IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.
Welcome to mine!
There was a time when I was a savvy blogger. Someone once said I had great web presence. Then I had child #5 and all that went downhill. It takes a lot for me to keep up with this blog with just posting once a month!
I've missed twice in a row a few times and have re-entered my name into the IWSG list a few times. Not proud, but it happens. Ha ha. Then I come across people on that list who don't post at all and I wonder why I don't have that same luck? Why don't the IWSG gods oversee my accidental neglect as they do theirs?
I feel stuck. I suppose my attitude tells me I'm probably not really ready for entering the blogging world again--it takes a good few hours of my day. I feel stretched thin but feel it's important with keeping my finger on the pulse of presence! Or am I fooling myself?
How do you juggle blogging, writing, and real life? What's your formula?
36 comments:
You are a busy woman - don't be so hard on yourself!
Would scheduling blog posts ahead of time help at all?
Sorry! I do my best to catch those who miss two in a row, but sometimes it goes to three. One, we let it slide, because life does happen sometimes.
I'm blogging just two-three times a month now and that's a pace I can handle.
If you juggle a lot of balls, once in a while some of them drop. You can't drop the kids, so it's perfectly understandable that you'd drop a blog post. Glad you're persistent!
I find blogging quite heavy on my task load as well, BUT I insist on continuing because keeping present and engaged in the writing community really helps me to feel motivated to keep working on my novel. When I blog writing advice, it reminds me that I'm not a fraud; that I'm good at what I do.
I think you should keep going. Even if it's a short post. You have a lot great things to share.
What I find helps me keeps me posting on time, is scheduling it as a task with a deadline. I use the To-Do app on my computer and schedule in my blog deadlines with a reminder notification one week before it's due so I have time to work on it, little by little when I have time.
I can't claim a formula, but I can relate to your post. It's been the story of my blogging this year. I'm just surprised I posted something two months in a row! You'll find your groove. :)
It took child #5 before you didn't have enough time for the internet! I'm impressed. The only time I could find with one child was after I put him to bed at night and then I'd get maybe 4 hours in have to get up in the morning around 6 to get us ready for school and work and...well I burned the candle at both ends for a while. I've had to re-enter my name a couple of times too, so 'welcome back!' I probably don't have any advice that you haven't already dealt with or thought of, but hang in there. Do what you can. At least jot down the ideas you have for the day you have that time. :)
Hi,
I don't have a formula but one of the things that help me is knowing that Alex and the IWSG leadership team are going to have an optional question for the IWSG Blog in our newsletter. When the newsletter come into email box, I take that optional question and write a blog post and set it up on the blog that I use for IWSG and schedule the post for the day that it is supposed to be published. If I don't do that, I start feeling stress.
Stick with us. Once you start moving up the list, your motivation will rise. Don't give up.
Wishing you all the best and a lovely November.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
I frequently wonder whether blogging is worth the time. I am in no danger of ever being called a savvy blogger, as I don't have the time or enery for that. But IWSG is one way I stay connected to the writing community, as I don't have one in my location.
It's hard to balance blogging with real life. And with 5 kids, I definitely don't blame you!
Hi! You're an absolute hero if you managed to write a blogpost with 5 children. Even with my three all grown, I still find it hard with my day job, my writing and my gardening, yoga and all the things that keep my busy. It may seem hard now but it will get better and i'm sure you'll get back to blogging again soon. For now maybe half an hour a couple of times a week will help you feel part of the blogging world?
LOL! No worries, Alex, you don't need to apologize (but now I know who's behind that delete button!) xD
2 to 3 times a month sounds good to me, your presence is amazing. I have no idea how you keep up with everyone who posts. How do you do it?
Thank you! You know, scheduling blog posts is brilliant. I'll do that, thank you! How do you keep up with visiting others?
