I have written plenty of posts about why I write on a strict schedule and what benefits I have been able to get from it. Heck I have even written posts on how I manage to write on this type of schedule. And I often get comments from other bloggers who mention that there are drawbacks.
And boy do I agree! There are in fact a lot of drawbacks even for me. And I credit my daily posting schedule as one of the biggest factors that has kept me blogging. It’s definitely not worth it for everyone. And here’s why, in my opinion.
These are the 5 worst things about posting daily, for me.
5. Running out of inspiration
Thankfully, although my schedule might be very regulated, my theme is much looser and I have a bit of leeway when it comes to the subjects I post about. As long as I can make it relate back to anime in some way, it’s fair game. Still, there are days when you just don’t have that much to say. And I don’t have the luxury to put it off to the next day.
On the flip side, it has taught me how to wrangle inspiration out of a rock. I’m not sure what that expression means either. I think I made it up so I guess no one knows!
4. Repeating yourself
It’s bound to happen. When you write a lot and in a relatively short span of time, eventually you’re going to start saying the same thing over and over and OVER again. I’m not talking about my charming habit of telling everyone I love Natsume’s Book of Friends for apparently no reason. Well for a lot of reasons. It’s great. Finished volume 24 of the manga. Still amazing. It might be getting better which is almost scary…
But yeah, I often write posts which I realize in hindsight are very similar to posts I’ve written before. Sorry about that. At least I’m consistent!
3. Avoiding the reach
Weird title… One thing that is rather important to me is to not just write something because I need to get something posted. Let me qualify this. I write every day whether I have something to write about or not. But not everything I write gets published. Because sometimes I realize I’m reaching. I’m talking about a subject that I don’t actually care about or know that much about for instance, just cause that’s the first thing that comes to mind, so my thoughts on it will end up bland or worse, fake. Maybe I’m dramatizing something just so it can sound a bit more interesting. I’m reaching.
I would rather republish an old post than post one of the reaches. Thankfully I have that option.
2. Burnout
It is a thing! You can just overload on blogging stuff and not want to do it at all anymore because you’ve done too much of it. And that’s a real shame. Blogging isn’t just posting for a lot of us. It’s also reading and interacting with other bloggers, watching anime, some people even maintain an active social media presence. It’s commenting on other blogs and responding to comments on your own.
If you combine that with actively thinking and writing on your blog every single day, it can easily become overwhelming. I know that I get exhausted at times and need to re-tune the balance.
1. Time
This should be obvious but it takes time! Like lots of time. Lots and lots of time. I could play so many games and watch so much more anime if I didn’t write about it! This is ridiculous. Posting every day, even weekends is like an intense part time job. But I already have a full time and a half job and also I’m kinda lazy…
I don’t write the deepest, longest essay posts out there but it still takes me an hour or so to get most of them out, and probably another half hour at least to get the pictures together, find a header or make one, all that jazz. It’s way longer for reviews that have extra elements like the suggested drinks and games or for any post that requires research. Fact is not everyone has that sort of time and those who do, won’t necessarily want to spend it writing.
And these are just the drawbacks for me. If people are trying to make it professionally or make money from their blogs, over-saturating their readers with constant posts might be a real bad move. I’m sure there are a lot of other reasons why daily posting is a bad idea. I’m still going to do it at least for a while though. Cause there are good parts too.
take a break. it helps
Enjoyed this 😎😎
Glad to hear it!
Have you considered posting maybe 3 times a week instead? It’s still maintaining a reasonable pace while not sacrificing article quality. Also, it could give you more time to watch more anime!
I have and I might some day. I’ve been doing the once a day thing for years now so it’s sort of part of my routine
It’s a part of the reason why I stepped away from Pokémon. Blogging is mostly a passtime for me and I like to write a bit every day, but with Pinkies Pokemon I struggled with all of these problems. Now that I can talk about just a bout everything there is a lot more room and I am much further away from a burn out. I mostly write for selfish reasons though.. tell stories i want to tell play games I want to play or shows I want to watch but I use the blog to make myself apply.
