The other day another blogger brought to my attention that some people think blogging is a dying art.
I disagree.
Yes, I know I don’t write as often as I used to. But really, it was insufferable writing, or at least that’s what I think sometimes when I look through my archives. Am I the only one? How many consecutive posts full of GIFs can I write and have people stick around? (For the record, I love GIFs. Have a whole post with more GIFs than words? I will love you forever). I digress.
Blogging is a lot like high school…
Freshman year
For the first six months, you blog five or more times per week, which is just like to going to class every single day. You don’t miss blog hops cut class. You include annoying links to your blog / blog hop / giveaway with every comment turn in extra credit. You comment on 15 or more blogs per day to get more exposure. You don’t even know what a niche is, but you try to tackle as many different niches as you possibly can, because more is more. Not that I’m talking from experience or anything.
And just like the awkward kid with braces and acne, you load up on as many ad swaps as you can. If you’re anything like me, you asked much bigger bloggers for an ad swap. No, no, no.
#facepalm.
Sophomore year
Months six through 12 make you a little more experienced, and you start getting a little cocky. You’re leaving your awkward Freshman stage behind and you’ve made some friends. You decide cutting class not blogging once a week isn’t the end of the world.
For the record, I never cut class in high school. Ok. I lied. I did once. It was junior year after Grease dress rehearsals ended, and I felt entitled to because I was serving the school. Let’s ignore the fact that it was during the last 5 days of school anyway. #rebel.
Junior year
There are new “freshmen” entering the blogging world each day and you can’t keep up with the ever-increasing new faces. Also, the stress of being an established blogger (giveaways, sponsored posts, sponsor duties, social media, blog branding, blogging PR, and continuing to pump out great content) starts taking a toll on you. Big time.
You start wondering if you can really do it all and you start wondering if “high school” is for you.
Senior year
You’ve been at this forever.
Calm down, it’s only been a year. two if you were left behind.
People are dropping out left and right. Those that haven’t dropped out are dropping Blogger like it’s hot and moving to WordPress.
Some weeks you don’t show up for class at all. You are officially burnt out. You think “high school” is a waste of time. And then Memorial Day happens and nobody shows up for school anymore.
ERMAGERD! HIGH SCHOOL IS DYING.
Snap. out. of. it.
Blogging isn’t dying. You’re just bored with it, and it’s okay. Memorial Day was last week and summertime is here to stay. You can’t fathom being stuck inside when the sun’s shining, and the beach beckons you with her Siren Songs. Go on and get your vitamin D. It’s okay.
Promise. I’ll join you (if hand-holding makes you feel better).
Blogging has its ebbs and flows. New bloggers enter the scene all the time, and because you have learned how to balance your time better are busy as shit, you don’t pick up on it as quickly. However, all of these newer bloggers know who you are. They’re learning from you. They look up to you.
They read your blog.
So while your feed may look a little sparser now that the livin’ is easy, don’t despair. Blogging will pick up again.
Pack your sunscreen and a notebook and head to the beach. You’ll have spectacular new posts just in time for the next freshman class.
Enjoy your summer break!
Emily says
Love this! Such a great analogy. Although, I am concerned that blogs might be dying in the fact that people aren’t reading them as often anymore. I feel like the Instagram “mini blog” is the direction everyone’s heading. But who cares, I’ll keep my blog regardless :)
Lisette says
I’ve noticed that trend. Even though I like photography, I just don’t think I can go that route. Do what makes you happy!
Diane says
So fun I love your creativity! I found myself trying to see if I was a freshman, sophmore, junior, etc! Great read for a Monday!
Lisette says
You’re too funny! This was more of a tongue-in-cheek kind of post…nothing to be taken literally. I had fun writing it. Thanks for stopping by!
Michael says
Lisette, I absolutely loved the way you wrote this! It’s so true also! Blogging is also like college. I’ve learned enough to know that I can show up when I want, with what I want and that’s just how it goes.
Lisette says
Haha you’re so right, Michael. It sure is.
It’s like college because you can also read between the lines, and know when something should be taken to heart and when it shouldn’t.
