I didn't blog at all last week. I didn't plan it, but it just happened. Didn't write any posts, didn't read any posts, didn't even tweet all that much. Sometimes a break is just necessary, even if you don't plan it or even see it coming. I'm just trying to get it into my head that taking a blogging break is not the end of the world.
I think a lot of bloggers worry that if they take a break, everyone will forget about them, which is pretty silly. You'd have to take a pretty long break for people to actually unfollow your blog. You may have to actually give up blogging altogether. Chances are you'll still have some followers who will hold out until you actually say you're not blogging anymore. So that fear is pretty much just paranoia. If you take a week or even a month off, no one is really going to care. Once you get back into it, they'll still show up and read.
Part of my problem is that pretty much the only time I'm actually writing something is when I'm blogging. So if I stop blogging, then I'm not writing at all. I would feel better if I took a blogging break in order to get some work done on my novel. But that's not likely to happen. Also, earlier in the year I tried very hard to blog three times a week, and I kept up with it pretty well. But at a certain point I started to feel burnt out. I had no ideas left and didn't really want to blog anymore.
So last week when I just didn't feel like it, I said, screw it, I won't. I usually like to say when I'm taking a break but I didn't even want to do that. I'm trying to figure out the best way to get back into blogging and actually enjoy it. Well, I do find that blogging is a lot easier when I'm being productive with other writing and have something to talk about. So maybe if I was working on other things the blog ideas would come more naturally.
I'm also not holding myself to the three posts a week requirement. I'd like to still do it, but if I can't, then that's ok. I'm still going to blog every Monday but then Wednesdays and Fridays will happen if I actually have something to write about. I do have a few ideas for some fun, non-writing related posts which would be great for Fridays, too. And I may or may not be planning another blogfest for later in the year (shhhhhh!!!).
But in the meantime, if I take a day off here or there, I'm not going to feel bad about it.
When do you usually take blog breaks? How long are they?
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Plan on one and if more posts happen, that's great. But you don't want it to become a chore or not fun.
ReplyDeleteMy breaks are usually less that a week. People don't forget.
I post on Mondays but leave the rest of the week open. Sometimes I have a story to promote, something fun to talk about, etc. But sometimes I don't, and that's okay. :)
ReplyDeleteI seem to take more and more breaks lately. Trying now to stick to posting once a week but I still have some burnout.
ReplyDeleteMy last blogging break was the entire month of August. I did that because I was going to be entertaining guests all month long. The first two weeks of September ended up being part of that break, though, and that wasn't planned. Some residual burnout, maybe.
ReplyDeleteWhen I do break, however, I feel bad because I'm not visiting other people's blogs.
I don't have a posting schedule - if I don't want to post, I don't. If I do want to post, I do. I try not to let it get farther apart then a little over a week, though.
ReplyDelete~Lydia~ <3
I've had some big breaks the last couple months, but I didn't blog last week either. I'm giving myself a little more slack when it comes to blogging. I deserve a little more flexibility from myself.
ReplyDeleteIf it's not working, it's time to say, "Screw it!" Glad you did.Taking breaks is what keeps you refreshed.
ReplyDeleteI definitely know what you mean. I think being flexible is the best way to go. If you have something to say, say it if not rest your mind.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I take blog breaks, usually just for a week or two, because I either have blogger's block or because I'm just really busy with other things. I don't usually unfollow people who've taken breaks, unless it's been years since they've posted.
ReplyDeleteI sort of took a blog break last week too. I posted on Monday but not Wednesday and had a guest on Friday. When I have a guest, it means I get to take a backseat. It felt great not having to worry about my blog from Tuesday-Sunday.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a while since I've taken a blogging break. Haven't really felt the need. I did bump down my posts to 2 times a week. Hasn't seemed to hurt me yet.
ReplyDeleteBreaks are good! I took last week off. I've given up feeling guilty over it. I'm just playing catch up on visiting everyone now.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a break or reduced schedule works for you. :)
Good for you! I took a month off in June, then realized I wasn't ready to come back and took another month off. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy those breaks, big and small. I take most of the summer off with the exception of IWSG.
ReplyDeleteI've been slowing down a bit with blogging but still haven't taken any absolute blog breaks. I've also scaled down to one post per week for the most part except when I've got something special to add.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Blog breaks are perfectly okay. I had a really long one this summer. :)
ReplyDelete