Today we’ll look at three forms of blogging frustration. Writing. Money. Technology.
The Writing Won’t Flow
The desk is organized impeccably. The lighting just a right mixture of warmth and contrast. In the background, soothing music plays. The likes of John Mayer or Enya.
You sit down at your environmental heaven. Your backside meets the perfectly contoured ergonomic chair you’ve saved so long to purchase. Fingers poised – you’re ready to write. 3, 2, 1. Go! Moments pass yet your fingers are lifeless. You try yet again. 3, 2, 1. Go! Nothing.
You’ve hit a wall. Fallen into darkness. The ever invasive writer’s block has met you broadside. Nothing flows. Like molasses in winter or clotting blood.
There are times when I write – that it feels so unnatural and non-flowing that I question whether I was ever meant to write in the first place. Especially with a larger mass of writing output, you will be sure to hit this roadblock occasionally.
What do you do?
The Money Won’t Come
There are many bloggers who blog in order to produce a profit. You may be one.
Let me know if the following scene sounds familiar.
You’ve recently decided to produce money with your blogging skills. Everything from marketing to Twitter has been consumed by your ravishing intellect. Blog posts fear you, as you scour them for morsels of juicy information. In your mind – you’ve become the cornucopia of informational wealth.
The blog is in place. You’ve signed up for Amazon Associates, SponsoredTweets, infoLinks & Adsense. Your arsenal of weapons; ready to produce a tremendous profit. All have found their place within the content of your blog. Banners, in-text advertising & sponsored reviews. You’re ready for battle.
Blown, goes the horn, and you wait. Day 1, day 2, day 3. All the while checking blog statistics and earnings religiously. Fanatically. Obsessively.
Disappointed you realize you’ve made only a few pennies. Clovers in a giant wasteland of hurt.
What do you do?
The Technology Too Profuse
Technology, simply, can be a bugger.
Multitudes of blogging platforms compete for your attention and use on a daily basis. HTML, CSS, XTHML, PHP, Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, Blogger, Tumblr, Google, Twitter, JavaScript, Marketing, Social Media. The list sounds like the chatter of a horrific alien.
Many underestimate how daunting the task of technology can become – while blogging. Especially if it’s all new to you.
- Ever had your blog host completely collapse and your MySQL tables ravaged without warning? I have.
- Ever noticed your computer making weird noises, and then find your processor destroyed due to an overheat? I have.
- Ever been completely rejected and told-off by others who don’t like what you design? I have.
- Ever been frustrated by awful, confusing code that does exactly what you don’t want it to do? Yes.
- Ever hate the jumble of chords sitting behind your desk? I do.
These problems are real. These problems are disappointing. These technology problems can be nasty at times.
What do you do?
What do you do?
Today, for a change, I’m not here to lecture. I’m here to remorse and empathize with you. I’ve felt the pain. I know the hurt.
Let’s discuss. What do we do?
Related Posts:
- Why You Should Never Delete Your Blogger Blogs
- Why I Became A Blogger
- 25 Ways To Battle Blogger’s Block
- 5 Steps To Become A Healthier Blogger
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"You’re such a smart boy!" were his first accolades heard. So, it’s no wonder that this phrase became the title of his business, Smart Boy Designs.
Read more about Christian 
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
How about the acknowledgement does not come??? And other thousands of complaints … I would say keep at it – do it for the joy rather than take it up as a task. Easier said than done I know – but worth a try right?
Twitter: smartboydesigns
March 18, 2011 at 12:01 am
It sure is kriti. If there’s no joy – then it’s quickly going to fade.
When the writing won’t flow, for me, I just step away from the computer. I get up and leave. Do something else – that’s worthwhile and valuable. When I come back, usually the words flow like butter…
Oh man I think we can all relate to those pains and hurts at one point or another. Nobody promised us it would be easy, right?
Just as you mentioned in the previous comment, I also step away from the computer or task and try to take my mind off the work. We are people, not machines. It’s ok to come up for air.
Even with all the prevention and backups and careful steps, we’re bound to drop a ball here or there. Just have to push through no matter what. Thanks, Christian.
Me? I just step away.
With the type of fashion I follow (Gyaru), there is ‘elitism’ within the community. When you’re new, everyone hates you (literally) and sometimes post mean things about you. When you ask questions, you’re ridiculed and basically told to ‘google it.’
I had to step away from my computer and the internet for six months to recover from the two weeks ridicule I received online. Then, I started over, grew thicker skin and do what I do best with blogging.
Now, when it comes to writers’ block, i don’t really have it. I always have a lot to write about (I can either just blog about my day, or pick a topic from a list I often update or post a premade draft post). I just choose to be lazy that day, or week, or month. Sometimes, I need to have a severe emotional response to something in order to run to my keyboard and begin to type out some form of masterpiece.
I do have some tips for writers’ block that I’m going to test out.
I just got a i Pod touch, and it has a camera, video feature, and voice recorder. So I’ll be using all three to collect media that will inspire my posts for the next couple of months.
Twitter: smartboydesigns
March 19, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Love your thoughts regarding idea/inspiration collection using media. I usually carry a camera with me, and pen/pencil at all times. Those seem to be my steady staples that keep the mind flowing – and ready for new post ideas.
i feel your pain. at times i feel like everything in the “internet marketing” niche has already been written about… and i’m not much of a creative writer as it is, so i have trouble coming up with original topics.
sometimes you just have to spend time reading what others have written – and hope that this will spark an idea.. maybe something you can spin off of what someone else has already said.
(first time reader… loving the fresh design of your blog. pretty slick. i’m jealous.)
mike
Twitter: smartboydesigns
March 29, 2011 at 12:06 pm
Thank you for the comment and compliments Mike. Grateful to have you here.
Another benefit of writing about what’s already been written, is that you yourself will also become more involved/aware/knowledgeable on the topic. When you teach – you learn to greater depths and degrees.