While I really don't pretend to know all the answers, I think that social media, and that includes blogging, is taking up more and more of author's time. Sure, we may love it (at least some of it), but it's hard enough to balance real life (and a full time job for many of us), along with already trying to write a blog and all that goes with it. It's tricky. So a lot of people blog less. And visit less blogs. It happens.
There are also so many other options out there that are faster, require less investment, and may reach a wider audience, than a blog. Facebook and Twitter being some of the top ones, but of course Tumblr, Instagram, and Pinterest are there, too. I know I find myself using those sites a lot more lately, mainly because they're just simpler, and I can get back to my WIP after chatting with a few people.
So, I'm not sure if author blogging is totally dead, but it may be in need of a little CPR. People are starting to cut back, though I don't see people outright quitting all that soon (I know I won't be! I love my blog!). Still, as the social media world continues to evolve, changes have to happen to stay current and keep up with what we do social media for in the first place: reach our audience. And maybe, just maybe, get some people interested in our books :)
What do you think? I'm definitely curious about this!
It makes me a little melancholy to know blogging isn't what it used to be. I'm a newbie, only been doing it over a year now, and I hear ppl talk about when blogging was HUGE and everybody did it. I missed it! ;) Ah, well, such is life. =)
ReplyDeleteI've been hearing for years that blogging is dead (just like when ebooks first started and print books were supposed to go the way of the dinosaur). I definitely think a lot of people have jumped off the bandwagon, but that just leaves more room for those of us who are dedicated to it. It can be time consuming, but it's a form of expression I've come to love, and it's also a fun place for me to help showcase other authors. I don't think my blog is going away for a long time, and I'm glad to hear yours isn't either. :)
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think blogging is near death. People tend to make declarations about that--for instance, that paranormal lit is dead. A great paranormal will still be popular as will a great blog post. That said, a lot of us are cutting down a little. Hey, we have novels to write!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure. I'm still blogging, but I've noticed people cutting back too. I guess we'll see.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Thanks for your comment :)
ReplyDeleteAbout the death of blogging ,I hope to continue to do it and hope that other people will do the same. I didn't blog for some month and I missed it even if I don't write long blog post but prefer to add illustrations.I use a lot Fb but it's only faster and is good if you have time(not enough) for chatting with friends and for see what there is in the world but I prefer blog,it's better to know what people think:)
I'm still out there blogging and my traffic continues to increase as time goes on. I only post 3x a week so I am not overwhelmed by the blog. I still read blogs, but I also read plenty of forums on google, facebook and smaller private forums. I have noticed authors are starting to blog less or to quit their blogs in favor of their creative writing more often these days. I don't blame them. There are times when I think about throwing in the towel too. Yet for me, the blog schedule keeps me writing. I'm glad for my blog and I don't plan on cutting it down any time soon.
ReplyDeleteI tend to post three times a week, so it's not that time consuming for my writer's blog. My photoblog, while a daily thing, is a whole different thing that is much less time consuming, so they move at different paces.
ReplyDeleteThings do change. I love blogging but I have had to cut down on it due to time constraints. The cycle of life. Things shift and adjust, I assume I will have more time for it later.
ReplyDeleteI know I've mostly stopped writing blog posts. I use my blog solely for promoting other authors. I do book blitzs, book releases, interviews, cover releases, and things like that. And I shamelessly promote my own work. :)
ReplyDeleteBut writing blog posts just takes up too much time. Between writing, editing, helping kids with homework, cooking dinner (I hate to cook, by the way), writing you my three page rambling email, and on and on, there just isn't time. So I stick with promoting authors and book reviews. I can crank those out quickly.
Michelle
Not sure if I'm considered an "author blogger" -- I write a general blog about Houdini -- but my own traffic has steadily incresed and is really exploding this year. I use social networking like Twitter and Facebook to post links and direct people back to the blog. My blog has dedicated pages on several social networking sites just for this purpose. That seems to work really well.
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic. Thanks for posting.
Guess it will be wait and see.
ReplyDeleteI've missed some people's blog presence, I really do. I remember in my early days of Blogspot in '09 (I had previous blogs I deleted before then), authors were blogging and visiting me, and some have stopped altogether or don't reciprocate in comments. It is time consuming, but I believe a vital part in not just connecting with other writers, but readers too. I used to post 3 times and cut down to 2, but I can't imagine not blogging at all.
ReplyDeleteI've really cut down because I reached a point I was too exhausted and couldn't write a meaningful post. Working 12 hours a day and the two kids left me feeling unmotivated..lol Facebook is becoming a bit of a challenge too, but I think it's easier to post on FB and creating a post (for me that is) I will go back to blogging, but it might take a while. I miss it too!
ReplyDeleteI think it's smart to cut down, even if it's a little sad for the blogosphere. BUT more time to write means happier writers, better books, and better things all around. I don't think author blogs are dying at all (hello, overstatement! ;) ), just changing. As everything changes :)
ReplyDeleteI love reading blogs and visiting. It will be a sad day when it will be over.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if authors are blogging less- I think it goes through cycles. I have noticed over the past few years that summer is always a little slower. People are off, or they go on vacation, or they just want to enjoy their free time by spending more of it with family. Usually in the fall it picks up again. Even when authors start blogging less- I still look forward to visiting and I know that even when I become busier over the summer and at the start of school that I try to make my visits and usual posts (if a little later than normal). :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!