Back to Basics – Getting Back to Blogging

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imageI woke up this morning and felt that sense of relief that I didn’t have to be somewhere. I’ve spent the last three weeks doing supply work at my former school, and while I have been surprised how much I enjoyed it, it has served as a reminder why I don’t do this full-time anymore.

The mindset is a funny thing – I had almost two months of uninterrupted blog time before my contract started, and I spent most of it thinking I’ll do it tomorrow whenever any major writing tasks presented themselves. However, when sitting at a desk in my temporary classroom all I wanted to do was get on the blog, posting my usual nonsensical ramblings and reading about what everybody else had been up to.

I suppose that when something is a daily part of life it becomes easily taken for granted, only for its importance to be realised once it is taken away, even if it’s just for a little while.

I’ve lost my way a little bit in the online world. It became about alt words, key words, SEO. The correct title, the correct image. Stats, stats and more stats have obsessively taken over at times to the point where they became more important than content and conversations. And I’ve missed those conversations. Granted, I’m more than proud of everything that I have created and achieved, but I’ve decided that October (or should it be ‘Blog-tober‘ – see what I stole there?) would be a brilliant opportunity to return back to the reason why I actually started writing in the first place: writing for me. Of course, I enjoy doing the wide and varied activities that the blog affords, (which I’ll participate in as they present themselves), and I’ll continue to share posts and blogs that I like to read, but I’m determined that the next few weeks will be devoted to getting back to basics. Write, post, repeat.

I started this morning by doing just that, crafting several posts to save into my drafts folder for later in the week and then sharing my older posts (and those of others) in @RachelintheOC’s #MondayBlogs hashtag. I’d forgotten how much fun it was to take the time to create a thoughtful and meaningful post from scratch, and I also had the chance to catch up on some great posts from my favourite writers, something I have neglected of late.

What about you guys? Do you find yourself on a different blogging journey at times than you originally intended?

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog and you can also find me on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/suzie81speaks, my Pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/suzie81speaks and my instagram page http://www.instagram.com/suzie81speaks

 

It seems like I’m not the only one who has been feeling this way – despite the fact that this post was written this afternoon I discovered, as always, that similar ideas seem to present themselves in the blogging world at the same time – check out this great post from Anna Rosenblum-Palmer. 

55 thoughts on “Back to Basics – Getting Back to Blogging”

  1. I think we all evolve along with our journey… and for me I know my blog won’t take a back step but sometimes I can’t put it first either… Compromise I guess!

  2. Teehee, that’s why I don’t claim my blog is a foodie blog, or a Birmingham blog, it’s just Sarah’s and my adventures in the black Country and beyond. It’s easy to go off on a tangent if you box yourself in too tight.

    • I’ve never had a niche – I like to write about what I like, when I feel like it – but I’ve got a bit lazy in the general writing just for me recently… I miss reading the blogs too!

  5. You mean does life grab you by the ankles and drop you into the nearest gutter just as you thought you were going to make it to the red carpet while the light bulks were popping? Oh yeah, and the past three years, and especially the last three weeks, have proven that’s how it sometimes goes for me. Life 101, and we all signed up even if we didn’t see a contract. Awful as it sometimes is, I’ll take the bad with the good because others have so much more to contend with. I’m very fortunate after all.
    Looking forward to your new writings.

  8. Yes…when I remember or find the the time to blog, that is. It became not-fun for a while, so now I’m easing back into it, or as much as my life right now allows.

  9. You seem to be singing a song that several bloggers have also shared (Elena, Anna, etc). While I’m still crazy busy this semester, I am blogging less. I also quit worrying about views and SEO and how-to blah blah for now. Blogging is supposed to be FUN, not work (who really earns enough to make it work?). Glad we recognize blogging for what it is. A way to connect!

    • Absolutely! The community side of things has been the biggest influence on my passion for blogging, but I need to devote a bit more time to it rather than focusing on stats…

  11. Sometimes it’s not possible to give the blog the time and attention you want to, for sure not as long as it’s not a business. For me it’s not a business, which is good too because then I don’t have to stick to a niche. I think that my blogging is influenced by what’s going on in my life and out there in the world which has a massive influence on what I write. Sometimes it actually takes my “voice” and I can’t write. And then it feeds me too. And sometimes I just don’t find the time to sit down and write and I feel I’m bursting because there is so much I want to write about.

  12. What’s the saying? ‘Never put off what can be done today, until tomorrow.’
    I write when the mood takes me. If I have something to say then I’ll write it. Too many times have I said I’ll write it tomorrow, and then forgotten what it was I was going to write about. 🤔 You do good by writing and then saving it to draft.
    Blogging is all about fun and enjoyment. It should never become an issue or a problem. I’ve been there and got the t-shirt. If it does, then take a break from it for a while.
    Looking forward to Blog-tober very much.

  13. when i first thought about blogging it was intended to be for a short period to diarise the transformation of my classic car. Once i started writing I just needed to write about anything and everything that pops into my head… main topics tend to be family, politics, tourism but i tend to digress pretty frequently… usually i keep to the ‘rose-tinted’ banter i intend

  14. I still fear running out of things to say sometimes but life has a way of throwing things to write about at me! Just hoping more of them become good things!

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  16. I just starting blogging last month (a whole 3 posts in!) and have felt so inspired and invigorated by the process. I am still learning the blogging world and “finding my voice.” But I have worried about finding myself in a situation like you describe – where I’m “caught up” in it all and forget the reasons I started this in the first place. Your post gave me hope to intentionally remember why I’m here and if I do get lost along the way, and I don’t have to stay that way. Good luck in Blog- tober!

    • Thank you so much for your comment! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the process! My best advice (not that you asked for it) is to write what makes you happy – try to avoid largely writing for the audience. Enjoy!

  18. Totally Suzie. That’s what I love about blogging though. It’s your own corner of the internet and you can write about what YOU want. I think that when you write from the heart, it flows better too. Getting back to basics is a great idea to strip too many outside influencers away!

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