Looking back at my blog over the past couple of months, I see nothing but sporadic re-blogs. I’ve barely posted at all, but that isn’t because I don’t have anything to say. It’s because I have so much to write about, I can hardly get my thoughts in order.
Do I talk about the election this past November and the upcoming change in presidency? Right now, the thought of politics fills me with a combination of anger, hopelessness, and dread.
Do I talk about the past month and constant stream of guests and activity that accompanies the winter holidays? How about a 2016 summation or a Happy 2017 post? No. I’m ready to put 2016 behind me and a Happy New Year post 7 days into the new year seems sort of stale.
Do I talk about my own writing and its lack of progression? No. My reasons for not writing are the same as they’ve always been. I’ll get back to it eventually.
Between family, work, world events, and some recent amazing books I’ve read or edited, I have a lot I could talk about. As I writer, I should want to pour my heart out on my blog. It seems strange to me that I’ve avoided what I love doing for so long. Maybe this post will open the floodgates and I’ll delve into editing The Coven or penning some poetry soon.
To all my writer friends out there, I hope you’re doing well. Are you working on any new projects, or are you taking a break? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.
All I Have to Say 
Um, Tricia…if you have so much to say the thoughts are tumbling over one another to get out, just sit down and set some of them down. I know it’s easy for me to say, we live a very quiet life, and I don’t work any more, but there’s always a list of priorities. See fewer people, give yourself some time and just get on with it!
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Even now, I’ve tried to reply to your comment and then deleted the whole thing. I think you’re right. I need to get the thoughts on paper, even if that isn’t shared on a blog or anywhere else. We’ve had visitors at our house for the past two weeks, but now that is behind us, I can focus more on writing.
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Everybody organizes their life differently. We hardly ever have visitors because we don’t know many people and family live too far away. We could have been more outgoing and sociable and we could maybe have had more successful careers so we had the money to go and visit or invite family, but we haven’t. The solitary occupation of writing suits our lifestyle so maybe it was always meant to be. You have to set the rhythm you want, not try and do everything because if anything’s going to go out the window it’s that precious quiet time for writing.
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I’m in the same boat, Tricia. So many blog post titles drafted but no time to actually commit to writing those blogs. Many authors I’ve promised to promote, but it’s difficult to focus and get caught up. I think I’m just too distracted by everything going on out there to be able to concentrate and get some work done! Hoping we both get past this frustration point and have a very productive 2017!
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I hope so too. I need to focus and be serious about what I commit to doing.
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I also find I need to become more realistic about how much and what I can take on and actually be able to accomplish. Better to do far less but do it well than promise everyone the moon and only make it halfway there.
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Kind of in the same boat. I started doing some blog posts just to get things moving again, almost like journaling, but more public. 🙂
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I think part of my problem is I don’t have a clear direction. My blog used to be primarily writer-related posts with advice and that sort of thing. Then I took a long break and came back with tons of poetry. I need to sit down and decide what this blog is about and how to make it happen.
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I decided to try doing a post a day for 2017. I pushed out the first week’s worth today – here’s hoping I won’t be doing that every weekend.
But I know what you mean. Between world events and personal events, I have a lot to say that I haven’t figured out how to put on paper yet. Maybe this whole post-a-day strategy will help?
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You’ve always been a pretty steady blogger. I’ve gone months without posting anything. I feel very guilty about that. I hope your post a day approach works for you. I might try a post a week to start.
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Not lately, I haven’t. But so far this week, I’ve done pretty well. Here’s hoping we can both keep our momentum going!
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Life sometimes gets in the way. I moved this year and it not only messed with my writing schedule but my editor’s too. I wasn’t able to get the book I wrote in the summer out until just before Christmas. I too want to put 2016 behind me. As a writer I struggled with keeping a series fresh. As a person I had a multitude of health concerns. For a while I thought I needed a robot body. But here we are in 2017. Time for us to bear witness to the events as they unfold. It can’t help but influence our writing as it has others at other times of crisis.
As far as blog posts, I went from once a week to twice a month to only when I released a book. I too better get back up on the horse.
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I hope you are doing better, Alexie. Got to take care of your health before you can worry about writing and blogging. You’ll get back on track when the time is right.
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I can most definitely understand this. My blog went cold in September. I just up and quit following up. I tried using a blogging schedule and I’d be into it for a few days and then nothing. After that, I decided who was I to think I had something to say every day of my life. I wasn’t writing so there and if I was what was the point in writing about it on my blog. ‘Hey, yes started another writing project a few days ago but stopped working on it already’. They didn’t seem like encouraging posts or things people wanted to spend their time reading about. I gave up giving advice with writing because let’s face it. Each writing journey is such an individual process.
Not to mention I myself had gotten bogged down reading all these processes and advice and wondering why can’t I just write like that.Why aren’t these things working for me? I must not be a writer then. I can’t tell you how long I circled the depression drain with those thoughts. After some time I gave up and simply buried myself in everyday life.
Eventually, I somehow dug myself out from under all of that. I started to write again and finished a novel. Anyway, know that if you need someone to talk to that I’m around. I know how it can be. While not exactly what you’re going through, because again individuality, but I am a good listener.
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A blogging schedule hasn’t worked for me in the past, but maybe I’ll try to commit to something. Huge congrats on finishing your novel. It sounds like you have great momentum going into 2017.
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Thank you. You could even try blogging once a week. That way you could write them ahead of time and schedule them. Not sure if that would work for you. It didn’t work for me, but it is a thought. Sometimes I think…not so much our creative well goes dry, but the momentum to use it does. I wish you all the best. 🙂
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Good luck unblocking your blogging writer’s block. My suggestion? Stop worrying about “catching up” on thoughts you’ve had but not blogged (my list of those is equally endless). If you have a new thought, or something you key into today – blog about that. And start from now. Happy New Year!
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Right now, I’m having trouble figuring out what to blog about. I don’t want to blog about every topic that comes to mind. I think part of my problem is some of the articles I’ve read by “experts” in regards to author branding. They say not to blog about politics or controversial topics. If I exclude those topics, I’m at a loss. I think I’ll keep a private journal as an outlet for those thoughts I don’t want to share on my blog. Maybe then I can focus on a direction for my blog. Thank you for your advice. I’m definitely going to let the past stay in the past. Happy New Year to you too!
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Like you, I’ve avoided my blogs, but I think we do talk our hearts out when we write our books.
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That’s a great way to put it – talking our hearts out. That’s what I need to do.
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I see you were by my blog today and left a like on What Do You Do for Fun. Thanks for stopping by. I don’t believe I’ve met you before so decided to drop in and say hi. Hope you get back into your blogging routine. If so perhaps I will catch you later.
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