The Blogging Blues

blogging blues

Do you know that  feeling?

That feeling of pouring your heart and soul into a post?
You've dóne the research, and you've wrítten your article.
Then, with your heart pounding in your throat, you push 'publish'.
And you think: 'This is it! Now it's going to happen for me. This post is going to go viral. Thís post will get lots of comments! I can feel it it my fingers. And in my bones.'

Where is everybody?

And then there is silence.

So while you wait for the comments to come pouring in, you start to visit some other blogs. Yawning you scroll your way down someone's  post, featuring 30 shots of her garden. Silently cursing her for the fact that she put them in vertically.

But then you get to the comment section. And you can't believe your eyes: 'She's got even more comments than boring pictures of her garden!'

You just can't believe it. And you think to yourself: 'What am I doing wrong?!'

Do you know that feeling?

If you do you may very well be suffering from a severe bout of the Blogging Blues!

The Blogging Blues

Almost every blogger gets them at one time or another: The Blogging Blues. Except for a small circle of lucky bastards who got a blog for their birthday and thought: 'What the heck, might as well use it,' and then go viral overnight.
This post is not for them.

Different kinds of Blogging Blues

There are different kinds of Blogging Blues.

  • Disappointment caused by a lack of comments and feedback
  • Your muse has left you, leaving you without inspiration
  • Personal blogging crisis: 'What's it all about? Why am I even doing this?'
  • Depression: every one is more popular than me!
  • Envy: why are they so popular, and I'm not?! It's not fair, that's what it is!

First aid for the Blogging Blues

Step away from the computer!

If you've been struck by the Blogging Blues take a step back from the computer! Close that window showing your statistics. Close your email, showing your lack of comments! Yes, you too!

'Step away from the computer!'Right now.'

Go for a walk, read a book. Do something different..

Back to where it all began

Now that you're away from you computer you can start to think about why you started blogging in the first place. What did you like about it? What motivated you? Decide if this is still the case.

Finding your inner motivation can help you become immune to what other people think of your blog and a lack of comments and interaction.

Stop comparing

Stop comparing your blog to other people's blogs. It's okay if other blogs inspire and motivate you. But if they start to depress you, stay away from them for at least a month!

Take action.

Take action. Use social media to promote your blog. Even if you hate social media. Because unfortunately there's no way around them. Pick 1 or 2 networks you like, and start building your presence. Just tell yourself: 'It's a free tool to promote my blog!'

Have you ever suffered from the Blogging Blues?

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39 reacties

  1. So true! I'm a new blogger and so I haven't really experienced this yet! However, I know when I'm starting to get down on myself about not writing enough ,etc I remember to stop. Take a walk and regroup.

  2. I get the most random comments on some posts. Like my most popular post was one that I whipped together in 5 minutes and I wasn't happy with the pictures. But then a few of my favorite all-time posts got ignored. I, honestly, want to start an etsy shop partially because I see so much poorly done stuff on there that sells. I always think, gawd, I could do waaay better than that and they have sold like 2k items, lol.

  3. Love this very honest post! I started my blog as a personal journal so I rarely get comments and if I do, it's from my best friends. LOL. Now I still blog just so I have an outlet and I'm getting more comments than before. I try not to obsess about comments and stats - I just do my thing and accept what happens next. Haha 🙂

  4. I'm sorry...I really am. I didn't know that you had been hanging in there for so long...

    Perhaps you can start by celebrating the little victories -- i.e. the improvements, changes, modifications you have made -- no matter how small -- in order to garner new readers?

    Pat yourself on the back, really, give yourself some credit for doing this for five long years!!!

  5. Just like you, I marvel at the number of comments/readers that a "boring" blog attracts...but then, someone is probably saying the same thing about some of my blog posts that garner a decent amount of comments. Someone might be saying, "I just don't get it? Why is anyone reading this?"

    Anytime these dreaded feelings start to creep up on me, I remind myself of this: There is enough -- enough content, enough readers, enough ideas, enough blogs -- for all of us to have a piece of the pie.

    Be patient. Hang in there. Blogging is one of the biggest personifications of ebb and flow that I know.

    As long as you love what you're writing, to hell what anyone else thinks.

    Great post. Stopping by from #TurnItUpTuesday.

  6. Seriously?! Look at all these comments! Now I have the blues!... Not really. I do my blog for me and to inform. It's new and I love doing it. So I'm good no matter what happens!
    Peace,
    Sara

  7. Ugh, so much this!

    I keep going through different phases of the blogging blues and it suuucks. I'll get a ridiculous amount of traffic one day and then it all stops. It wouldn't bother me so much if I didn't see other blogs every once in a while and think, "How did YOU get so many followers!? Even within your niche, your blog kind of sucks!" I know that's mean, but I'm sure we all have seen at least one blog like that. You're right, though. Taking a break is usually exactly what I need.

