Blog depression

OK, I finally got motivated to post... about why I'm not posting. Here's a very entertaining look at Blog Depression, a Public Service Pamphlet.

There is a growing epidemic in the cyberworld. a scourge which causes more suffering with each passing day. as blogging has exploded and, under the stewardship of the veterans, the form has matured more and more bloggers are finding themselves disillusioned, dissatisfied, taking long breaks, and in many cases simply closing up shop. this debilitating scourge ebbs and flows but there is hardly a blogger among us who has not felt it’s dark touch. we’re speaking, of course, about blog depression.

One of the symptoms I thought was pretty funny (and appropriate for me) is Content Anxiety.

If the simple act of reading a magazine fills you with a deep sense of disquiet, if you break out in hives, or if you find yourself inexplicably weeping, it may be Content Anxiety, in which you subliminally equate every piece of information as a potential piece of blog content.

Thank goodness, I'm not alone! And now that I've actually overcome my resistance to writing my first blog post in a month, I realize that it's not as bad as I'd expected.  I may actually start blogging again; wonder of wonders.

Comments

[Curiosity]

Ack. Part of the motivation for starting my blog was to help get me out of my depression... ;)

Perhaps I'll start a magazine, in which I can discuss the depression about my blog, in which I discuss dealing with the rest of my depression.

Or I'll just skip it all and start sky-writing.

[farouk]

I guess one good method of avoiding blog depression is to make it a source of income. afterall who can feel depressed when he finds that he is becoming richer? :)

[bennett]

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[Steve Harold]

In my view depression is often about feeling overwhelmed and this feeling can stop us doing anything. As far as blog depression is concerned it can help to remember that a new blog entry need can be several thousands words or just one sentence. If you have blog depression just challenge yourself to write one sentence.

[BK]

Since depression is a mental illness, the best way to fight it is through having a positive mind. And yet sometimes it is challenging to maintain a positive mind always. For myself, whenever I have a depressive mood, I always tried to think of happy thoughts, memories and listening to music.

[Pablo]

If you are depressed today, make your best your effort to be happy tomorrow. That's one way to beat the good ole depression.

[srini]

hi there guys. i'm a new blogger. wanted to invite you to blog on the url above. i am a psychiatrist in the process of integrating traditional and non-traditional forms of therapy. the site is going to launch dec. 1 2006. we're looking for what pople want...in terms of info...or services...please let us know if you have the time. thanks...

[B2b]

good site

[smith]

Consider expanding your scope. You have an excellent sense of fitness about all kinds of issues. When you write and bring your personal passion to bear on a subject, you give it life and more importantly, you make it interesting to your readers.

[Mary Schmidt]

So glad you came back! Just remember, there are a lot of us who want to read your thoughts, opinions and ideas. It's funny - I just started my own blog a few months ago - and I often get the best response from the entries I just "toss off" (go figure). So, keep writing and it doesn't have to be Pulitzer material all the time.

[Piers]

Like the exercise idea - makes me think of that weight loss plateau as another analogy for running out of blogsteam. You start, lose a lot weight/get really into the whole blog thing, and then after a while things level out. And it's then that you normally go back to your old habits.

[jbr]

think of it as a form of exercise. sure, it's a pain in the ass to crawl out of bed and go running, swimming, biking, etc...but, once you get going and at the end, you are always glad you did it.

also, think of blogging in terms of a road. the road is going someplace. it lies there, inviting you to traverse the path it has carved for you. however, you can't progress along until you put your feet on the road and place one foot in front of the other. blogging is like that - it will take you some place, but only if you put the fingers on the keyboard. the imagination will take over from there. who cares what the content is - the content is really only a step along the path.

sorry about the new age prose...

have a wonderful trip!

[Marketing Headhunter]

"Please keep blogging and let the chips fall where they may." Sage advice.

Care less: To thine own self be true. Especially in blogging, where authenticity is the name of the game and the money's for shit.

[David St Lawrence]

Jennifer,

If you are experiencing content anxiety, may I suggest something that may seem counter-intuitive?

Consider expanding your scope. You have an excellent sense of fitness about all kinds of issues. When you write and bring your personal passion to bear on a subject, you give it life and more importantly, you make it interesting to your readers.

Your clients may be businesses, but your readers may include self-employed and non-employed professionals. You have a lot to say that can help anyone develop a "personal branding" strategy that will markedly improve their chances of increasing traffic, increasing business, and improving their ability to network.

It was one of your early articles on the basics of branding that prompted me to view my blogging as a brand and allowed me to tie disparate elements into a coherent whole. I consider your branding advice as one of the essential factors in my developing a series of self-published books.

You have a lot to contribute to a broader audience than you may realize. Please keep blogging and let the chips fall where they may. Do not let your corner of the blogosphere go dark.

[Director Mitch]

Welcome back.

I have two blogs - one very technial, and my main one for...anything that comes to mind. The main one has enough linkage and traffic that I need to post nearly every day.

For my posts, I sometimes have no idea what it will be on as I start my day, but end up with a post anyway. The trick is like trying to remember a name you can't quite remember - DON'T concentrate what to blog on, and then something will come to mind.

In your case, however, your blog is very specific, so will naturally have less material for posting. So you could comfortably go to posting once a week or so (which is what I do for my technical blog).

[Stephen Macklin]

"Content Anxiety" is an occupational hazard not limited to bloggers. Earlier in my career I worked for a printer. I looked at everything - even junk mail - for print quality and what paper it was on.

Later a mentor advised me to always look at the design of everything, especially typography. He specifically mentioned movie credits and watching movies has never been the same.

It reached it's zenith during the 2000 election mess. My current employer is a manufacturer of writing instruments. I watched the live coverage of then Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris signing the papers that finally declared George Bush the winner of the election. I was watching very closely to identify the pen she was using.

I've gotten it under control a little better since then!

Welcome back.

[Robert Paterson]

Hi Jennifer
Funny isn't it - I could hardly post for 2 months and did not want to read thers as well.

Part of what woke me up is that I now am getting so committed to taking action where I live to make progresss in a few areas where we are in deep shit - in my case energy and education.

I have almost stopped trying to win over the institutional world - that has been so freeing. Instead a few fellow hobbits and I are doing more and talking less

Best wishes in your own version of this
fond regards Rob P

[Jonathan]

Hopefully, here is some inspiration for you.
I am a software developer, perhaps not your typical audience. ;)

Since establishing my business, I have found that I read a lot of random blogs, on topics that I would never have previously been interested in. Our new site, www.lucidocean.com was concieved by thinking outside the box on how we market ourselves. Partly this was due to reading your posts. This does not mean we got it entirely correct, but an enhanced version of the site is coming ;)

Blog about what you know. Even if it seems small, it can offer a lot to others who know nothing at all.

Keep up the good work.

[Tris Hussey]

Whew. Glad to have you back!