I’m getting curiouser and and curiouser about people’s blogging habits and I have to say that I learned a huge amount from my last foray into this territory which related to Following. So, I’d be delighted if you would be sweet and kind enough to share your experiences about the amount of time that you spend in blogland.
Here are the key questions that interest me:
1. How much time do you spend in blogland in an average week?
2. How much time did you spend in blogland last week?
2. How does that time divide in % terms re:
a. Writing Posts
b. Reading Posts
c. Interacting through comments
d. Working on your Site’s Appearance
e. Other/Please Specify!
3. Do you allocate specific time slots in your day/week for Blogging?
I pilotted this little questionnaire on myself and reckon that I spend about 16-18 hours in an average week on blogging. Last week was a pretty typical week in blogging terms.
It looks like I spend about 40% of the time writing posts; 30% reading other blogs; 19% interacting through comments; 1% at other stuff, like investigating widgets!!!
I don’t have a very fixed routine for blogging activities but tend to deal with most email alerts re blogs early in the morning. Having said that, if I see that a blog is long and will require serious thought re comment, I put it aside for another time and refuse to delete it from my inbox until I’ve dealt with it.
Very much looking forward to your responses. (By the way, I didn’t use the Poll option as it didn’t seem to accommodate what I wanted to ask in the way I wanted to ask it!)
SOCIAL BRIDGE ~ Jean Tubridy connecting with you from Ireland 
Wow Jean that is a lot of hours! I reckon on maybe averaging four, of which one might be writing and three reading/commenting. These days I’m probably more likely to just read and not comment on posts that I don’t feel engaged enough with to make a contribution.
I don’t have a fixed routine – I tend to catch up as and when I have the time.
Roy, I’m surprised that you manage to keep it down to 4 and still be so engaged.
Yes, I agree that 16-18 is a big commitment. However, it’s very much hobby time and combines well with where I’m at right now. Also, I’d have to say that the posting time is greatly lengthened by the fact that I want to incorporate both photos and writing.
There is a need to ask, though, if it is time best spent. I know that writing for publication or submission is another possibility and I’ve definitely cut down on those since the blogging took hold. You sound like your whole blogging situation has changed over the years?
Yes of course Jean, your photos and videos demand much more time whereas I tend to write stuff off the cuff and throw a few Google images in. I don’t take it a bit seriously really.
I started blogging back in the mists of time and, over the years, it’s developed from a club athletics news sheet through a running blog, a commentary on my time in Ireland, a writing blog to general interest. I’ve no idea where it might be headed in the future but I enjoy it 🙂
Fascinating how blogs weave along in different ways, isn’t it? Must say, your posts never come across like they’ve been written off the cuff but then I suppose cuffs differ. Yours must have cuff links!
I couldn’t begin to analyse, Jean! Too much and not enough seems to be the closest I can get 🙂
Sue, thanks for writing. An interesting answer and one with which I can identify in many ways.
I probably spend approximately 2 hours in the morning, but not every morning–so maybe that would be about 10 hours a week. Commenting, about 1%, reading about 80%–writing differs depending upon my mood. Some days I write instead of read, then catch up on the reading the next day. I don’t particularly set aside a time, I just like to enjoy reading and sometimes writing with my morning coffee. When writing–it can be at any time of the day when a thought develops, again, that is usually in the morning. By evening, I’m exhausted.
April, many thanks for your response. I’m rather surprised at the 80% reading. It sounds high but obviously there are areas that are of particular interest to you in blogland?
Slow reader? 😉 Or maybe my numbers are off. I’m probably including the time it takes for me to edit my own posts.
Or maybe, like Roy and some of the others, you’re focussing more on reading than writing at the moment. There’s so much to read, isn’t there???
Yes. A wide variety of topics, and some very wonderful authors.
As I think I mentioned before, I’ve been spending too much time in blogland lately, when I should be working on novel-related stuff. Have just consumed a huge amount of time this last week, sorting out widgets, tags and categories. Must go back to my old rule next week — to not blog or go on the internet between 1100-13.30 hours. So tell me off, Jean, if you catch me in blogland between those hours from Monday-Friday!
Sarah, I’ll give you a good rap on the knuckles if I catch you at those hours! Interesting that you have a no internet rule in the first place.
The mere thought of widgets, tags and categories leaves me cold ~ but I know there’s a job waiting to be done in that regard. You haven’t exactly pumped up my enthusiasm to tear into it!
Too much Jean, at least it has felt that way this week! I actually spend most of my time reading and commenting – the actual writing of posts (bearing in mind I only post weekly or fortnightly) doesn’t take up a huge amount of time.
Hi Andrea, how interesting to find another reader and commenter! Do you find that writing blog posts helps or hinders your other writing (leaving the time element aside?)
