’m not brimming with ideas, I pretty much never view blogging as a chore. Here’s how to still love blogging after the honeymoon ends (because, the honeymoon always ends).
- Love to write. If you don’t, you probably shouldn’t blog. Blogging is writing and nothing will end the honeymoon sooner than dreading writing. I love to write and I always have. I don’t always relish the hard parts of writing, but the art of writing is something I’ve always enjoyed. Loving to write is one of the main reasons I love to blog. It’s a creative outlet for me and I get to put my thoughts down someplace concrete.
- Love what you write about. I love running. I love food. I love blogging. I write mostly about those things with some slice of life items thrown in for fun. I don’t ever get bored blogging because I don’t find what I write about to be boring. If you feel like you’ve hemmed yourself in with a blog title or theme that doesn’t allow you to write about different things, change it up! This blog started as Project 30 in 30, as a countdown to my 30th birthday. Well, it turned out I had more to blog about than turning 30 and I also wanted to continue blogging after my 30th birthday. So, in March of 2013, I changed things up. I’ve never looked back!
- Plan ahead. I’ve talked about the benefits of using an editorial calendar like CoSchedule and I’ll briefly mention those benefits again. I think part of the reason blogging becomes a chore is because you get to the point of feeling pressured to post by a certain day or time and you find yourself throwing together an uninspired post at the last minute. Planning ahead can greatly reduce this, thus reducing much of the stress commonly felt by bloggers.
- Share the love. If you are feeling dissatisfied with blogging, sometimes it can help to take a step back and spend some time visiting blogs that you love. Visit other blogs, comment on other blogs, and remember why YOU started blogging.
Blogging is fun, exciting, freeing and can be an amazing adventure. However, after blogging for some time, the glow might fade. Keeping in mind the above tips will help you to keep loving blogging well after the honeymoon stage ends.
What makes you love blogging?
Since we have a blog team, it is not hard to stay motivated to blog. But there are weeks when we post less, and that is okay. Since we do not monetize our blog, I don’t worry if we miss a post here and there!
Pam and Christine recently posted…Planning a Wedding is Like Training for a Marathon
Some weeks I feel I have so much to say and others not as as much. I also have really come to love it much more so than I thought I would. I am having fun with it! Nice post
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Black Bean & Spinach Tortilla Pie-Cinco de Mayo
Good food for thought. I blog as a hobby. in my day job I communicate yhoughts via bulleted lists in emails or powerpoint so having an outlet for writing about stuff I love is wonderful. I don’t take my blogging too seriously – if I lapse for a bit it’s not like many people will notice or care, but the virtual community is there for supporting each other when I have time to engage.
Kelli recently posted…Triathlon Running is Different
yes, i agree. it’s a hobby for me as well and the key there is that it’s something i truly enjoy 🙂
I love to write, and writing is an outlet for me. But even more, I love engaging with other bloggers. Funny thing is, since I started blogging, the topics are coming more easily for me. Of course, having linkups help when the well is dry…
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Race Recap: Great Western Half Marathon
hahaha, linkups can definitely help with that!
Since I’ve just started seriously blogging I have days when I feel like I have so much to say, and days when I feel like what’s the point! This post reminded me of the 3 things I passionate about–fitness, writing, and blogging/techy part of it all. I suppose everyone needs are minder now and then! And reading what others are thinking is definitely helpful!
Michelle recently posted…Ebbs and Flows
yes, reading other blogs can often be a fantastic motivation for me.
I love blogging but I think what I love most about it is the community that comes with it! I’ve met so many wonderful people that share the same interests! I definitely go through lulls of not having anything to say, but it usually goes in cycles. I try not to publish “fluff” or space filler though just for the sake of posting. If I don’t have anything to say, I just won’t post!
I think I’m tied in my love of writing and the community. I love them both. I’m so grateful for everyone I’ve met through this blog and for the opportunities I’ve had because of it!
I think, most of all, the thing I love about blogging is the community I’ve discovered; even if I stopped blogging, I would still visit each and every one of you because it’s been such a joy to find so many amazing people through our blogging connections. Thanks so much for all of your support, Courtney!
Tara @ Running ‘N’ Reading recently posted…2015 Toad Suck Daze 10K
Yes, the community is so wonderful and it’s been so great to find so many like minded people who also love running, blogging and food 🙂
You hit the nail on the head: if you aren’t enjoying writing, then you should take a step back and think about why you’re blogging. There are some days when writing does feel like a chore, and its on those days that I usually choose to not write the post that I had planned for the next day. After a day off, I usually feel reenergized and ready to write again.
