5 Ways Pet Bloggers Can Avoid Burnout
When I first saw Carol Bryant’s post, “Are Traditional Blogs Dying?” here on BlogPaws, I was worried, and knew I had to read it immediately. I had already been concerned that perhaps blogs were going to become a thing of the past, as I saw many of my friends slow down their blogs, posting a lot less, or some disappearing completely.
I have good reason to not want to see this happen: I love blogging.
Blogging is a dream come true for someone who has wanted to be a writer their whole life, but never found a way to pursue that passion until blogging showed up on the radar.
Thank goodness Carol’s article put my fears to rest. I couldn’t help but continue to wonder, however, why some of my best blog friends, who are also extremely talented, have been fading away. Was that destined to happen to me as well?
At this time I don’t see it, because I keep myself aware of the possibility, and I do what I can to prevent it. Being aware is the first key and there are other things I do and recommend as well to avoid burnout:
- Stick to a schedule that works for you. There are those who say you should post more or less. It took me a while to find a schedule that really worked for me. I post more than many blogs, but part of that is because I want to, not because I think I have to.
- Keep trying different things until you find your bliss. When I first started blogging, I wanted to do a lot of animal welfare stories mixed in with personal. I started off strong with a whole series on puppy mills. By the time I was done I realized that was not for me. I started writing more personal stories and that turned out to be what made me happy. I think readers know when your heart is in your work and when it’s not.
- At the same time, don’t be afraid to mix it up to keep it interesting! I write about training and health issues a lot, but for me, if I wrote about that strictly, I would probably get bored with it. Therefore, I mix those in with fun stories about our lives and cute photos of the pets. Everyone loves a cute photo!
- Do more with your pets. If you are active with your pets, no matter what you are doing, it’s bound to stimulate some stories. I often have one post planned and then the dogs do something cute or funny, or something happens on a walk, and then I just have to share that immediately! Try a new sport or a new toy, or just go to a new place for a walk and share the sights and sounds with your readers.
- Monetize your blog. This may sound improbable to some, and the thought of turning your blog into a money-making venture may be what has driven some people away from it. I look at it differently. Would you be motivated to go to work if you didn’t get paid?
Blogging takes a lot of time and effort. Receiving compensation can mean less time spent working outside of home, and more time at home with your pets. It also helps cover the expenses of blogging. I work part time outside of the home, but the thought of someday working from home full time, being my own boss – that inspires me to work harder.
Certainly, there are days that writing a post about some product might not be that inspiring, but it can also get your creative juices flowing. Thinking about how to approach it, what photographs to include, and how to keep it interesting makes you think and create. Then there’s the added bonus of realizing you’re good enough that someone wants to pay you to write about their product!
Most of all, remember what inspired you to write in the first place. Pets are my passion and they are truly what keeps me motivated every day.
Janet Keefe works part-time as a bookkeeper, but her true passion is writing about pets. She shares information for pet parents, along with stories of her life with her own family of pets: Cricket, a beagle, Luke, a Labrador retriever mix, and kitty Samantha, on her blog Wag ‘n Woof Pets.
