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Today is day 15 of #LoveBlog and for my sanity, I feel it is important to be straight with you. While I love participating in link-ups, I usually don't go full in because I really like my daily themes. I like talking about food and travel … and … But I also like challenges; I like taking on potential growth opportunities.
With #LoveBlog, I foresaw the opportunity to combine topics or transform a prompt into something I can relate to and provide commentary on. Were any of you around for last year's April A-Z blogging? One of my favorite blog posts was written during the A-Z challenge as I tried to work around the theme of "absence" and, also, fit in the fantastic story by Mimi Baird He Wanted The Moon in. It was a complicated topic with the blog post taking me hours to put together, but in the end it felt very rewarding when you and I alike had the chance to discuss the challenges faced by the mentally ill. That was goal #1 of participating in #LoveBlog this month.
For goal #2 I had the hope that, through participating in #LoveBlog, I would be able to get personal with you. Sometimes in writing blog posts, I distance myself. Food is only personal inasmuch as we all have to eat it. Clothing … well, I recommend not running around naked. In the US, you'd probably get fined and taken to jail. I guess I'm just saying that my typical blog posts and reviews aren't necessarily relatable. If I'm not relatable, what kind of writer or blogger am I? I was hoping that #LoveBlog would give me a chance to break new ground and become a better writer and blogger.
Unfortunately, 15 days in and #LoveBlog has me struggling. The topics tend to blow my mind. While I can typically think of some personal story to share, it's not always the most amusing or written in the best way. Then, to make blogging more complicated, I've been sick … beginning all the way back on day one. First it was a stomach bug, then it was sinuses. And now? This week I'm working crazy-long hours, so there will be no time to catch up if I fall behind.
Readers, #LoveBlog friends, I feel like I have, thus far, failed at participating in #LoveBlog nearly as well as I should be. Do I need to skip blogging on days I can't find a way to relate (like I did 2 Fridays ago on day 5)? Do I write and publish even on days when my blog post is limping along (like day 9)? Is just writing every day enough of a challenge to help me improve my relatability and flexibility in writing?
If you are currently participating in a link-up or have in the past (or are a writer, blogger, or reader of any sort!), I'd love to hear your thoughts… As it turns out, participating in a link-up is way more complicated than I ever thought it would be!
I think you are doing an amazing job! Isn’t it funny how hard link ups can be?! I’ve never been able to complete a full month of link ups haha!
ReplyDeleteI'm awake at 1:21am because as the host of #LoveBlog, I have to get my posts done. This was possibly a ridiculously stupid month to host a daily blog challenge considering I'm spending two weekends out-of-town, hosted my two best friends this past weekend plus hosted a day-long party on Saturday, and am volunteering the last weekend this month.
ReplyDeleteBut, like you, I enjoy a challenge! I started planning #LoveBlog in December in my mind, and then wrote everything out in January.
Blogging every day is HARD. Blogging every day, with posts scheduled in advance, and dealing with the extra HTML and photo resizing as the host, is way harder than I imagined. I've gotten way less sleep this month than I normally do. But I'm proud of what I've done. I'm proud of what I've inspired in other bloggers. I'm already planning on hosting this again next year! (I'll just write more than 3 posts in advance next time).
I'm doing #LoveBlog this month too and I'm just participating in the prompts that speak to me and give me something to share. Don't let yourself feel pressured to participate every single day if you don't have something to write. That's the surest way to hit blogger burn-out.
ReplyDeleteI've missed at least 6 or 7 of the days so far (so about half) but I've loved the ones I've written about. Don't stress over it and don't stress over writing every day. Just write and enjoy the process when you feel inspired.