    Thanks for this! 🙂

  8. I know what you mean April. If blogging were just a hobby, I could not justify the amount of time I spend blogging to myself. Luckily I make just enough to hang in there.

  9. Hi Rhonda, it's good to hear you bounced back from the Blogging Blues. I hear a lot about the power of social media, and that it can really help. Thanks for following me. I'll be sure to return the favor!

  10. thank you, you are so right I was feeling the blues and overwhelmed and took a break and went back to my art and now I feel ready to start again following from countdown to style hop have a great memorial day

  11. I can so relate to this post, I felt the blues for a while and to my detriment I was comparing the "garden pictures" to my "heart & soul posts". But I kicked the blues to the kerb now I am happy doing what I love just for me. Thanks for linking up at the countdown in style linky x

  12. I'm somewhat in one of these funks right now... more of the "why am I doing this?" I enjoy doing it, but it takes SO much time away from my family, and it's not netting any real profit, I would love for me to substantiate taking the time away from my family. Thanks for sharing with Turn it Up Tuesday.

  13. Stopping by from Turn It Tuesday. I know exactly how you feel. I stopped blogging for awhile, I had the "blues" so bad from a lack of comments and interaction. I decided to return and I'm happy that I didn't give up. Social Media has been a blessing. You have a new follower on Bloglovin, Google+., and a Facebook like.

  14. Yes blogging does take a lot of time. There's the research the writing of the post, and the the promotion. I don't mind the work, but it's so great if you feel that it's paying off. If not, it's like playing tennis, all by your lonesome. You hit the ball, but it never comes back.

  15. I comment on other blogs too. But it would be niche if people would return the favor, wouldn't it? I mean, it's not as if their blog posts are all that interesting all the time. In fact, quite often they're not. But I took the time to leave a comment. So I say to them: Please return the favor?

  16. Only having very few comments just sucks I think. No matter how you keep telling yourself it doesn't matter. I know, because I try this all the time. This post is getting comments and it feels sooo good!

  17. Yes, you should definitely make sure you have absolutely no device with you that can connect you to the internet! Sometimes you have to give your willpower a break. That's what I do with cheese puffs. I just don't buy them. Because if they're in the house, I can't keep my hands off of them...

  18. I love this post! Blogging is hard work, people who don't have one don't understand. It's a hobby that requires a lot of time. Some people don't understand it. I love it! I'm stopping by from SITS & I hope your enjoying your weekend!

  19. Yep! Comparing blogs isn't going to help anyone. I think with blogging there will always be a kind of mysterious success--it seems like excruciatingly boring blogs are very popular...just accept it, and keep doing your thing!

  20. YES! I get this feeling. I know there are people reading my blog but I get few comments. The ones I get make my day. So glad to know I'm not alone in this feeling. Thanks for sharing!

  21. I think most of this have this experience... it seems so unfair that others have all the traffic and we don't. But you're right, we have to get out there and get the social media working..

  22. I'm a bit on the fence about social media too. They can indeed be very time consuming, and my first love is my blog. I would like to spend my time there, not on social media platforms.

  23. Well said. And nice tips. I've definitely found that blogging is work and drudgery when I'm trying to do what I think everyone else wants me to or thinks I should and forget what I want. If my blog doesn't make me happy, it doesn't matter if everyone else loves it. It's just not worth it to me if I don't enjoy it.

    Happy Sharefest. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

  24. I think it is a beautiful post and I recognize a few things in it. I'm still not sure how I actually feel about having only very few comments, but I've promised myself to keep writing. The social media thing is what I find the most time consuming, so I'm not really doing well on that. I try to comment a lot myself and then just be content.

  25. I've been suffering the blogging blues (and the life blues too) lately so I've been taking a bit of a hiatus from my blog (not really...lol) and the Internet (yea, not so much). I've been doing okay but I really need to get out of my apartment and away from the temptation of social media and my blog. Oh wait, then there's my phone. Dagnabbit! *sigh* I think I just need to go someplace where there's no wifi and no reception on my phone. Yea. That should do it.

  26. This is very true. I have had a hard time with the lack of comments too. I see the numbers, I see the email subscriptions. I know people are reading but I get one or two comments on most posts. When I started blogging I thought about interacting with my readers, daily questions, musing, learning from them just as mush as I hope they learn from me. I got on myself about this but like you I realized, what is the point. Walk away. Put the content out there, promote where you usually do, and then live your life. It might come, it might not come but the people that do comment or read enjoy it, you enjoy it and that is all that matters. I just discovered your blog from the made in a day blog sharing and am so excited to read more. And comment! I hope your blog blues are over, enjoy your day!

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