In terms of stimulating creativity, blogging has been the best thing I’ve ever done – I’ve never been more creative since I started. I did pull back from weekly to fortnightly posts at the beginning of the year, as I found I was putting all my energy into blog posts and neglecting the other writing – I find it easier to write blog posts and there’s also that exciting element of the instant feedback. Now that I’ve achieved most of my writing goals for this year, I’m doing a mixture of weekly and fortnightly posts depending how I feel 🙂
Thanks for this follow-up, Andrea. I’m very interested to hear that you’ve found blogging so stimulating for creativity. (You’ll be pleased to hear that this comment of yours sent me off to write a short piece for a competition that I’ve been mulling over for weeks now. Ready for the post at this point!)
That’s great Jean, wishing you lots of luck with that!
since I started at the end of April I’ve loved it and wonder how I did without it for so long, I do do less writing on my novels as a result but I don’t begrudge that yet given the novelty. I’m about the same as you though I spend more time writing than reading just now The balance is changing as I discover more people and follow them.
TanGental, delighted to hear from you and so pleased that you are enjoying blogland so much. Yes, that balance between writing and reading seems to tip over and back a good bit, depending on where one is at.
33.3% three ways. But you knew that. 😉
Hi OM, thanks for commenting. Yes, I’ve been very aware of your 33.3% approach for a good while now. It’s an interesting one and certainly seems to work well for you.
As a matter of interest, what about the ‘Appearance’ time ~ is that where the .1% comes in?
Appearance as in visiting people? That is in the 33.3 portion of interaction. Daily.
No, I mean appearance of the blog itself.
0% my blog is ugly and has looked the same for two years lol.
Nothing opinionated about that response anyway, unless negative opinions of ones design count!
LoL indeed. 😉
😍
I shall be giving this question some serious thought! The quick answer from my husband is TOO MUCH!! XXXXXXXXX
Willow, good to hear from you. I’ll be interested to hear the outcome of YOUR deliberations. xx
Most of my life, really. I have several blogs for various purposes. Some of them are monetized so I try to post on them regularly to draw attention to the things I’m promoting, and I only promote what I love, mostly books. I have a spirituality blog, a marketing help blog, used to have a travel blog, but not traveling now, and sweet mystery books for reviews. I’m shutting down the mystery blog soon and just including the reviews on the genre pages of my site SweetMysteryBooks.com. I also have a food blog, Smell Taste Remember, all my blogs are on Blogger.com. I am a writer, it is my passion, my joy and much of my life. I have a happiness hits blog for music/videos that makes me smile and dance. I’m sure I’m oversharing all the time, but that’s just who I am. Then, if you add in pinterest which feeds my visual side and FB which feeds my social side and linkedin which feeds my writing/social side, I live in a box called a laptop. I used to post more regularly, but now I just post when something feels appropriate. I spend at least 8 hours a day (mostly at night). Hate to admit that but it’s true. I’m retired without a car. lol
Sandy, thanks for sharing your experience. I love your turn of phrase: ‘I live in a box called a laptop.’
I can imagine that having so many blogs would take up a huge amount of time and it certainly sounds like you enjoy the whole experience immensely.
As a matter of interest, so you think that having a car would change the dynamic much?
Adventures in Blogland
I spend less than one hour per day reading and one hour per week writing (which I do at night while watching television). I seldom reply. Because of the time difference, or because, by the time I get to read the blog, everyone has said what I might say. Much as I wanted to add how much I enjoy your writing, Jean, especially the story of the dogs with underwear. So funny.
I only get notifications of four other blogs. A linguist. A young writer. A local genealogist. I also follow several other Blogspot bloggers which I catch up on maybe monthly – Book Addiction, Dorset Folklore. I started writing my Earthabridge blog around 2007 a flexible once a week. I am currently doing a Genealogy Prompt blog following the Book of Me which gives a prompt once a week. I too think the visuals are very important.
I write all the time. I go to my computer to work. The first thing I do in the morning is check my e-mail and that’s when I check out the topic of the latest blogs. I may choose to read later. I work usually four to five hours on my computer so I do not feel like spending more time on line reading. After work, I check Facebook (for local social, or distant family) and Pinterest (for pretty pictures) and Twitter – more for political issues. I like the links to articles of interest. I use it to document the books I have read, in the way that some people document the meals they have enjoyed. I also play Scrabble on line and on my laptop. And Solitaire. While watching television. Way too much eyes-on-screen time.
Hi Joan, I can quite see how you simply couldn’t spend much time on blogs, given the amount of screen time you have with other things. You sound like you are very disciplined about not allowing yourself to get too embroiled in it all.
Mind those eyes!!!
Thank you for such an interesting post, its nice to have interactive blog posts.