I’ve learned a lot about other people via blogging. It has high points but also low points
Kenzie ♥ says
I feel like this analogy is so spot on!
Lisette says
Thanks, Kenzie. I’ve thought of blogging like this for a long time now. It just took a little push from a good friend to blog about it. Otherwise it would never have made it to a published status.
Kenzie ♥ says
Well I am glad you published it! I definitely remember going through those first couple stages :D
Brianne says
Spot on! I’ve decided like the commenter above that I’m going “college” with my blog now. Show up and write when I want to.
Ashley says
Thank you for posting this!! Personally I feel like I am in Junior Year. The pressure is killer – but getting organized and learning new techniques has helped a lot.
Cat says
I definitely think that people hit a blogging slump in early summer, but that seems kind of natural. Summer activities haven’t really started yet, and motivation can be low. I don’t think that blogging is dying, but I think that it isn’t really a viable source of income for everyone, and some people get into blogging thinking it will be a huge gold mine, and get discouraged when they realize that it is a lot of work for what you make.
Jackie says
I definitely agree that it’s not dying at all. I think it’s changing a bunch (especially for things like the FCC disclosure rules) and it’s interesting that advertisers are now talking bloggers seriously.
Lauren says
Preach it. I completely agree. I am actually moving on up right now in my blogging game. After it seems like weeks without a post :)
Hallie says
Yes, I love this!
Jo-Anne says
Blogging is not dead going on how many blogs I read each day, I love blogging
Niki says
Haha this is so true! And it definitely ebbs and flows! I’m back on a blogging kick, but I was feeling that senior year burnout for awhile there!
Chelsea says
I love this! And I completely agree with you. Love the high school analogy.
Sydney says
Love this post!!! I have been thinking about this a lot lately.
Amanda says
Yes to all of this. So true. when i take long breaks, I start forgetting how good it is be here, and when I’m here, its great but then the pressure starts building and I need another break. So yeah, it ebbs and flows for sure. I love this post!
Tiara says
Great post. I’ve been blogging for awhile and if I don’t feel like posting/writing then I don’t. Blogging should be fun. I also appreciate good content. Thank you!
Trish says
I’ve seen lots blog burn out and many who walk away from their blogs all together. I’ve written professionally for different spaces/blogs, and I can say that professional blogs are here to stay. My thoughts on personal blogs are similar to others, do what you want in your space. There are SO many rules out there on how to write/advertise/sponsor…blah blah blah. If we can remember that blogging is about making our own space and doing what makes us happy.
Karissa says
I think this was a great way to look at blogging. I’m just hitting the two year mark and I go through spurts where my blogging in on fire and I am really productive and then I back off a bit and take a break for awhile.
Lauren @ My Passion Journey says
You hit the nail on the head! I actually wrote a guest post with a similar sentiment a few weeks ago, only I described mine as the phases of blogging. I have no clue what “year” I am in blogland at this point, but I do know that my motivation has changed (in a good way) and it has allowed me to take a step back from my former 5 posts a week. (Thankfully!) Here’s the post: http://www.momentsforthejourney.net/phases-of-blogging/
P.S. I found your blog on Living in Yellow- becoming a new follower now!
Kelly says
What a great analogy! And I agree with our previous conversation – it is the summer slump!
Samantha @ Designer in Teal says
This is SO accurate!!! Definitely graduated from all of those blogging stages. I write about what I want. And I just spent vacation with a girl I met through blogging who is now a best friend of mine!!
XO Samantha
Ally says
Any advice for a sophmore blogger? Is it true that if a blog isn’t on Wordpress it will never be a true “success”? Eek! Help me, oh wise collegiate level blog-goddess!!
Lisette says
I got a good chuckle out of “blog goddess,” and while my first instinct is to deny such adoration, I’ll take it ;)
No, I don’t think you need to be on WordPress to be successful at blogging. I know many who are on Blogger (let’s now forget Tumblr and SquareSpace!) who are successful. I simply came to WordPress because I started on WordPress.com and liked it, but also because Google flagged my old design site as spam once. I never had any comments on that site, nor advertisements, so it was a real head-scratcher. I didn’t want to risk them mistakenly scrapping this blog, so I moved to WordPress.