What National Blog Posting Month Taught Me

As many of you are aware, I signed up for National Blog Posting Month last month. For the most part, it wasn't much of an issue. There were a couple of days that I just had absolutely nothing to write about and if you look back through the archives you will definitely be able to pinpoint those days. If you are looking back through the archives now you'll notice that I didn't quite make it. I'd like to share what NaBloPoMo has taught me.

Before November began I was posting about 0.9 articles a day. Most days, I had a new post, sometimes there would be a day without a post. When I heard of National Blog Posting Month I thought it would be no big deal. A post a day...I already do that. So, I can easily sign up for this and get together with thousands of other bloggers doing the same thing.

I did quite well for most of the month, as my archives show, but I noticed something almost from the beginning. I was finding it difficult to write. At all. And it wasn't just trying to find topics to write about, which is sometimes difficult, but it was actually difficult at times to motivate myself to actually write. It seemed like the moment I agreed to actually post once each day the very thought of coming up with a post was difficult.

I'm not normally very prolific - I like to get to the point. It wasn't that I was trying to write more than I normally would. I was averaging a post per day, anyway. So, it seems that the real factor that was causing me to want to skip posting was just because I had to do it.

What had been an entertaining hobby that I thought might someday lead to a nice side income had instead developed into a second job. And it wasn't a difficult job, by any means, but it still somehow weighed upon me like the onus of working a second job would.

As a result, I will probably never be a professional blogger. If the deadlines in a simple agreement like National Blog Posting Month got to me like that then I may have issues producing regular content for a 'pro' blog. On the other hand, as long as I can simply perceive it as a hobby, I seem to do fine keeping just about any schedule.

For the time being, though, I have cut back on the posts I have been making. The last thing I want to do is burn out on something that I should find enjoyable. For now, I am having fun, so the posts will keep coming...just not as often. :)