As I mentioned here, I take blogging breaks as often as read (that’s a lot.) It’s not because I don’t enjoy blogging and writing, it’s purely because when life gets hectic, I don’t write. I don’t let my creative juices flow.
Then it’s suddenly a year later, and I’ve realized that I have a word document with about 3 pages of post ideas, and not a single one has been written about.
Over the last few months, after revamping my photography website and losing the blog there (on purpose), I realized that this blog wasn’t the issue. Yes, I sometimes suffer from writer’s block and can’t string a sentence to save my life, but who doesn’t suffer from that every now and then.
It was the blog on Eryn E Photography that was holding me back. I loved sharing images from my sessions, but when it was the busy season, I never would blog and suddenly I’d be about 30 sessions behind and playing catch up. I didn’t necessarily mind it, but I realized it was keeping from writing here because I was spending all of my time trying to catch up there.
Now with that sorted out, it’s time to get back to this blog.
First things first, it’s time to get back in the zone and out of the blogging hiatus. How am I’m going to do it? It just so happens I have a list for that.
CLEAN UP MY OLD FACEBOOK PAGE
I’ve had the same Facebook page for my blog since 2014. Which means 95% of the links, or more, no longer link to anything of value since the first version of the blog A Glimpse Into Eryn’s World is no longer on the internet and the second version (and first version of It’s Eryn E) is also gone. It’s time to clean up and start fresh there.
REORGANIZE MY WORD DOCUMENT WITH IDEAS
Over the last couple of years, I have compiled a list of blog post ideas in the various subjects I like to write about. They vary from social media and marketing topics, to self-care and mental health, and general lifestyle. But I also added some ideas for career and finance – two more topics I care about. In previous reiterations of the blog, I was all over of the place. I’m sure I still will be to a point on here, but I know what things I like to write about, and what topics I can actually offer useful advice in.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
Blogs have come a long way over the years. People have started to settle into their niches, whether they are a travel blog, a home & family blog, a beauty & fashion blog, or just a general lifestyle blog. I don’t want to put myself in a specific niche. I’m trying to focus on ways I can offer different spins on topics you may see all the time. It’s too soon to tell if I’ll actually be successful in doing that, but I’m certainly going to give it a try!
WRITE CONTENT FIRST
I’ve always been a “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of blogger. I find a topic to write about, I write it, and then I post about it. Not necessarily a bad thing, but for someone who leaves this blog behind the second things get a bit dicey, it’s probably not the best way to go about blogging. While I’m not setting up an editorial calendar or holding myself accountable, my plan is to try to write a few pieces per week, just to have in the queue. It doesn’t mean I’ll post them the same week, but that way I know there is something ready to go at all times.
I’m hoping this keeps me away from another blogging hiatus in a couple of months.
KEEP A DOCUMENT FOR IDEAS WHEN THEY STRIKE
I’ve always been that person who has an idea for a post when I’m out doing something, and then I get so distracted that I completely forget what it was a few seconds later. My plan is to keep a running note on my iPhone for ideas as they strike. I’ve done this in the past, but it was during a blogging break, so clearly it didn’t really help me then.
EASE BACK INTO IT
I’ve always been that type to start something and go so hard that I burn myself out almost immediately. Like exercise. Instead of going slow, and getting into a groove, I always go to hard or too fast and decide two weeks later I don’t want to do it anymore.
Same with blogging. I’ll get super excited, start writing and posting, and following my stats, and trying to join a million different groups to promote my posts, and so on.
And then, I’m so exhausted from it all that I don’t want to do it anymore.
Slow and steady this time, my friends. Slow and steady.
DON’T HOLD MYSELF TO A SCHEDULE
I’m super type-A. I love lists. I have lists for my lists. I like to plan things weeks in advance. I like to know what’s going on at all times. You would think I would be a hell of a lot better at this blogging thing with that in mind. The problem is, with this being a creative outlet, when I start to hold myself to a schedule, I feel bogged down and less creative. Do I want to say you’ll a post from me once a week? Yes. Will it happen? Maybe. Could it be more than once a week? Sure, anything’s possible.
Bottom line – I’ll write and post when I want to write and post.
Blogging breaks can be hard to come back from, no matter how much you love to blog. You need to be mentally and creatively ready to tackle it, and I’m finally at that place again.
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