After a lot of travelling in the past couple of months and frankly not a lot of blogging in that time, I’m still finding it a challenge to get back into a rhythm of regular posting.
I seriously doubt I’m the only blogger who has ever experienced this particular manifestation of blogger’s block. But it is ironic, or even reprehensible (if I wanted to give myself a really hard time, which I don’t) to reflect that my backsliding has been occasioned by my flying around the world to tell people about blogging and other aspects of social media.
And it’s not that I have nothing to post about. On the contrary, after a couple of weeks in China, including presenting and participating at ad:tech Beijing, and a couple more weeks in the USA, including being part of BlogWorld Expo, I have so many experiences to recount and ideas buzzing around that I think I could post for a couple of months just about all of that.
And that’s where the inaction of the past week, since we got back, comes in. Because part of the challenge was that I was thinking I should get my notes out and do a couple of series of posts, one starting with experiences in China, back in October, and another starting at the beginning of our trip to the USA, starting in Las Vegas for BlogWorld Expo and moving on to Connecticut and New York.
But the more I think about doing that, the more I felt weighed down by the idea. Just thinking about it made me tired. And I don’t enjoy posting when it seems like a chore. Nor do I recommend it.
So that’s the fessin’ up out of the way.
Now, having made a new start, and looking ahead, I’ve drawn on my reflections to come up with five rules for planning future travel, especially where attending a conference is part of the program.
They are my rules. May not work for you.
Other suggestions welcome.
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Des,
Well put. Yes, being away for a time throws off the blogging posting rhythm. Sometimes it requires a little kick-start without being, as you say, a chore. I appreciate your candor and how you’ve put your experiences and energies in a positive direction by coming up with your five rules. Excellent! Only other idea I might have is a GONE FISHIN’ sign.
These are great thoughts, Des. I’ll keep these in mind on my next conference trip!
Des,
Admire your honesty about trying to do it and I for one don’t expect you or I too.
I believe in KISS “Keep It Simple, Stupid” and as such came home from Blog World and formally typed my notes into a trip report. That helped bring back memories, “ah ha” moments which was the inspiration to post that day. It did not make make for missing days, but did get me over the hump.
@Ron: I like the Gone Fishin’(instead of just a-wishin’, if you ever heard that song)
@Easton: thanks mate
@Carlos: trip report is a great idea - thanks for sharing that
Have not started travelling yet to various conferences, but I will keep your suggestions in mind. How was expo in Las Vegas? just moved from there in June, wish I could have been there for the expo.
Hi Des! I have to agree with the other posters.It is essential to blog regularly, and to post articles that really interests people.Personally, I make a new post every two days or so, but if I know I´m going away for some time I write a few articles ready to be posted when I´m abroad.This can be done easily.
[...] Walsh presents Confessions of a Travelling Blogger Who Blogged Too Little and Infrequently posted at Thinking Home Business, saying, “After a lot of travelling in the past couple of [...]
LeeAnn: We enjoyed Vegas immensely (not the cigarette smoke) and the conference was great, both in content and in the people-meeting, networking etc. On again next September, and in Las Vegas.
Tom: Thanks for the comment. When you say “easily”, are you referring to the technology, or the personal organisation/psychology? The technology is certainly there with a “name brand” blogging platform like WordPress. In terms of personal organisation/psychology it was a challenge for me this time: I had good intentions, but that was not enough. In acknowledging that, I’m hoping it will encourage others (and me!) to think ahead and plan/execute more efficiently and not just “think about” doing those “reserve”/delayed publication posts.
Hi Des, as a reply to my comment above:
By “easily” I mean that when I go away for some time I write articles ready that I can post even when I am abroad.I write the articles, send them to my email, and when I get access to a computer with internet access I simply login to my admin area at wordpress, copy-paste-ping-syndicate
Perhaps there is an easier way to do this, more comments please
I wish I could travel and blog!! I can’t imagine attending a conference where I speak about blogging. You must be a real pro blogger. I just started blogging myself about 2 weeks ago and it’s a long way up hill. It occured to me that blogging is really a genuine, twenty first century job. There’s the potential to make a great living blogging (if you do it right) and I think that as a market it’s only going to grow. What other occupation can accurately be called a “twenty first century” job?
Chris
We all had to start somewhere. Can I suggest you listen to the session some of us did the other day on BlogTalk Radio - http://tinyurl.com/28hatp
Best wishes.