I’ve seen more and more bloggers lately talking about starting a second blog (for writing, personal stuff, or something else). I am in complete awe of anyone who can manage more than one blog!
I just can’t keep up with more than one
There have been two times where I tried to manage two blogs at once:
- Relationships + Web Design: Yeah, for a while I had a blog all about relationships! I quickly found that one blog was always being neglected. I’d focus on the relationship one, and the web design one would see no posts for ages. Then I’d over compensate for that and it would flip the other way around.
- Books + Web Design: Then, for a while I was keeping up with Nose Graze while still maintaining a blog over at Creative Whim. But then I slowly started putting more and more design content up on Nose Graze instead of Creative Whim because I didn’t want to juggle two blogs, two sets of followers, and two pieces of “separated” content.
So for me, it’s pretty much impossible. But I’m okay with that. I’m the kind of person who’s totally happy to have one blog full of random shit. I don’t need to compartmentalize or section things off into their own blogs.
However, I know not everyone is like that. Some people like to keep things totally separate, and that’s okay too! I think I’m just a bit amazed that they’re able to dedicate equal time and attention to both blogs, and not start to neglect one or the other.
I have more than one blog. I have three, to be precise. My main blog and baby is the English book blog, and probably always will be. I give it as much time and love as possible, sticking to this one topic, but I don’t force myself. I have slow times, too.
When I decided to do a German book blog as well, I knew I couldn’t possibly give it the same amount of time, so I got me co-bloggers for that one. That way, it’s easier to manage because the time needed is diveded between us.
The third is diary-like, all the other shit running through my head that might want to get out. I try to really post there once a day, so I don’t lose my own words in all the translation work. ^^
And yes, it’s difficult. I feel like I’m losing time used to have for reading… but I couldn’t image throwing it all in one pot. oO
It’s too much work. I can’t even handle all of my social networking accounts, let alone 2 blogs. 😀
I am also in complete awe of people having more than one blog. I can’t keep up with just one. 🙂
I think even if I had time, I think, as you pointed out) that one of them would suffer since I would focus on one of the topics more.
I think there should be just one blog. If I follow a blog, I am following it because of the person behind the blog and I like to read whatever they say. And posting about the mix of topics makes it interesting. 🙂
I manage four: two at my day job and two for fun. It’s not easily and one personal blog isn’t very active. But that’s because I also do a lot of guest blogging and like to save my best ideas in that niche for guest posts. Also, I’m not a main writer for the two work blogs but for me, editing is much harder than writing. I think the key is being organized, using good tools, and setting up systems and routines. But I’m super anal retentive so that’s my answer for anything. 😛
I have no idea how people manage more than one blog. One is plenty for me and I even have trouble finding time to manage my one some weeks. But major kudos to people who can do more than one! I personally prefer to devote my time to the one blog, making it the best it can possibly be.
Yeah same here. 🙂 I’d feel stretched super thin if I tried to manage more than one! I just know that I’d be giving both blogs 50% instead of giving them both 100%, you know?
I have two but I don’t give as much attention to the second one which is more of my weight loss diary than anything. I review recipes that I have tried and yammer about my weight loss struggles. My baby is my book blog! Which got a new bright and pretty makeover! 🙂
I think it depends on how much you like the blogs. I have 3 blogs: my main book blog, my fashion blog and the one I use for tour stuff. My book blog is the reason I started this in the first place. I post every day except for sometimes Saturdays. My fashion blog is barely a year old, I started it because the designer side in me wouldn’t quiet down. Sure, I share some of my book looks and book mood boards on my book blog sometimes, but I also wanted to blog about fashion stuff that had nothing to do with books so I started a new one. I post on that one 3-5 times a week.
I have to say, I like the way you just started blogging about everything in this blog. It was a smooth transition and it works for you. For some reason, I didn’t think most of the people that follow my blog really care about my fashion posts so I started a new one. Starting new again sucks, but I really like that blog.
If I had to pick just one, it would be my main book blog. Although my fashion blog would be a close second.
Yeah, what happened to me is I realized my blog was simply too all over the place so I refocused and took an hiatus from it. I opened a new writing focused blog too see how a more limited focus works for me. So far so goood!
Hi Ashley
I have been following your blog for quite sometime but I think this is the first time I have ever left a comment. I love all your tips about blogging and I love the book reviews as well 🙂
I was thinking about segregating my two interests I blog about since sewing and cooking don’t really go together. My traffic is pretty non existent and maybe this might be part of the problem.
My husband thinks I should choose one interest and blog about it…..harder said then done. I love sewing I use my machine on a nearly daily basis, then in the afternoons I cross the threshold to my other lover (the kitchen) and work on my creativity with food instead of fabric.
So I wanted your opinion on my plight lol 🙂 Thank you
Nicole Grigor
I think it depends on what your goals are as a blogger. For example:
My goal as a blogger is just to be myself. If I get a lot of traffic, then that’s AWESOME. And yes, getting more traffic will keep me motivated and make me happy. BUT… my main priority is just to have a single space that’s me. That’s why I mash together all of my interests, including books, web design, coding, travelling, eating, and whatever else comes to mind.