The difference I think between you and me is that not a lot of people would notice if I did not post daily where you draw in a bit more of a crowd so I can understand that pressure on you might be a bit bigger. I am also not fit for work due to health reasons so I have more time available.. though due to my head being a bit wonky I do occasionally need some extra time as well. Focussing can be quite hard so in the end between my other hobbies and blogging and what I want to achieve for the blog I am still a bit short on time.
I think daily blogging works if you write for you, and I do think you manage to pull that off pretty well. In the end I think people mostly like blogs because they are your blogs rather than they are within a certain topical area. But that might be me, I don’t think I can compare myself with you fully as you are at least 300% more awesome but still.. I think you are one of the most vocal bloggers out there.. like there is Irina in every single piece you write and I think that’s what draws people in.
You give me way too much credit Pinkie. It was crazy when your blog was super focused. Interesting and impressive but I must say, it was nice to open up your topics a bit. I like the variety
I honestly don’t get how you do it. Kudos to you, though. I used to publish almost daily when I started and I felt like I burned out really quickly… also, the lack of inspiration hit me hard.
It’s not for everyone. I like your new avatar!
thank you I was playing with it on picrew! Love it too 🙂
Posting every day? I take my hate off to bloggers who manage that feat. Great post
Thank you!
Hm. I’m surprised I haven’t seen a post like this from you before honestly. Anyways, the points you made are very tangible, as I can see how these reasons would lead to burnout, or just giving up entirely. I guess that goes to show that you are very good at elucidating certain topics, which would make sense judging from your previous work
Wow – thank you!
Sure thing
Anyone who cast post daily is heroic, I reckon!
That seems like a smidge of an exaggeration
Well, admittedly the hyperbole of sporting metaphor has infiltrated my vocab lately 😀
(I am still in awe of folks who can post each day though, it’s pretty cool)
This was a great list, very relatable. I miss being able to post multiple times a day. It always helped me get out my creativity and feel productive, but that burnout gig pops out much quicker. Your posts are always well-written and gimme something to think about, so I’m glad you post daily. But if you ever wanted to take a step back, I’d support ya. Whatever works best for you. 😉
I’ve been considering adding a throwback day and just starting to repost stuff once a week
Yeah, I respect you and others who can do it, but I don’t think I could. Props to you and other daily bloggers!
It’s really not for everyone
I could never post every day, hell even every week is hard for me sometimes 😅 but it’s cool that you do! I think the most important thing is doing what works for you
I agree
I used to post daily when i first started out. Man was it tiring. One issue i particularly face when writing is overthinking. I overthink and overanalyze everything i write so pedantically, i leave half of what i write as drafts. Even the stuff i post, it takes twice as much time to modify it than to write it.
I use to do that in the first year. It would give me huge writer’s block. I’m lucky the community was so supportive
Not gonna lie, as someone who had the unique perspective to be you for a day…It ain’t easy. You definitely put a lot of work and effort into each post, but it’s great because your humble earnestness makes it seem effortless because it’s just you doing you.
Keep it up but you know keep having fun with it, I’d prefer not to have to do another Train anytime soon!
LOL – On the other hand being you for a day was delightful. It filled me with confidence!
I always think I want to be a daily blogger, but I just don’t have it in me. I’ve found a nice balance right now of giving myself the weekends off as a breather, but I think the thing that impresses me the most about your blog Irina is that you don’t just rely on episodic reviews to fill out your week.
I feel like I’m sometimes being lazy by just reacting to episodes, games and movies on my blog rather than being a little more creative or putting a little critical thought into a decent talking point. But like you said, doing that all the time would certainly burn me out and that’s the last thing I want to do.
Keeping episodic reviews fresh is amazing in my opinion! I love doing series reviews but I find that even those wear thin if I do too many in a row. I’m super impressed by folks that do episodic reviews, you sort of double your schedule. You don’t just have to write of a schedule you have to watch and edit on a schedule too, and you can’t just write about whatever you feel like. It’s really impressive to me.
Why is it that every non-lazy person I meet (or interact with online) thinks that they’re lazy? You want lazy? Look no further than yours truly. If *your* schedule can be considered “lazy,” then *my* schedule can be considered “clinically deceased.” I barely have the motivation to conjure up my daily existential crises.