Kathryn @ Dancing to RUnning recently posted…May 2015 Monthly Goals
Yes, sometimes a reminder that “hey, I don’t HAVE to do this” can be very helpful 🙂 Days off help!
love this!! If you don’t enjoy writing, really blogging isn’t for you (or at least writing about what you love!) I think a lot of people see the community that develops – which is PHENOMENAL – and want to replicate it but blogging is hard. Still, you want to only do it if it brings you joy. Thanks for the reminder!
Mar @ Mar on the Run recently posted…Steel Challenge: Pittsburgh 5K & Half Marathon Recap
It is hard work to maintain an active blog and I think that’s when the honeymoon phase ends – when folks realize that it’s work! BUT loving to write means it’s not tedious work 🙂
I had no idea that your blog use to be called something else. Thanks for the fun fact! We actually started out only wanting to blog every other day and no weekends but we found that we always had something to say so we ended up blogging more! There are still days when we try to take a day off during the week.
I think it’s so fun that you two blog together! I bet you have a ton of ideas between the two of you 🙂
I think an editorial calendar would be so hugely helpful to me. Planning ahead always takes so much of the stress out! I burned myself out last fall and took a bit of time off and it’s so hard to get started back up again. I think I’ve found a much happier balance since then. 🙂
Salt recently posted…New Jersey Marathon Recap Part 2: The Race!
It really helps me. I highly recommend using one!
I love this! I totally know the feeling. A year ago, I had a million and one blog ideas and now I’m more of a once/twice a week ideas.
Carmy recently posted…May Goals
Great advice! I’ve been blogging for 4 years now and I have had my periods of time that I am less inspired and motivated to blog. Sometimes I will give myself a break until the motivation returns and it seems to help. I never want to force it because I feel that it comes across in my posts. But overall I still enjoy blogging!
Betsy recently posted…Wantable Style Edit Review #1: May 2015
What I love most about blogging isn’t something that I expected when I started. What I love most is the community that we’ve built. I had no idea 2.5 years ago that I would be meeting so many amazing people, both online and in person!
Debbie @ Deb Runs recently posted…Fartleks – Try Not To Giggle
I just changed my blog name today actually!! It was kind of a mess changing everything over, but I am much happier with this name.
Thanks for this post. I am going to save it for when the honeymoon ends (it hasn’t yet thank God!)
Amy @ Running on Faith and Coffee recently posted…Best Race Ever {ToTR Linkup}
oh, look – you did change! Yay – I love the new name!!!!
Thanks Courtney!!
Amy @ Running on Faith and Coffee recently posted…Best Race Ever {ToTR Linkup}
Great advice Courtney! The past few weeks I changed my routine a bit and published some posts in the afternoon/evening – wanted a chance to clean up my drafts before they go live. More of an experiment, but I am enjoying some extra zzzz time in the morning. And of course the best part of blogging has been the community – meeting new people and learning.
Jennifer recently posted…St. Michaelâs Half Training 4/27-5/3 â Week 6
Hmmm, tell me more. Have you noticed any difference in terms of engagement or views with your change in time?
I haven’t looked at my analytics yet, but will let you know!
Jennifer recently posted…Monthly Goals â May 2015
What a great piece. Blogging can get hard and sometimes it’s a struggle to find good content, but all in all, I love writing and I love running, and so I keep on doing both 🙂
Jenn recently posted…review & giveaway: journal menu training journal
Great points. So far I run out of time more often than I run out of ideas. Setting a schedule and trying hard to not post more often has helped me maintain my energy and keep up with the rest of my life.
Coco recently posted…Fear Of Missing Out
I LOVE ALL THE FRIENDSHIPS I HAVE MADE!!!
GiGi Eats recently posted…The D Train: Are You On It?
What great points! I think finding great communities to network and share has helped a lot. Also, staying true to myself. I love having variety, because it keeps it fresh. I’ve also met and established life-long friendships within the blogging community. Priceless!
Artney @ My Pretty Brown recently posted…Guess Who Turned 4? It’s My Blogiversary!
one thing I have found that really helps me is that I use it as practice for writing papers for my classes! Blogging helps me think on my toes and get my ideas down quickly which has helped me write papers faster than i used to
Oh that’s a great side benefit!!
It’s the people and the connections that keep my love of blogging alive.
Yep, me too. Plus, my love of writing! 🙂
Great post, Courtney. I just today decided that constantly checking my stats since the changeover to the new site is WEARING ME OUT and robbing my joy so I’m going on a “stats fast” for the next week or so. No checking traffic. Just writing for joy and fun, which is why I started this ridiculous thing in the first place. I needed this post today!
I love that idea!! I’m a big stats checker too – maybe I need a fast!