Jaye’s Week ~ Time for a change?

/ Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

This might be a new year and all that, but am I the only one who feels like their magic spark has gone out?

I have been blaming this feeling on health and other problems, but maybe something else is going on?

We are constantly told that reading more will make us better writers and that we should blog with enthusiasm to build up our presence on the web. But I find that some of the things we do seem counterproductive and time-consuming. Confusion is not a happy place to be, so my brain has rooted out its thinking hat. Not sure if that might be an oxymoron!

Don’t get me wrong, reading does make me think and probably improves my vocabulary, but sometimes I end up reading too much, taking time away from my writing. When I first started blogging, I read everything I could get my hands on, desperate to learn the secrets of the black magic box of the blogosphere.

And admittedly, I learnt a lot.

Just lately, though, I have noticed a slight change in my attitude to all things blog related. It suddenly dawned on me that, as bloggers, we are trying far too hard to be the best at what we do with our constant searching for the golden egg. And because we are so busy running around like headless chickens, we are losing sight of our focus, the real reason we blog in the first place. We might even be missing the plot or choosing all the wrong moves.

I have been worried that there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything. With the increasing amount of emails and time spent on social media, there isn’t much left for writing or blogging, come to that. Not to mention any new ideas that need to be explored or any of our other interests.

It could be time to step away and have a long hard look at what we do. Time to prioritise and cherry pick what we really want to concentrate on, or even find different ways of doing it. Don’t ask me what, for my brain hasn’t got that far, yet. I just know it is time for something new, exciting even. How about that?

Life might be different when the weather settles down, but I doubt it. I think we must concentrate on what we can do and do well, instead of chasing so many rainbows…

What does everyone else think?

23 thoughts on “Jaye’s Week ~ Time for a change?”

  1. I think of this issue like the whack a mole game. We get busy doing one thing, but that means something else pops up that we don’t have time for. It depends on my mood, but the weeks I’m not feeling particularly motivated to write are the times I tend to do more reading/blogging.

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  3. These days, most things come down to the WIBBOW test – Would I Be Better Off Writing. 🙂 … or substitute writing for editing … and I find myself choosing ‘writing’ more and more often. 🙂 I’m comfortable posting on my blog once or twice a week, depending on what inspires me.

    I’ve tried reading when I’m in ‘writing’ mode and it just doesn’t work. I have the attention span of a flea on speed!

    Good luck sorting the priorities. 🙂

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  5. Jaye, I agree with all you said. There aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything. Two years ago, I tried blogging five days a week. That lasted for two months, then I took time off to do NaNoWriMo. When I came back, I realized I couldn’t blog every day, write, keep up with social media, read, (and work a full-time job). I “try” to blog twice a week, but more often than not, it’s weekly. I’m also trying to stay offline on the weekends and evenings.

    And this year, I’m determined to read more for fun!

    Great post with lots to ponder.

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  6. I agree with everything you said, Jaye. It is so hard to keep up with all of our commitments. Add in family and work and we are pulled in a gazillion directions every day.
    I do what I can to compensate–I usually only check blogs/emails early morning and at lunch. Evenings I’m offline, the same with weekends (and often Fridays). I still read every day, and I work my writing time in on weekends. Even then it feels like I’m constantly treading water. I wish there were a magic answer, but for now the system I have gets me by 🙂

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  8. I wonder that you have time enough to eat and sleep you are ‘on line’ so much!! That sounds mighty like a criticism, but it isn’t…Being MUCH older than you two, my energy doesn’t stretch like yours, and I can only manage a monthly WordPress session (via eldest son as I’m a technical nerd). but I also write a double column for one of our local newspapers weekly,(Last seven years), ‘Chair’ Writers Ink group (when virus allows!) and have just finished writing my10th book (9 published).I read and thoroughly enjoyed Jaye Marie’s Silent Payback book. I thought the deceptively simple ploy of the opening – with a man waiting…. was excellent, and the detective’s counter-balance problems worked very well. There’s just so much top talent ‘out there’ to read and never enough time. Obviously,we are all drawn to different ways of getting our writing across. It’s such a personal decision. Some of your photographs are beautiful too…Have no fear, you are both entertaining, so many thanks! Cheers. xx

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