..as to why this blog went all quiet for a while. Right? Well, the usual thing happened – I lost my writing mojo. I hit a blank wall and just couldn’t get over it. Writing anything became a huge drag. There were so many things in my head that I wanted to put down on paper but somehow my voice was gone. And I didn’t know how to get it back.
So I just wallowed. A lot. And then some.
But I missed the joy I got out of writing. I was desperate to get it back but I was clueless how. The more I didn’t write, the more scared I got – that I can’t write anymore, that I had never written well enough anyway to make a fuss now etc.
So I started reading – reading blogs on writing, on copywriting, on blogging, on Social Media. Oh and I also got into Julia Quinn in a big way. A friend convinced me that her Regency romances are quite good and since I am a sucker for period English, I borrowed the books from the library. That led to some interesting confusion, considering I live in England – I used to get so immersed in the book and then there will be a reference to a spot I know well. And I’ll go “oh I was there last week!” Interesting times!
I also participated in a Tweetchat with Beth Schillaci about becoming a better blogger and using blogs more effectively. One of my queries was regarding niches, to which Beth replied “A niche allows you to focus your blog more easily. For business blog, stick with your business niche…. People with tighter niches tend to do better with attracting audience and advertisers.”
That was one of my problems. I had varied interests and had them all under one roof. Well they were under different roofs but I brought them under one to have better control over them. But they were counter-productive as I lost my focus. So the first thing I did that evening was to split my site into my regular blog and a separate food blog.
But this still didn’t end my writing block.
And then I came across this – and the penny dropped. So I started writing. Just writing. Most of it was plain rubbish but at least I was writing. As I wrote more and more, I felt I was climbing back from the void. There is still a’ways to go but I feel like I have crossed the main part.
Now that I have spun off my food blog, I am going to be making more of a focussed approach to this one too. Being a parent colours my thinking a lot. So I decided to play to my strengths and decided to go with introducing a “child-friendly / child-safe” theme to my blog. To that effect, I have also asked some of the better mommy bloggers out there to guest post here.
So starting with Monday, you will find some exciting things happening here. Kiran Manral, the fantastic writer behind Karmic Kids and the brain of the charity organisation India Helps, is kicking things off here. I shall sign off here today, adding a huge thank you to my loyal readers. You rock!
Love that you’re back!
It does feel good to be back! Now I need to start visiting my usual blog haunts to see what all I’ve missed!
I missed you! BTW, I did read your blogs regularly, and kept coming back everyday to check for a new post
aww thanks, Laks!
It’s great to see you get out of your writer’s block. I truly enjoyed your participation in the chat last week and look forward to reading your blog as you move forward.
Thank you for dropping by, Beth. That Tweetchat is one of the best things I did to get over the block!
Cooool.. you are back! Glad to see you here.. looking forward to your posts!
Doli – thank you so much! It does feel good to be back writing / blogging too!
Missed you loads. Please don’t disappear again!
I promise not to, Dips!
Tagged!
How well you write even on a topic like ‘not being able to write’! And I laughed when i read Brian Clark’s suggestions. They are so good.
You are my perfect reader! *bows* And yes that article is kinda well written and to the point, don’t you think?
i’m not A friend. I am THE friend. what would your life be if i hadnt introduced Julia Quinn and myself to you? Not necessarily in this order.
Yes babe. Of course babe.