One way of sticking to your goals is to write about the journey. I believe we should write or blog regularly. I think it’s key to making positive changes in our lives. As a minimalist, I think we should do everything in moderation. That’s where slow blogging comes into the picture.
I recently discovered the philosophy of slow blogging. Many blogs post daily or even many times per day. Why the hurry? It doesn’t give your readers time to truly digest your posts. Slow blogging is an intentional way of focusing on content over quantity. Maybe it’s right for you.
According to The New York Times:
A Slow Blog Manifesto, written in 2006 by Todd Sieling, a technology consultant from Vancouver, British Columbia, laid out the movement’s tenets. “Slow Blogging is a rejection of immediacy,” he wrote. “It is an affirmation that not all things worth reading are written quickly.” (Nor, because of a lack of traffic, is Mr. Sieling writing this blog at all these days.) Ms. Ganley, who recently left her job as a writing instructor at Middlebury College, compares slow blogging to meditation. It’s “being quiet for a moment before you write,” she said, “and not having what you write be the first thing that comes out of your head.”
The idea is that blogging is better if you take a deep breath, pause, and give yourself time and space to be creative. Hip Diggs is in agreement with this idea. Although I never set out to be part of the slow blogging movement, it’s how I’ve been working for awhile. I only post once or twice a week.
Is Slow Blogging Right For You?
- Do you like to be thoughtful in your writing?
- Do you prefer time and space to write, rather than writing under pressure?
- Do you like to be creative?
- Do you want to produce high-quality content?
- Do you want to give readers a chance to truly take in your latest posts?
- Do you want more time for your own reading?
If you answered yes to more than a couple of these questions, slow blogging might be right for you. Here’s the slow blogging manifesto:
- Don’t post every day: Slow blogging means taking time to enjoy your family and friends, and the world around us. It means waiting for inspiration to strike, and only writing if and when that happens. It might be once a week, or once a month. That’s okay.
- Stop snarking: Slow blogging isn’t about quips and one-liners and snarky or passive-aggressive updates. Slow bloggers use their blogs as places to reflect, rather than feeling the entirely illusory pressure many bloggers feel to be witty, or fastest, or first with the latest hilarious Internet meme or fad.
- Write mindfully: When you have 5 reviews to write, it can be tempting to bash out posts back-to-back on the keyboard. Slow bloggers avoid blathering, instead writing mindfully and thoughtfully. When you’re writing about things that inspire you, it’s easier to choose your words with care.
- Read as much as you write: One of the downsides of blogging to a schedule is you struggle to read, and discover things that might inspire you. Reducing the frequency of blogging means you’ll have more time to explore other websites, blogs – and enjoy the more social aspects of blogging.
- Take a moment: Slow blogging is all about NOT typing the first thing that pops into your head. When you sit down to write a post, stop. Breathe. Take a moment to collect your thoughts. Then type.
Five Reasons To Try Slow Blogging
- You’ll write at a higher level: I often schedule posts in advance at Hip Diggs. This post was written several months ago. However, I never push myself to write more posts just to fill space. I only write when I have a great idea for a post.
- You’ll have more time to reflect: When you post less often, you give yourself more time to reflect, to think. You have more time to be creative. You can’t help but produce better work.
- You’ll respect your readers: It gets frustrating when blogs turn out so many posts that you can’t keep up. Often, the blogs that post more frequently have lackluster content. If you take your time between posts, your readers have a chance to enjoy each post.
- You’ll take the pressure off: Slow bloggers are not worried about traffic and numbers. Writing is key. Great content will lead to dedicated readers. That’s what I want. I don’t want “drive-by” readers. I want readers who truly enjoy my posts and will return again and again.
- You’ll give power to your archives: When you slow down and write higher-quality posts, they live on. Great posts continue to attract readers, months, even years later. If your writing isn’t timeless, what’s the point. If your writing is timeless, your archives will become your most powerful asset. You don’t need to push yourself to write when you’re not ready. You can let your archives speak for your blog. That’s why I have an All Posts‘ page. It makes archives easy to access.
Is slow blogging for you? I’’ll let you decide.
