Today is the last day of the Blogathon.
I don’t want to have a boring recap, but I do want to reflect on the biggest lesson I learned this time around.
Being forced to blog every day, even though it was self-induced, definitely stifles my creativity. A few times, I’ve written about unimportant and/or uninteresting minutiae in an effort to get that day’s post done.
That said, the Blogathon had the effect that I wanted it to in that it got me back into the routine of blogging. Obviously I won’t be blogging every day anymore, but I will be more consistent about it from here on out.
My favorite post during the Blogathon actually received ZERO comments, which surprised me. I thought perhaps my Screen Shut-off Day idea would inspire others to do likewise. I’m still planning on doing it, though I think I may start next week instead because this week has been crazy already.
Thanks for bearing with me through this month. I have a box full of goodies that need to be given away, so I will be running weekly giveaways beginning this week.
A peaceful, wonderful, sunny June to us all.
It can be tough. When I started blogging, I got a lot of criticism from fellow bloggers when I didn’t post something every single day. But my critics who were posting every day were writing about what they ate for breakfast, or something similarly worthless, on a frequent basis.
Most of them are either not blogging anymore, or post something once or twice a year.
When I’m fleshing out an idea, if I don’t think anyone will find it useful or entertaining or enlightening–pick one because we don’t get all three very often– I spike it. And if I can’t come up with anything else for the day, so be it. We all unintentionally write enough throwaway content as it is, so there’s no need to do it deliberately, just so we can say we posted 365 times this year.
I’ve enjoyed your blogathon posts, despite my infrequent comments. (You would think a fellow blogger would be better about that, but unfortunately I am not.)
) Even if you didn’t think every one was entertaining, it still gave you the chance to use the word “minutiae.” Some words are just fun, even when what they are describing is not! 
)
Very true, Laura. I love the word “minutiae.” =)
I completely agree, Dave. Posting every day, especially on a parenting blog, just becomes almost a vanity thing. I’ve thought of tons of things I could post about since the Blog-a-thon ended, but most of them involve bragging about or otherwise showing off my children. Really, no one but people who are related to them care. I try to avoid those for the most part, but I can’t resist a few here and there.
I used to be on Twitter, but I got so sick of people Tweeting every two minutes about what they needed to buy at the grocery store or what color of underwear they should wear that I bugged out and rarely use it anymore. I mean, really, are people so self-absorbed that they think anyone gives a rip what they’re doing every minute?! It truly boggles.