TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG. That’s not the question.
How often to blog, that’s the question.
I may not make any changes whatsoever, keeping my current approach of one blog post every workday, Monday through Friday.
But it takes a fair amount of time to write a weekday blog, I’ve discovered. Often, about two hours a day.
It also takes a fair amount of commitment from a reader to read a weekday blog.
I’ve been tracking the number of readers, and I’m thinking Friday is Dead Day. That’s when the fewest number of readers go to the page.
My Monday feature, the Bible Question of the Week, seems to be the most popular. Beyond that, I’m not seeing much of a pattern as it relates to days of the week. It just seems that some blog posts strike a nerve, and some don’t.
I’m about to enter a stage of working on a couple of book projects that will take a lot of time. I could make good use of those two blogging hours each day, diverting them to the book projects.
Here’s what I’m wondering.
Should I go with just the Monday blog post, featuring the Question of the Week?
Or should I do more than one?
Perhaps Monday through Thursday.
Or maybe just Monday and Wednesday.
Or perhaps just when I feel I have something interesting to say.
At this point I’m in the brainstorming mode.
As I said, I may not make any changes at all.
But, frankly, at the moment I’m leaning pretty strongly toward pushing Friday off a short pier.
Then again, I could do something like giving you a Bible verse for the weekend—a “spiritual cookie,” instead of a “fortune cookie.”
Still brainstorming as I type.
Care to brainstorm with me?
Twice a week is even a pretty big commitment, Steve. Certainly no more than that — at least when you’re working on your books. But even one good question a week can still make for a pretty active blog!
Thanks, Steve.
I sure see your dilemma, but I also see, perhaps, the answer within your brainstorm. I lean towards blogging when you have something interesting to say. Now, mind you, I feel you always have something interesting to say, and I read your blog every day even if I don’t respond to it. Since you will be working on book projects, how about if you blog as interesting ideas come to you within that research, separate from the book thesis, of course. I also like the idea of the Weekend Cookies! Could you make them double-stuffed Oreos?! ;-). I truly know you will choose wisely as the Holy Spirit guides you!
Thanks, Sherry.
Oreos are ok as long as you have milk. But I love peanut butter cookies best of all. They are best out of the oven of my wife or my mom; both use the same recipe.
I love your blog! I look for it every morning when I wake up and read it on the bus to work. I honestly don’t know what I did on my morning bus commute before your blog any more. I wonder tho. I always just read it in the viewing pane of my email window. The only time I actually go to the blog page is when I have a comment to make, which is usually on the question of the week. So I wonder if it doesn’t count me then as a daily reader even tho I do. And if that’s the case for me, I wonder if there are many more out there like me.
Thanks Erin. I see 2 counts. One count tells me how many visit the page. Another tells me how many subscribers opened the email. I’m not sure if I see the count of people who view it in their email window without actually opening up the email.
Still, I’m just thinking out loud about what to do. I’d hate to miss the bus on this.
I love this Blog Stephen and here is a good suggestion: Why not print excerpts from your books? You have so many interesting things that make good blogging material! I especially love the Newest books you just released. Do it about 3 times a week and we can interact with it like we do now and you will have even more material for your next book! You get us all charged up and we love you, also I enjoy your “book publishing” stories!
Thanks Wayne. Publishers put limits on how much we can use from the books. I pretty much test those limits with what I do already.
As for those publishing stories, I actually started to write a blog post about my 3rd worst publishing experience. I have a top 3. But my agent would hate me for telling those stores. So I wrote the recent post about my favorite reader email instead.
I’ll get the horror stories out there eventually. I just need the Spirit living within my gut to tell me when.
Twice a week is good, but do not leave out question of the week!
I’ll keep the Q. of the Week. That’s my favorite.
I’m for the option of when you feel you have something interesting to say (maybe at least once a week.) I prefer deep content over frequency any day. That option would give you plenty of time for your book projects, too.
P.S. Just an extra thought: Don’t even think of leaving out the Buddy Dog Blog ! 😉
I enjoy reading your blogs!!! Spiritual Cookie sounds good along with the blogs.
OK. I’ll try one out tomorrow. This one is especially for you and for Sherry, who wants to see Buddy the Dog in blogs now and again.
My two cents is for two blogs per week, or even just when you “feel the need”. I love your stuff, Stephen, but I’m inundated with things to read so I get selective & only read “some” — about 2 per week. Perhaps a “best of” ? The value of your time applied elsewhere may ultimately give the best return. But I tell you this: I love you brother!
Thanks so much, Michael.
I love reading your books. I also love the blog. I can see where the blog takes time away from book writing. If I had to choose one or the other, I would rather read your books.
Thanks Debbie.
Steve, I love your blog and look for it in my email. I can honestly say that I read every single one. If I get busy I just leave it in my inbox so I may read a few together.
I understand you have a very full schedule so I will take whatever you give to us just please don’t stop the more the better for me 🙂
I do love your books as much so I understand if you need to make an adjustment.
Thank you for all your hard work
your sister in Christ
Christine
PS
Thank you sooooo much for the signed book!
Kind. Thanks Christine.