The blog is a beast! It has to be fed. Regularly. The portions have to be right. The food healthy. No junk. Beware of the dangers of over-feeding your blog! Blogging is addictive. Novice bloggers blog every cough, sneeze and whiff of air that blows through their lives. It’s easy to overindulge the beast and just as easy to starve it. Actually overfeeding will lead to starvation and it’s eventual sad demise. Restraint and portion control are key.
Nothing depresses me more than the cry of a starving blog. It’s like that cute little thing I took for a walk, played around with, then shamelessly ran away when it was watching a squirrel. If you find abandoned blogs crying out my name, please say you don’t know me. I have nightmares about them. It is easy to father a blog, but hellish hard to mother one. It takes time and commitment: two godawful words that make me want to eat chocolate or take a nap.
Is Blog Neglect a crime? What about Blog Abandonment? An ethical dilemma, maybe, but rest assured, the wild, wild web is alive and well. There is still land, lots of land under starry skies above and nobody gets fenced in, even though countless bloggers have wandered off into the sunset, after a joyful ride or two.
But I have a plan folks and laugh not, dear ones…
I will stock a wondrous pantry to feed this voracious blog. I am collecting canned goods to the stock the shelves. The plan is, when the fresh produce runs out, I will pull out the preserves. In other words, I want to prepare for periods of drought, when the brain runs dry and inspiration at a low ebb. I have an index file of blog ideas and articles. Colored index cards, no less. Green for TEA, orange for WRITING and pink for BLOGGING and yellow for OTHERS. I am writing in snips and pieces and filing the posts in draft mode. Is that sheer genius, or what? Before I hurrah myself into self-sabotage – this is the plan, folks. THE PLAN. Not choo-choo train chugging ahead.
If you must know me, I am erratic, unduly excitable and over-anxious. When I do – I do too much. I am the type who laughs till I cry. I have a morbid attraction for chocolate. I love some people so much I want to bring them home and keep them as pets. Not good is it? The middle path, the middle path, Shona, I remind myself. But why is it so hard? Stock up, breathe deep, be patient. I have a nice collection in my blog pantry. Sometimes I wander in, just to admire the shelves. I have to fight the impulse to pull out all the goodies at once. Each post is like sharing a cup of tea with friends. I just have to remember not to bring out all the cookies at once.
OTHER RELATED POSTS How I stay on track with my writing Shona’s much-neglected KARMACHEF cooking blogHow do you manage your blog? How do you guard against brain drought and burn out? PLEASE TAKE THIS FUN POLL. Remember, your answers are anonymous.
Tea Buddy 
Shona! The website looks marvelous! I like the arrangement, the blog, writing information, and the preview of both your book and the cover. Looking forward to reading it.
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Many thanks Mike. Looking forward to your book too.
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Ah, Shona: This looks great. Groovy-cool photo, too, you. Can’t wait for the novel.
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Gracias! You have been a big part of my journey, MaBelle.
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Reblogged this on Tea Buddy and commented:
I have revised this post and added a poll. Please share with me how you blog. I learn from others as much as I do from myself. Cheers!
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You have coloured index cards?! I am impressed! I haven’t blogged a post about tearooms for ages and I feel a bit guilty about it, but then I have been busy doing other things. My trouble is, I never stick at one thing for long before getting bored with it, so that’s always a danger for me. I think perhaps I’ve given myself too small a remit with my blog, whereas you have more wide-ranging topics. I should probably broaden my blogging horizons, and then perhaps I’d feel more inspired. At the moment I feel a bit tearoomed out! (I still visit tearooms frequently, I just don’t feel the same urge to write about them.) Perhaps what I need is a pile of index cards…
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Index cards are a good way to get inspired when ideas run low. Post ideas are easy to forget. I am very much like you, Lorna, easily bored and have too many diverse interests.I have to “trick” myself to stay on track and it’s not easy. You do a wonderful job with your blog Lorna, it’s one of my favorites. You can blog about everything from scone recipes, tea, to Scottish trivia and do it all under the same “Tearoom” umbrella, don’t you think? I think it would still be relevant and your readers would love it.
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Thank you Shona, that’s very kind. I think you’re right, it’s not as limited as I’m making out, I’ve just been feeling a bit deflated after publishing my book and people asking me when I’m doing my next one. The thought of doing the same thing again straight away does not inspire me! On the other hand, it’s nice that people show an interest, I just need to find a good answer to bat that question away with. 🙂
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Ah, the people breathing down your neck thing–don’t I know that too well. What I have learned (the hard way) is not to involve friends and family too much in the “mulling process.” Living up to expectations creates a great deal of discomfort and tension. Here is what I would suggest. Tell folks you are taking a break from the book thing. Keep the blog alive and work in the dark for a while. The creative juices will flow. Never forget you have achieved something amazing with the Tearoom book. The next step will be a HUGE WOW, but keep it secret and very, very close to your heart. Something is bound to happen. Sending you good thoughts…
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Good old balance, Shona. Time tested and still so hard to get the hang of…I am God-awful at it. Someone asked once if she could keep me in her pocket–like gum or something. You reminded me of that when you said you wanted to make pets of some people. Best we all fly our flags, in life and in blogging 🙂
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What a compliment, someone wishing to keep you in their pocket. Hope you are having a good weekend!
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I dont blog and have ticked that option on your poll. I am aware of the predicament of “neglect” and “abandonment” of blogs as you have mentioned.Hence i admire bloggers for their guts and do visit blogs (that’s how I landed in yours ) and comment at times ( like I’m doing now). Maybe i’ll blog someday. You will be informed. Joking !
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Oh, do keep me informed if you debut into Blogsphere. Thanks for visiting my site and your comments. So how did you land on my blog? Always curious. Cheers!
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I visit the Koi-Hai website once in a while. That’s how I got the info. of your blog inside the pages of ” What’s New” dated Jan’ 27th 2012. That was in March and ever since I’ve been a ” follower ” of your blog.
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Many thanks! Hope to bump into you someday!
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Shona,
It was a delight to meet you and your husband Vinoo the other night. Your facility with words, word pictures and ideas is an inspiration. As an aspiring blogger, I’m taking your suggestions to heart and incorporating them into my writing. You’re an inspiration! I’m passionate about personnel security and the physical protection of others. You’ve just given me new ways of expressing that passion. Thanks! http://www.cardinalsecurepoint.com
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We loved meeting you too. Thanks for your nice comment.
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