Hi! That's true. Thank you for your support! :D
Thank you for sharing your secret (the To-Do app), I love that. I'll try doing that. I hope I can successfully download that app as I've had problems doing others in the past. And here I thought I was good at downloading stuff. LOL!
That's great. Thank you!
It's exhausting to burn the candle at both ends. You're amazing to make it here today. Thank you. :)
Pat, thank you for your encouragement! Finding the question and writing your post ahead of time is a good idea. thank you!
That's so true! I'm with you on that.
Aw, thank you! <3
Thank you! I was thinking I should visit at least 5 bloggers a day, and as the others suggested, schedule my posts ahead of time? I feel a formula coming on... x)
I'm only blogging once a month just now - for IWSG - and it's enough to feel part of the community, but I'd like to do more. It's not so much the kids, who are getting older, but work that is sucking all my attention. I'm trying to bring it under control. Hang in there - you've had some great advice here!
Time you devote on the social medias is time you do not spend writing. I feel you. I wish I could also do everything, but kids are so precious :) Good luck.
I think visiting 5 bloggers a day is a cool idea.
I have missed you on my blog. I thought I'd be following your blog from years ago but see that I wasn't. I've followed again, regardless. :)
My blogging motivation has dropped a lot. I used to blog three times a week. Then it was twice a month earlier this year. I've started to do a little bit more to share my vlogs. That helps me post more on my blog.
I'd like to do more, too, but the thought of it and I feel overwhelmed. Thank you!
I know what you mean about social media or writing!
Thank you for following my blog! I've followed so many blogs but I I'm not sure where to find the feed. Funny, isn't it? >.<
I'm glad you found a happy medium for posting!
That's my dilemma too. Committing to IWSG has helped keep me engaged with my blog, but I don't blog much outside of the monthly IWSG post. One thing that helps is to brainstorm ideas for posts when you have a few spare minutes. Try to pick topics that you can write about quickly, without a lot of research. I keep a file in Evernote for blog ideas, so it's accessible from any of my devices, and I add to it when I find myself with 5 minutes here or there.
How do I juggle? I don't. I concentrate on one thing--writing--until we need to eat or are out of clean clothes or . . .
There is no formula, but if you discover it please, please, please, let me know what it is! I wrote a similar post today about a lawyer who does it "all" or does he?
LOL! I love the sound of that. x)
Sometimes I feel as though I've figured it out but then something happens and my balance runs askew. *sigh* I look forward to reading your post! *hurries over*
I raised four boys and honestly, when they were little, I wouldn't even have tried. So, you're a power house in my opinion for even trying! I try to post once a week, but when I can't I don't sweat it. And blog visits, I do a little each day and only for as long as I have spare time.
I usually post to the IWSG. I think I've only missed once or twice. But sometimes, when I ma really busy, it will be a short post. Answering the question is often my go-to no brainer. It's also the reason we ask the question- to give busy people a quick connect. The newsletter comes out a week before the post date, so if you want to sign up, you won't even have to search for the information.
But seriously, don't beat yourself up. The kids always come first. We'll always be here. Eagerly awaiting your return. :)
So many of us who have been blogging for years have dropped off to once or twice a month. Mainly for the IWSG. I also write flash fiction for WEP every two months. Keeps me in touch while I concentrate on my writing and traveling.
I’d love it if you joined a WEP challenge. I think it was you who was very supportive when I tried to write a flash based on a true story of a murdered girl many moons ago. We never forget encouragement.
Thank you--it is a struggle because of all the things I'm juggling right now. I remember when I was a guru at blogging. I held contests and all that sort of stuff. Of course my kids were older than my now youngest who is sooo needy it makes me cry sometimes. lol
Hi, Denise! I've been mulling over doing that. I know it's a different form of writing but it's satisfying. I've been thinking about writing drabbles with characters from past books. Imagine that? xD
Janet, that's a wonderful idea! I'll need to do that and try to keep my posts concise. I typically spend more time finding suitable photos. Maybe I should stop doing that?
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