Now lets see:
I spend about 10 – 15 hours a week in blogland. I would say 60% of my time is devoted to writing and 40% is reading. I am not a big commenter (which I need to work on), and I am happy with my site.
I have set times every morning and night to read/write.
Regards
Hello Dominick, thanks for your kind words and for taking the time to share.
Oh, how I wish I could say I am happy with my site! I’d comment all day and night to avoid that end of things!
Hi,
It takes time when I first step the site up I worked for hours on it, but I am happy now. I am sure in a few weeks I will hate it and have to change it all. Haha.
Hope you had a great day.
Dominick
In my case is all depends about where am I or in which state of mind. For example last week a think I spent only 4 hours in the blogosphere. Usually I only insert a picture, so my time is directly related with the speed of my internet connection. Being in the blogs area isn’t a daily activity for me, so i am not at all a blogger 100%. Thus i do admit a have days when I spend hours reading great posts.
Inspiring picture, Jean!
Dana, lovely to hear from you and glad you like the pic.
I’ve often wondered about a blog with just words or images but not a mix of the two. I just can’t seem to post without having both and it certainly adds a lot to the time involved.
How easy it is, too, to take internet connection for granted when all is working well.
Well, as you know… I spend WAY too much time in Blogland – when I’m not painting the house or making jellies and meals for clients! I swear, I must read a novel a day (if you bookend all the blogs I read)! I am sucked in daily – read one post, which brings me to another or the comments made are so enjoyed, I check out their site and so on. In my defense, they do say that avid readers make the best conversationalists… I must be beyond good! 😉
I almost always comment on posts I read and, if I am at a loss for words, I will at least like them! Though, truth be told, it is a rare thing indeed for me to be at a loss for words… There are a few bloggers who never respond to comments, so I’ve stopped giving my two cents’ worth. If you don’t bother responding to any comments, why even have the comment box? I just don’t get it.
I would say 70% of my time is spent reading and commenting and 30% is shared between writing, thinking about posts that just don’t get “put to paper” and social media. I know I have to get my food site going more if I want to actually create that side of the business but I am torn as I think there is a writer inside of me that is fighting with the chef inside (yeah, like I could really call myself a chef having had zero training….)
Dale, how interesting that you’ve evaded the how many hours question!!!! I kinda feel this is like a confessional. The range is extraordinary but we are all so different.
Also, I’m surprised at the differences in terms of reading and writing. 70% reading seems high to me but I think I could really only be honest about all this if I kept a diary over a few weeks or even longer.
That writer/chef battle is a fascinating one but surely they can be combined.in a creative way? Take a look at the website for Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co. Cork. It’s one of the most inspirational places I know when it comes to cooking and writing.
I’ve not avoided it… I’ve actually got to sit down and analyze it! Which I will do this week… I would say that I easily spend 20+ hours in the Blog world!
I’ve done more reading than writing lately. It’s like I have so much going on in my head, so many stories started that I just can’t put my thoughts into any order… so I read on (call it avoidance, if you will)
I will definitely check out the site!
Well that’s very specific and it seems like you’re at the top end of the middle range!
As for the ideas, for what it’s worth, I try and force myself to at least mould them towards a post by giving them a working title and a place in Drafts! At least they keep pressing forward there until something happens!
Just as expenses seem to increase with the amount of income available, blogging seems to fill up all the time that I allow it to do so! When I was unemployed, I probably spent close to 30 hours blogging. Now that I am employed full-time, I would say that I spend about 6 or 7 hours per week in blogland. Of that, about half is spent in writing, with most of the remainder spent in reading blogs and commenting on them. I receive very few comments on my own blog, so the time I spend on that is negligible. Also, I spend no time at all on improving the appearance of my site. It is what it is, and that’s just fine. I like a plain site, actually, so stamp a bar code on it and I’ll be good to go. 🙂
Hi UC, good point about blogging filling available time. I suspect, though, that the type of employment one is in has an impact too. For example, those who are self employed may well turn to their blogs when business is quiet.
Look forward to reading your posts and commenting on them!
Good inquiry Jean! Having been away for 10 days I spent 0 time on blogging. Coming back, I see how easy it is to tie up my time in front of the computer once more!
I love the connections and the creating … but I also have to get out and move 😉
There’s been a shift in me to honor my own time more…. and that will take some effort to uphold!
Val x
Short answer? Too much, yet never enough. I need to get more organized! My goal is to be more along the 33.3% lines of OM. Wish I could figure out a way to split myself into 3 separate wholes—with me, myself and I taking one third each for 100% of the time, lol 😉 Photos definitely gobble up the time, but they’re half the fun! 🙂 ❤ ❤
Yes OM’s approach is interesting and has appeal but I think it would mean dropping the photos, which is a no-no for me, anyway.