Topic: Should I keep my blog?

[mghiggins]

I'm a terrible blogger. I admit it. I started my blog a few years ago because all of my writing buddies had one and it seemed like a good idea at the time. While I love blogging as a format for interacting with other writers, I struggle coming up with posts. Occasionally I enjoy it, but it just as often feels awkward and unnatural. I've taken lots of very long blogging breaks, the most recent lasting almost a year! 

Having a stagnant blog can't be a good idea, especially since it comes up ahead of my website in Google searches. I either need to start posting again or get rid of it entirely. Hence my dilemma.

At this point, all of my books are work-for-hire, so marketing isn't an issue. But I might have an agent and my "own" book someday, and a blog might come in handy. (And maybe even required by said agent or editor?)

I'm thinking my options include keeping the blog and posting to it every once in a while, just to keep it somewhat active. Or deleting it with the assumption that editors and agents are OK with writers not blogging anymore. (I am on Twitter, and though I also haven't tweeted in a long time, I'm more comfortable with Twitter's short-and-quick format. I'm not on Facebook.)

Your advice? 

[Vijaya]

If blogging is not something you enjoy, ditch it. If you are asked to do it by a publisher, it's probably a good idea to consider it, but one has to question the value of it just for the sake of marketing.

Good luck,
Vijaya

[mrh]

I think it would be fine to ditch it, mg. As you say, you don't need it for marketing now, and if/when you are agented or publish your "own" book, you could always start fresh if advised to and you think it's a good idea. Meanwhile, some online presence is a good thing in preparation for that day, but you can choose the platforms. Do you have a website? If you have a site and blog all rolled into one, I'd worry less about infrequent posts, even after you're trade-published. The blog posts could just be a "here's the news" sort of thing.

[Rachel]

If you aren't enjoying it, I say stop. Maintaining a blog is a huge time sink, and you're better off spending that time on things like writing. Don't spend all this extra time on a blog just because you feel like you should. 

[annastan]

Echoing what other people have said: If you're not enjoying blogging, then don't feel like you have to do it!

One option might be to try to make your website a little more active. As someone else mentioned, you could try to do frequent updates to your "news" section, or you could have some other changing content on it. Perhaps you could post a new picture every week? Or a haiku? Anything that will keep the site from being totally static.

I've pretty much heard from all marketing people that the number one rule of marketing is only do what you actually enjoy doing; otherwise, it will seem forced. So if blogging isn't your thing, there's no shame in letting it go.

[SYoon]

I agree with everyone else. Dump it! Cut it loose! You'll feel so free and unburdened after! Not only do you not enjoy blogging, but it makes you feel guilty when you don't blog. Sounds like a double whammy!

I never in a million years thought I'd have a blog. I don't like to write much. But I learned that not all blogs have to be the same. I made mine in a way that is perfectly suited for me: Little bit of text,.. but mostly art... just like most of my books.

So my advice is... if you still want to keep one, maybe rethink the format/structure of your blog. What is it that you love, and how can you share it through your blog? Lots of blogs seem to post advice for other writers/authors, post book reviews, have giveaways, contests, have author interviews... but not all blogs need to do that. Mine really doesn't have any of that... except the occasional giveaway and contests planned. If you're going to have one, make it fun and uniquely fit for you and your writing personality! I will enjoy adding to my blog whether anyone sees it or not. It's just fun. And when it becomes not so fun and more of a burden, I think I'd stop... unless my 3 fans begged me not to!

Good luck with your decision!

[RebeccaH]

I agree with everyone else. Step away from the blog! I don't write a  blog. I've tried, but blogging just doesn't work for me. Like you, I don't enjoy it and I find it stressful. It also takes me away from what I most love to do, which is write books and articles for kids. (Like other people have suggested, I'm experimenting with ways to keep my website from being static, like having a "What's New" section and a widget linked to my Goodreads page.)

I have this quote from Steve Jobs posted in my office: "Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do." In other words, figure out what works for you and do that and do it well. Let go of all the should-dos. They are holding you back.

[Christy]

I agree with everyone else. If you don't like, don't bother with it. It will be such a stress relief. I really love blogging, I find it fun so even though I don't blog much, I still keep my blog. You can always start a new one later if you want to!

[217mom]

I set up a regular website at the urging of my first publisher, and a blog at the urging of the second. After a bit of discomfort, I found that I like both. But I must say that the more or less static site requires a whole lot less of me.
About six months later, the blog-urging publisher concluded that blogs do not help sell books. I sort of knew this, but by then I found that thinking of it as a coffee break with friends suites me just fine.

So for you, what everyone has said. You already know you don't like feeding a blog. Maybe you feel the need of an affirmation that it will not hurt you to shelve it. It won't hurt, and may give you all the extra energy for the main writerly endeavors you have.

[mghiggins]

Thanks so much for your input, guys. I feel like I needed "permission" to stop blogging, and you've just given it to me. I like the idea of making my website more active, maybe with an infrequent blog or news update. That really takes the pressure off!

BB'rs rock!