Another blogger once asked me what would happen if I stopped blogging.
I told them I am a writer and a writer never stops writing. Is it possible I might stop blogging?
Sure, it is possible but I won’t ever stop writing. It is like breathing, I’ll do it in one form or another until I die.
But I like turning these questions upside down, inside out and around just to see what I come up with.
What Would Happen If You Stopped Blogging?
I see the real question as would people notice that you stopped producing content.
I see it as asking yourself to answer whether your content is valuable and to whom.
You don’t need to be a professional blogger or doing this for business purposes for it to be valuable either. There is merit in doing so even if you use your blog as an online journal to record your thoughts.
My blog isn’t just my online hub or a place to promote my brand. It is a tool I use to work on my skills as a writer and a storyteller so I like asking the hard questions about whether my presence and my content adds value.
I like asking if people would notice my absence not to stroke my ego but because it helps me measure whether I am meeting the standard I set for myself.
It is worth noting that a lack of engagement on your blog isn’t always indicative of whether the content is useful, educational and or entertaining.
Remember the Tyranny of Social Proof lies in trying to use analytics that can be both useless and or meaningless.
The focus of the initial question here is more on your internal feelings about your blog than anything else.
It is a gut check where you ask and answer the question.
“I see the real question as would people notice that you stopped producing content.”
Boom. And that’s the thing right there, mate. We take time off to do what we need to do, when we need to do it – that’s a given, and it doesn’t really matter to us.
But if it matters to your audience, and they miss the way your content filled the void they now have – that’s the sign of blogging that matters.
Cheers, mate, great thoughts!
@dannybrown:disqus Blogging that matters–that is the goal. The trick is figuring out how to do it every time or come close more often than not.
Great post, Joshua! I took a break from blogging for a few weeks and went banana’s. I absolutely missed having that outlet of blabbing to the world. I can have the gift of gab at times and my voice just has to be heard. I’ll never stop writing or blogging. It’s too much of a passion. Thanks for a great post!
@JustBrenLee:disqus I know what you mean about using the blog as an outlet and not wanting to step away. Sometimes that break can be good for creativity, but I haven’t always been very good about it.
I haven’t blogged in ages, but for good reason. My website is going to take on an entirely new focus, and I’ve been working away on it. My hiatus has been for good reason, because as you say above: writing is like breathing, and I’m preparing a brand new breath of fresh air. Cheers! Kaarina
@kaarinadillabough:disqus I was thinking about you the other day and wondering what you had hidden up your sleeve. Looking forward to seeing what you have come up with.