Blogging online is similar to any offline activity. Just like with daily activities, if you feel motivated and passionate about blogging, you can come up with a lot of things to do and talk about on your blog. When you do not feel the presence of any encouragement, whether internal or external, you tend to drift off and start treating blogging as something that is a necessity instead of something that you like doing. I recently came across a situation which made me realize how important it is to interact with other bloggers and blogs in order to add more interest in your daily blogging routine. Such an interaction can help reignite your interest in blogging if you feel bored about the whole concept of blogging.
I found an automobile companion to kill boredom while driving
While driving up the 5 North, I noticed a silver Acura that had been driving in front of me for about 40 miles slowing down and turning on the right signal when I was behind it, telling me to go in front. After I was in the front, the Acura driver sped up when overtaking a truck and started showing the right signal light again. I realized he or she wanted to play a game where each car had to overtake a truck and then allow the other one to do the same and get in front.
After about a 120 miles of playing this game, the Acura followed me to an exit where I had to fill gas. The Acura sped up and went into the first gas station nearby. I decided to go to the farthest gas station because of this. After finishing filling up gas, I noticed the Acura driving into a nearby Carls Jr. drive-thru. I decided to rest there for a while, thinking the Acura would probably be on its way to wherever it was going. I woke up about half an hour later and noticed the Acura parked next to the Carls Jr. by the road. As soon as I got out of the gas station to get on the freeway again, the Acura started driving and followed.
That got me thinking: maintaining blogs is similar to this scenario. No, I do not mean blogging results in being stalked by strangers with Acura’s. What I mean is this: when you are blogging [driving] and it seems that you are all alone [night] with your blog [car], you can interact with other blogs [cars] that are also focusing on similar topics [driving in a certain direction]. Having such a company of another blog [Acura driver] can not only make your online experience [driving] more fun, it can also motivate you to focus on your blogging [driving] more.
If you feel bored as a blogger, find someone or something to spice up your blogging
If you feel the goals for your site are taking too long to achieve or are too boring, find other blogs who have similar goals, or try to find other blogs which are also going through the phase of trying to get on the right track to achieve certain goals. It may be hard to get noticed by big websites and blogs, so you will have better chances of trying to interact with other people who are running blogs and sites that are about the same size as your blog. That way, you can learn from their mistakes while at the same time learn new tricks.
If your daily blogging task seems too redundant and boring, try doing something new with what you are already doing, or try accomplishing your daily tasks with a different set of tools or in a different manner. This will also allow you to add more flavor to what you are already doing and create an increased interest in your blogging activities. Trying to do something with another blogger involved helps a lot. Once two people are working towards a common goal of bringing something to certain blogs, it will become easier to come across more ideas and theories that can help you avoid the boredom you face while engaged in routine blogging activities.
Be selective when adding other people as elements to spice up your blogging
In the case of the Acura, usually one would think they were being stalked. I kept driving and continued playing the game until I noticed the Acura driver flashing their lights. The driver was basically bidding farewell while taking another freeway to head east, while I continued heading west. I do not know whether the driver was a guy or a girl, a young or an old person, and I also do not know whether the driver was alone or with a group of people. The Acura driver also did not know who was inside my car. I made sure of this by not filling gas or eating together.
Apply the same selectiveness to your blog also. Do not rush out and find any blogger out there and start making them your online buddy. Be selective. First see how both of you can benefit, and then see what you can offer. After that, see what you can get in return and whether that return is something that would help you get rid of any boredom. Once you do that successfully, you will realize how boring blogging tasks can actually be fun.
Try new things to make old things feel fresh
The whole driving experience added a lot of fun to driving. You can try the same thing on your blog by adding interesting elements like new people or ideas into your normal routine that you may otherwise find boring. That should help you keep away the boredom from your blog and blogging.
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Bes,
You have hit up on something that not a lot of bloggers are willing to do: to get personal with other bloggers. And I think that's an excellent analogy.
I think developing relationships with other bloggers is crucial. Otherwise your blog is just going to live as a potted plant.
Thanks for the advice.
That "car game" sounds like it interesting. I think I would have been a bit frightened, but it doesn't seem like there was any real reason to be based on the way you described everything.
Anyway, I definitely would not have as much fun as I do if not for my readers / blog buddies.
I agree that there are so many ways to spice up your blog — you just have to be willing to put in the time and dedication.
Woah, that's a crazy experience. I've never seen that happen before!
Anyways, yep, you're right about everything about this whole blogging thing! Yeah, I actually find blogging to be fun, but then again, that's probably because my blog's a personal blog… LOL.
Ronalfy, thanks for offering a simpler explanation of what I was trying to say. Yes, developing relationship with others is crucial. Unless we consider the success of our blog by being isolated, it is very important to interact with others and let them know that we are willing to help them and are hoping for some help from them also. I like your example of a blog becoming a potted plant if it isn't interacting with others.
Nicole, yes, it was interesting. It was weird indeed, yes, however I tried my best to make sure I limited it to just a driving interaction and nothing more, and that made it much more fun.
About time and dedication, you are right: those are important things to consider and focus on when it comes to finding something to improve and enhance your interest in something.
Chau, you should have been there! :p I think your blog makes it easier to focus on and interact with others, since yours is a personal blog and you can connect yourself to it in more ways than is usually possible with other types of blogs.
Good advice Bes.
Men are social beings, and there is nothing you can do to change it. Blogging follows that logic.
Thanks Daniel. You have a very interesting point. Human beings are social creatures and being on the internet doesn't change that fact/trait.
An interesting view of the automotive industry. Where do you see the future of the industry, will it ever recover or will there be major casulties?
Another Excellent post, I will be sure to bookmark this in my Diigo account. Have a great day.