This is the 6th and final post in a mini series on combatting Blog Apathy
• New Stimuli – one of the best ways to get your creativity levels up is to expose yourself to new stuff. Buy a book, watch a movie, meet someone new, go for a walk, spend time with your family, listen to some music – get out of your normal daily rhythm and expose yourself to some new sights, sounds, tastes, touches and smells. Remember that what you put into your life has a direct baring on what comes out.
• Just Write – it’s amazing what comes when you just start writing sometimes. Some of my bests posts emerged out of really dry patches when I forced myself to sit and write. The first few paragraphs might end up being scrapped – but if you keep writing you’ll eventually hit gold.
• Get a Coach – I’ve talked a few times here recently about how I’ve found myself a business coach. Whilst the two of us don’t catch up heaps these days – every hour I spend with him is invaluable. He forces me to take a step back from what I do and look at the big picture, he keeps me accountable to the direction I’ve previously set, he asks the hard questions and he encourages me when I’m in a slump. The great thing about him is that he has a very limited understanding of blogging and sees things from quite a different perspective. So get a coach or a blogging partner (you can coach each other). You might consider paying someone to do it or just find another blogger/friend/business person/family member to fill the role. Give them permission to ask questions and give you a kick in the pants if you need it.
• Take a Break – as many people have said in the comments of previous posts in this series – taking a break is often just what a blogger needs. We all need a holiday from time to time so I suggest bloggers build into their yearly rhythm extended periods of non blogging as well as shorter ones on a weekly and even daily basis. I would suggest that if you’re taking a break that you set an end time and date for it – this is important for a couple of reasons, firstly it gives your readers a sense of where you are and when you’ll be back (I find it frustrating as a reader when a blogger disappears for an extended period without warning) and secondly it puts a boundary at the end of you break which will help you to start up again.
I’m sure between us we can come up with many other strategies for breaking the back of blog apathy – I’m interested to hear the suggestions and experiences of others in comments below.
before having a break just write some posts and schedule them to the time you need a break if possible. Some days you can write 20 posts.
So publish 15 and save 5 which don’t need to be actual for the time you need a break.
Unfortunately Markus’ idea doesn’t always work for me. Anything that I write too far in advance often sounds flat and uninteresting.
Sometimes, if I’m writing a series I can sit down and pound out several in one sitting but if each piece I’m writing is unrelated, or there are too many of them, then what I write becomes dull as my brain slowly sinks into something that must resemble a trance.
I’m sitting here doing some work like that for a client and was just getting to trance point when I decided to take a break and read some more of the blog.
I agree with the new stimuli and just write strategy. I’m finding that getting tons of info from the internet sometimes frustrates me because of the never ending nature of it, which in turn stops me from accomplishing anything. Buying a book sounds like a good idea because it can be done away from the PC, and knowing that there’s an end to it :)
Just writing is something I’m trying to practice. I find it hard to find ideas sometime and end up not blogging for days.
[…] Apathy Is Done For… August 5th, 2005 by Mark Darren has given us all a host of wonderful suggestions to put Blogger Apathy to rest. In the […]
I have been able to over come apathy about posting on my blog by remembering how disappointed I am when I got to the blogs I read regularly and they do not have fresh content. Some who have gone a week or more get deleted from my blogroll, as I want my readers to be able to find good and current information when they use the links on my blog to check out other sites.
My theory is that if I don’t post something, then my regular readers might desert me, like I do to others who get lazy in regards to posts.
FRESH and RELEVANT is without a doubt the key to overcoming apathy. I think depending on the audience you want and/or attract, it is essential to provide fresh and relevant ideas to keep everyone engaged. I have just started my blog and I am amazed and how few people post a comment on the blog itself but will email a volume and a half on their interpretation of my posting. I love it. It’s many of these wonderful conversations that have sparked some really unique and interesting virtual friendships.
I have found that much of what I say is really, really common sense but the commentary I do get back (generally offline) is fun and engaging. Through it, I have seen a whole new side to the “virtual ripple” which now has many people requesting my book, asking for details on upcoming speaking engagements and requesting time to visit “live!” Can you believe it…someone wants to actually chat LIVE!
I think the first step to winning any war is to have the right weapons and that I believe is tapping into the pulse to get someone jazzed and talking…either online or offline. It’s a great combatant to apathy!
Ripple On!
I think the first step to winning any war is to have the right weapons and that I believe is tapping into the pulse to get someone jazzed and talking…either online or offline. It’s a great combatant to apathy!
Taking a break is something that I feel every blogger ought to do at some point during their blogging career. It is not healthy to keep writing post after post after post day in day out with out a break.
You start to think 24,7 about blogging how you can impact your blogging career increase growth, thinking of new topics it soon takes over your life. I think having one day a week off from the computer and blogging is a great idea for keeping sane.