Wow it has been a real learning curve the last four
weeks. I had a week to prepare my blog before going on holiday, but in that
time I had to write 2 weeks worth of blog posts. It was so difficult a bit like
pulling teeth, I just didn't feel inspired enough to conjure up two weeks worth
of posts. This resulted in me constantly thinking about posts. And resulted in
me hitting a wall, a total block.
When I have written a post up to now, it has been
a bit of a light bulb moment, I get the idea from a place, some photos or a
conversation, and then it just flows. Sometimes I have so many ideas buzzing
around my head that I forget some. There is no happy medium.
The other shock I had; was the
blog bubble shrunk. People reduced their posts, twitter went quiet and readers
diminished. As a newby this was all a total shock, all those experienced
bloggers knew what to expect, how to plan, but I never saw any of it coming. It
took me a while to realise what was going on, the blogger bubble was on holiday
had reduced to limited service. And I was just not prepared.
So I have compiled myself a list of dos and don'ts for the next time I am on holiday and unable to blog. Or next time the blog
world goes into autopilot.
Do write
an extra post each week for my archive, this way I can pull them up and
schedule them on those days or weeks that we are away.
Don't try to sit and write a week
worth of posts, it fries my brain and I achieve nothing
Don't feel under pressure to post
every day, it is ok to have days off.
Do keep a note pad with me for
blogging ideas, this way I can access them whenever I need to.
Don't leave blanks if I am away,
ensure all posts are scheduled and ready so I am not worrying about posting, or
writing content.
Don't feel rejected when my reader
numbers drop through the floor, I kept wondering where my readers had gone,
wondering what I had said to offend them. They like the rest of the blog world
were having a break, that's all.
Do be prepared and organised. This way I
can enjoy my blog, my 4th (child after the boys and the dog) from a safe
distance. Without have to constantly give it attention, it can run with it's
schedules whilst I am chilling with my family, and building new memories and inspiration, for posts of the future.
