Summer presents unique opportunities and stresses for me. Every summer I tell myself I’ll take the time to write. And I do. I write curriculum. I design online courses. I attend seminars, take courses, create documents I’ll need for classes along with all the normal running around with loved ones that is normal for this time of year. We all have these kinds of obligations that take precious time. And we all make decisions about how to parcel our time out. I’m in the process of trying to figure out how I’ll find the time and the energy and the brain power to finish my WIP this summer.
And if you look around the blogosphere you’ll see a whole host of others who are trying to deal with the whole time management strain balancing blogging, writing, real life, and the very real issue that the more followers one has the less time one has to comment and maintain the online relationships one had when starting to blog in the first place. Faced with all that and burnout, bloggers are starting to unplug more regularly, for longer periods of time, or in some cases closing their blogs all together. I’m thinking myself of how I’m going to schedule my blogging this summer as well.
Write It Sideways has an interesting post here about the reasons writers should blog. Check it out and then tell me: What are your blogging plans for this summer? In general? What stressors help you decide? Does where you are in your writing journey play a role in your decision? Or are other considerations more important?
Yeah, I'm quite worried about time too. I feel so guilty when I don't have the time to keep in touch with everyone. Especially those to comment on practically every single post of mine. I just hope they know how much I appreciate it. Gosh, if only there were something like a 'freeze' button for time. so we could sit and blog while the world stopped around us for a while. :) good luck organizing yourself, I know how you must be feeling. xx
ReplyDeleteMy time is stretched and I'm considering blogging less just to get things done. Plus a lot of travel goes on in the summer so blog attention will be taken up. I would love to finish my WiP and start on my query so I can query next year. Might be a far stretch but we will see.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
This will be my first summer blogging, so I really don't know how it will go. I do know that when I stay away from blogging too long, I'm definitely itching to get back. I really thrive on that support from other writers, and I enjoy reading their posts. That said, I'm all for the occasional blogging break now and then. Blogging takes up a lot of time and energy. To stay excited about it, sometimes a break is necessary, not to mention those times life just gets in the way.
ReplyDeleteThis one is tough and I'm still trying to decide how to play it! I love to blog, I feel now like it's a part of me and my writing so I think I'll keep my posts daily (writing them on Sundays) and then taking an hour each afternoon after work to comment on all my favorite blogs.
ReplyDeleteWriting will also be about an hour or two in the evenings, at least three times a week. Writing even if I don't feel I have the words. I do hope however that I have the strength to pull that off!
Lets hope I can devise a plan that's perfect for me!
It's hard for me to balance writing with blogging so I'll go check out that article! Did you change the picture at the top? I like it :)
ReplyDeleteI could use four extra hours a day...while the children sleep. :)
ReplyDeleteThe picture looks like Zion, a place I went last summer. As for blogging, I find it hard to keep up, yes I do. I've also noticed a slack in commenters which makes me wonder if everyone's busy or I'm doing something wrong.
ReplyDeleteA few people have said they were going the M-W-F route. My problem is, some weeks I have the greatest ideas for 12 posts, then other weeks I have none. And with Monster Baby driving me crazy now that she's home, who knows.
ReplyDeleteGirl you know mine is crazy! I have to say that I enjoy MWF with occasional T or R posts!
ReplyDeleteSo many things in the summer and well I think I may have to figure out how to post from my phone..... ;o)
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Great post. It IS a concern. Blogging takes so much time. Though I love that I've met so many people. But there's just no way to do it all.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know others struggle with the same issues. We're not alone!
Last year, I took August off. I was only blogging once a week (photography tips) and it wasn't like anyone was really following me. At least I didn't think anyone was until I ended up with 8 comments on my I'm Taking August Off post.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure what my plans for the summer are in terms of writing. Fortunately, the kids still have four more weeks of school. I'm still going to blog MWF, but I think I'll spend more time catching up on my reading than working on my new wip. I'm waiting to hear back from my final beta readers, then I can do some fine tuning of my wip before I start to query it later this summer. That's the plan for now. I'll see what happens when I start writing my first draft.
Thanks for the great post! It's nice to know we're all struggling with the same issues. Something tells me the bloggosphere will be a little quieter for the next few months. ;)
I've decreased my blogging time and it has helped a lot. Three times is still a lot of blogging but yes, keeping up with everyone's comments and their blogs is a lot of work. I just try to do my best and hope everyone knows that I still appreciate them reading and commenting.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually thinking about taking the summer off for one reason. Guilt. I feel bad if I'm not reading everyone else's blogs, but since the kids are home for three months, I feel bad if I'm spending time on the computer instead of with them, and then there's the writing and trying to squeeze that in. That's not even considering the housework.
ReplyDeleteI love when I can blog every day, but I think I'll survive without it for a few months. Then when the kids are back in school, my blog will still be there, and I can dive right back in. :)
Great post!
i'm planning on cutting down a bit on blogging. at least during the summer
ReplyDeleteI'll keep trying to post daily, as much as I can! We'll see how it goes.
ReplyDeleteI usually post 3 days a week. I don't comment on as many blogs as I used to and I unplug once a month, but still it's hard to find uninterrupted time to write. I'm hoping to take my kids places where they can play and I can write this summer.
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