After being *on the job* or in this new schedule of yours for a while, you now hit the Informed Pessimism stage of The Blogging Commitment Curve. Whether you want to admit it or not, feeling like you *have* to post everyday is in the back of your mind. I mean, what will happen if you take the day off? Your readers will disappear, surely!
Not quite.
In order to create these relationships with other bloggers, you are participating in memes, dropping comments, learning about their families and sharing parts of yourself that maybe only your friends and neighbors know. However in the midst of all of this, you see *other* stuff that doesn’t sit right with you. You wonder if this blogging thing is something you really want to continue doing. Seriously, why do you want to allow one more bit of mental energy into something that really isn’t your *job* right?
You become pessimistic.
This stage may pass by quickly, or you may continue to go in and out of the stage. Either way, it’s not fun and leaves you questioning your intentions and future with blogging. Or, at least it has left me that question when I go there {just being honest here}.
On occassion, I am in and out of this stage. Not all the time, but it happens when I see and hear things. We all know that we shouldn’t judge (golden rule from a golden book). But, sometimes you hear stuff from others that you trust and never hear another side of a story or pageview. I’ll admit it, I’ve done it.
You could compare this to being a subordinate to someone in a leadership position (at work, church, PTO, whatever). You realize the person in charge has no clue what he/she is doing! You may be wondering how they were even in that job to begin with. Those aren’t necessarily my thoughts towards previous managers, but I’ve had countless numbers of employees in my office sharing some of those opinions (-:
At this stage, you have teeth *in* this blogging community. You become more aware of intentions. You see the behaviors of people. It’s like a veil has been removed from your ear buds and you can now hear clearly over all of the chirps from twitter and skype. You understand now that there is a business to blogging and you may be wondering how you want to proceed. Do you form that LLC? If you are going to make this a profitable business, do you post every offer and take every sponsored trip and post? I would encourage selectivity and only what fits your blogging goals – different post entirely.
Your behavior as you are in this stage will determine how your brand will be perceived, in my opinion. How you react will create a lasting impression. Remember, what you say is written on the web and lasts forever. Cache exists for a reason. Bloggers are a resourceful bunch and they {and the CIA} will use it! Funny enough, some bloggers are even smarter than the CIA but that is a completely different topic!
How do you get out of this stage? Those relationships you created, the *real* ones. Your readers, that community you built and have told you *thank you* countless times. Your passion, the reason you started to spend countless hours pouring over whatever it is that you share.
Look to THOSE resources to help you turn that frown upside down. Sometimes when you look straight ahead, it can be overwhelming and muddied. Take a look beside you and seek advice and friendship. Possibly throughout personal reflection and discussion with trusted friends, you will realize what you are supposed to do.
Have you been in this stage? Do you find yourself here still today at times?
Andrea Deckard is the author of MommySnacks.net. Whenever Andrea falls in this stage she turns to those *real* relationships to be that sounding board. They enjoy shopping, eating and laughing a lot . (=:
Related Posts for The Blogging Commitment Curve:
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I think I’m in this stage right now? It started with computer issues which caused me to question my desire to blog altogether. Why am I doing this “for free” and giving up time with my kids?
Yet, I can’t leave it. Yes, it’s the comments that keep me going. But ultimately I love to write and I am passionate about the topic and truly believe it is one of the most important we can talk about. Ultimately, I’m hanging on to there being a “higher purpose” in my just keeping going. God willing, maybe it will someday pay off, too!
[Reply]
I think we’ ve all been there. If you are feeling like you have to post every day, then you do need to take time off & re-evaluate your “blog plan.” Perhaps joining forces with other bloggers to have guest posts until you get your mojo back would help. That is the great part of being a part of a larger community of other bloggers. Ask for help. There are others that will gladly help pull you out from under the cloud of pessimism.
[Reply]
Wow–this is definitely the most eye-opening post about the truth regarding blogging that I’ve read. Very well written!
My personal policy about blogging: blogging is not my number one priority in life; therefore, it’s not going to always get priority attention. Do I want it to? Sure. But my first job is that of a woman, wife, mother, and contractor.
There are times when I can’t get to blogging because of kids, work, house stuff, or something else. I am not attempting to earn money from my blog or make a career out of blogging, so I do not have as much invested in this as some other women do. My hat is off to those women who put in the time and effort to network and write; they deserve the accolades, income, and followers they earn. Sure, I’d love to have the same thing…but I know what the “cost” is to have it: other areas of my life would have to be compromised. Am I ready for that? Do I even want that? I’m not sure.
This is a very accurate assessment of how I do feel about my blog at the moment; I am definitely at an “informed pessimism” stage. However, I’m also not sweatin’ it. I can’t afford to.
[Reply]
yes. been there. I think I’ve posted my fourth of fifth apology for my mysterious leave of absence or blogging hiatus. Until I reach the point that I am actually earning as much money as an office job, then I’m not going to sweat it. My family is too important!
[Reply]
Thank you for writing about this! I’m in this stage now, partially because my blog has taken a detour for the past year and a half while I grieved the loss of a child and tried to figure out what I’m going to do… what direction, what focus, would it change from before. It’s helpful to know that others drop in and out of this stage too.
[Reply]
Once I decided and realized blogging was something I could and would like to make money doing, it was not long before I very quickly realized ‘Mommy Blogs’, or whatever you choose to call them, are a dime a dozen! Is anyone really reading what I put out there.
You spend so much time and energy and networking only to question far too often.
This stage comes and goes for me.
[Reply]
I have hit this stage pretty hard during the last 2 weeks. I didn’t know it existed till now; I’m thinking it’s a mix of this and my depression, which can’t help matters anyway.
I’m at a point where I just wish I could make a few contacts and get a few opportunities just to make me feel like what I was doing was worth something. I went into this hoping for a part-time income somehow, whether from this or freelance writing of some sort. Maybe I went into the wrong niche, even though it’s the one I know something about and love but I don’t know anything about anything else. I was OK until a mix of being sick and not having any internet services for a couple of weeks caused me to have to take a break. Now I’m having a hard time wanting to get back into it as much. I loved it so mch, and it was just heartbreaking when I saw how many opportunities that I didn’t get that it seemed like everyone else was getting. Jealousy is ugly and Satan really wants to get into my heart right now, so I’m going to have to pray extra hard to keep him out and keep on working. God obviously thinks I need to worok harder, so that’s what I’m going to do!
[Reply]