Aaanyhoo. I think number 3 is the most important of the bunch. That’s certainly what keeps me coming back to this blog every day– no pressure, by the way 😉
Okay, okay, I’ll stop being annoying now. Jokes aside, I just wanted to say I’m impressed and a little envious of your work ethic. I know I couldn’t juggle a full-time job AND get what little writing I actually do done… much less do it all over again the next day. If there was any justice in this world– which there isn’t– I’d be living on the streets. Still, don’t forget to reserve a little bit of time to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Cheap advice, coming from me, but hey.
I am lazy – I’m just bad at it… I’m working on it! I use to write pretty much exclusively on the bus, with my commute to and from work. It’s one of the big reasons I never took my car. But now that I’ve been working from home for months, it’s actually more challenging!
You don’t work to become lazy; lazy works to become you. Or something. I meant that as a joke, but I think there’s actually a spot of sense to that.
I’ve heard quite a few writers say that they write on the bus. That would be unthinkable for me– literally. I wouldn’t be able to think. Too many external stimuli. And gross people jostling my legs. Can’t even read at a steady pace if there happens to be a loud person talking. My brain just automatically starts eavesdropping. If I want to read or write on breaks at work, I need to go out and hide inside my car. But then my colleagues start to miss me, and I need to give them the “it’s not you; it’s me” talk.
I’ve always been pretty good at blocking out outside stimuli but it does help that I take the bus at 5 am in Canada. There’s like 2 other people in it…
Yeah, that’s way better than what I’m used to getting in Ottawa. I could probably focus if it was like that every day. But here, rush hour starts around that time IIRC– lots of early risers in the tech sector. I know everyone says this about their local public transit, but Ottawa’s is pretty terrible. You might need to hop in and out of 3 different buses just to get to a place that would take you 15 minutes to get to by car. I used to just bike everywhere before I got my driver’s license because the bus routes were such a pain.
Really, but Ottawa is so quiet and relaxing!
You’re exactly right, and that’s the problem. Ottawa was never meant to be a major city centre like Toronto or Montreal or Kingston. despite being the capital. Our city infrastructure was more of an afterthought. I’m sure most people would love it here, and I really have no right to complain, but it’s a little *too* peaceful for my tastes, if that makes any sense.
It makes sense
“wrangle inspiration out of a rock… I think I made it up”
I searched Google for that exact expression, and I got exactly one hit. Which was this post. So, I think you’re right!
It’s a good description, too!
“I would rather republish an old post than post one of the reaches. Thankfully I have that option.”
That’s one of the reasons I enjoy reading your posts so much. I’ve never had the sense that what I was reading was painting by the numbers. Put another way, I get a sense that your perspective is present in each post. That helps your site be distinctive!
“I know that I get exhausted at times and need to re-tune the balance.”
I’ve always been interested on what’s on the other side of complete exhaustion. I’m still diligently researching the topic!
I post six times a week, but I’m mostly reviewing episodes. That’s _easy_ compared to what you’re writing. For me, the episodes provide the topic. I just have to provide a reaction. I could drop a brick on my foot and write about it. But coming up with an independent topic every day?
That’s hard. I’m impressed.
“I’m still going to do it at least for a while though. Cause there are good parts too.”
I look forward to reading your site every day. Please, though, if the pace gets to be too much, cut back. I’d rather read your posts less often than not at all!
That, and burnout takes way longer to recover from than you’d think. It leaves psychological dents and scratches, too.
I think reviewing episodes comes with it’s own set of challenges. Their different and you do have the advantage of built in material but I couldn’t do it. So may of my posts would end up with.. whelp this was set up… this one was filler, same as last week…. I struggle with just a few a week
I don’t envy you. I don’t mind repeating myself from time to time, but these are other reasons why I haven’t attempted being a consistent, daily blogger.
It’s really not for everyone. And there are people who do multiple posts a day!!! I think the only way that’s possible is with short episode reviews or just tons of writers for the same blog
Your pace always impresses me. Even a weekly schedule feels like too much for me sometimes, but posting daily, and with substantive material, that’s something else. I get the burnout thing for sure; people who don’t write sometimes don’t get how exhausting it can be.
Honestly, I hadn’t realized how exhausting it is until I started doing it for myself…