Should I Continue?

On By roberthansen1317In Writing
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Every year at this time I start thinking if I should continue writing.

First, I wonder if I am making a difference.

I don’t get many new followers. I’ve tried doing what the “experts” say to do and that is to follow more people, comment and like what they write. I tried that for almost four months, spending hours reading and commenting and I only had two new followers. So, I guess that didn’t work for me.

I had one story, Shelly Swims Sideways, that I sent to a couple publishers/agents and received positive feedback and one wanted to move forward. Then she asked how many followers I have on social media and I told her and she said I did not have enough for them to pursue publishing it. I get it, but I wonder what writers did before social media happened. Word of mouth goes a long way. But I do understand the thought process behind if you have more followers, it might sell more.

Of course, then I start thinking that I’m not that good of a writer and my stories and poems and music aren’t worth reading or getting followers.

Secondly, my renewal fees were due in January and if I’m not making a difference and not getting any followers, is it worth keeping the website going by paying the renewal fee.

Well, I got busy in January and my automatic renewal went through before I realized it so I will give it another year and see what happens.

I then looked at my stats from last year and was pleasantly surprised. Maybe some sites get this many views in a week or a month but for someone who doesn’t have a lot of followers, I think these stats aren’t too bad.

Maybe I am making a difference. If I can help one person for the better or to heal or … and at least one person in 126 countries clicked on something I wrote last year. That’s 64% of the world. That’s crazy. And I actually had more views and visitors last year than in any other year previous.

The Story of a Snowflake is always my most viewed post every year. Maybe I should try to get it published.

Anyway, here’s to another year. New posts coming soon.

Miggy said, “maybe you can write a story about me.” And I said, “maybe I will Miggy, maybe I will.”

26 thoughts on “Should I Continue?”

  1. I have also been thinking about the same things as you. I have concluded that keeping a blog is the easiest when my expectations are realistic. It is unlikely that I will get much visibility through WordPress because all people can publish their texts through the internet. Because of this, there is an “oversupply” of material. On the other hand, a blogger can gain tremendous visibility based on non-written skills.

    When I weighed these considerations, I have come to ask myself how I can enjoy blogging. The only sure thing is that I can write as well as I can. On the other hand, I wouldn’t write this often if I didn’t have a blog. Probably I would write less. That’s why I haven’t given up on blogging in WordPress. Yet, I seriously thought about the transition to publish on my homepage. These observations have ended with the fact that there I have significantly fewer readers than in WordPress.

    In a nutshell, I can say: Blogging is fun when the blogger himself is happy. Success comes if it comes to be.
    I wish you all the best in everything.

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    1. Thanks for your thoughts. I agree. I would definitely write less and it is a creative way for me to express myself since I am so much of an introvert. On a side note. I clicked on your page to follow you and can not find a follow button. I see you write music. I assume you play as well? I write lyrics, mostly country and christian. Would you be interested in co-writing and putting music to my words? Let me know where I can follow you on your site.

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  2. Well, never know what works. You can think some post is great and get much readers and it isn’t or the opposite…but yep, shouldn’t be thinking too much just write what you want to write and what’s important to you. Sometimes it feels frustrating when you don’t get readers but on the other hand often there’s not enough time to read others posts. It takes time…and surely you don’t get readers when you don’t read. Should be more time to read and comment, that could help. Still I think the most important thing is that you just simply enjoy of writing and value the readers you have! Don’t think too much (I know easier said than done). Also like someone said you’ll never know what happens tomorrow! Just wait and see!!

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  3. As a reader of many blogs and a writer of sporadic blogs (because ide rather be fishing) and thought processes with gaps, I have no idea how many readers just want to connect with the writer. I both read and write to make a connection with people. when it happens it’s thrilling. I write for the comments. That being said, when I wrote about a deer in our yard she got more likes and followers than I ever did. I suspect we all need to find the reason behind that age old question “To Blog Or Not 2 Blog!” (oops, that password doesn’t work anymore).

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  5. peanutbuttersandwiches_

    Well- I’ve only just begun following you, but I think you should keep at writing.
    There’s an idiom in Hindi- “bandar kya jaane adrak ka swaad?”, which means “what does a monkey know about the taste of ginger?”
    Now, I don’t know if monkeys eat ginger. But I do know that this idiom sorta applies here- how will you know what happens if you don’t continue??
    That’s all. I sound like a preachy grandma.
    Thanks for visiting my site!!
    stay sticky,
    [pbs}

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  6. When I write, I hope it touches one person. Same when I write a book…if one person’s life is changed for eternity…then, it has all been worth it. Don’t worry about the numbers, they really don’t mean a thing. Just because you have a lot of followers doesn’t mean you have a bunch of reads. Reads are much more important than the number of follows…quality vs. quantity.

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  7. badfinger20 (Max)

    It is odd they would go by followers… I have almost 1000 but only around 25-50 actually follow me…so those numbers are deceiving. They should read it and go by content.

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    1. I agree. People with 100,000 followers does not mean 100,000 people actually follow them and read their posts. They liked my content, just did not think I had the followers to self-promote it I guess. It only takes one to believe in you enough to want to publish it. I only have to find that one…

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  8. Hi Robert, hope all is well. 😍 I suggest that you continue writing and I always enjoy reading your poems or stories or whatever. Blogging is a two way traffic and it purely is give and take policy. When you give likes and comments in other posts every often, then you’d get it back. And the writing should be consistent to get new followers and we need to follow new people so that they will follow back.

    As in my opinion, it should be a two way traffic to survive in blogging. If I don’t write or if I don’t read other posts for two weeks, I fear that my followers wouldn’t mind if I post something after several weeks.

    Sorry for this longest comment. Hope I am not hurting you. It’s just a say.. don’t mind it seriously. 🤝

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