My blog isn’t just “a book blog” or “a web design blog”—it’s just my blog. It’s a space that fully encompasses me.
That’s my approach. Now as a result from that, I may get less traffic. Some bookish peeps may be turned off by all the coding posts. Some hard core web designers might be turned off by the bookish posts. I can’t please everyone, and since I don’t have a clearly defined niche I might not get as much traffic as I could be getting. But since traffic isn’t my #1 priority, that’s totally okay with me.
So if your main goal is just to have a personal space that’s YOURS and all about what YOU want, then I say combine all those interests into one blog! It will be 10x easier to manage and you won’t get stressed when one blog ends up getting less attention or if you can’t devote 100% to both blogs.
However, if traffic is your #1 goal then I say pick one niche (at least for the first 1-2 years) and really stick to it. Get involved in communities specific to that niche and that’s how you’ll start to grow. 🙂
Well, you will think I am totally crazy…but I have eleven blogs. And some definitely get more attention than others, but that’s okay, too. They aren’t necessarily about different topics…but each has a different feeling. And they all have some bookish stuff, but some, like my Potpourri blog, have more tidbits about my life.
Four of my blogs are my primary sites, and I pretty much post on all of them every week, with book reviews, topics, etc. But for me, it is fun. It is not supposed to be my “profession.”
To each her own….
Wow!!! I can’t imagine dealing with all that! I feel like I’d get super lost. But as long as it works for you, that’s fantastic. 🙂
I’ve tried to juggle multiple blogs before, but they never last very long. For about three months I had a short story-centric blog in addition to my main blog. Then I had a postcard-centric Tumblr that only lasted four months. For about two years I tried to maintain an author blog and a book blog, but I couldn’t produce good content on a regular schedule for both, so I converted my author site into a landing page and focused on the blog I was more interested in.
I enjoy the ideas for these other blogs at the time I’m creating them, but the passion for it tends to flare out pretty quickly. I think part of my problem was that I had a tendency to compare the success of my new blog against where my old one was when it was X months old.
So there was a time when I had permashift, my current blog, and Caps Lock Thinks, where I kept all my reviews. I loved the division at first. I had this weirdly long-standing notion that I didn’t at all want reviews on my main blog. And then when I started doing indie reviews, I would put them on my main blog because it had the wider audience reach.
You can imagine how long it took me to decide that my time and effort was better off consolidating all my content in one place. And it was SUCH A HUGE relief, when I made the move, too!
I love the freedom to post whatever the hell I want on my blog – like you said, random!
I tried to do two blogs a couple of times. The first time, the second one got assimilated into my first one, because they were close enough anyway. The second time, the new blog just got abandoned. I feel like I will need a second blog if I ever get serious about self-publishing my stuff, something dedicated to my own writing, but since I’m so not in a place to think about publishing yet I guess I can put off thinking about author blogs, too. 😛
I’ve pretty much always had more than one blog. Although now my book blog is main one, and my others are lucky if I sign in and check on them, nevermind posting. 😛
I have 4 Sims blogs, which use to get updated like crazy. I still play the games, but I rarely, if ever, share anymore. I also have a nail polish blog, which has always been more of an occasional thing. I actually do have a couple of drafts for that one waiting for me to finish. I did have a personal blog, but I found I don’t like rambling about my personal life, so it’s no more.
I really like blogging.
Wow, four Sims blogs? Just curious, why do you have four?
I have my main one that is for The Sims 2, since that’s my primary game. I have another Sims 2 one that’s dedicated to one of my larger neighborhoods, since I have lots and lots of Sims in that one and play it the most. Then I have one for The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval. I guess, I actually have 5, since I have a Tumblr too, but I mainly use it just to follow since the Sims community has migrated there from Livejournal. 😛
I’m a total Sims addict, clearly.
I can barely keep up with one blog on my own 😛 I know some that have their own blog and then another that they share with a couple of others. I don’t know how they manage to do that, but I can’t. x)
I used to maintain two blogs and indeed, when I was posting more on one of them, the other one was a bit neglected. I think there’s only so much I can focus on in one day, and writing takes a LOT of time.
In the end, I took a break for a year. Then I started a book blog and now focus on this one only. Much better 🙂
I really admire anyone who has more than one blog. I find it hard to keep up with my one blog, never mind adding another one on top of it.
I admire people who find the time to keep both blogs up to date. I find one blog already takes a lot of time (and I don’t mind that, I love it), so I don’t think I could handle another one.
I can barely handle the one I have:)
Personally, I have always thought about starting a second blog or even a Youtube channel to accompany my book blog. I just haven’t really had the time yet, so I’m waiting for a time when my life slows down to figure that out some more. As for now, I am happy with growing the one book blog.
I tried and could not. My main blog for a long time had been a personal/mom blog. When I got into book blogging, I simply didn’t have time to do it. I tried, and for about 6 months did both, but I grew to despise the other blog. I resented that it took time away from book blogging, and I wasn’t the biggest fan of the mom blogging community, so it was a good decision to let it go. It still exists, but I rarely, if ever, update it. I feel much better devoting my time to the one blog I really care about!
I cannot imagine being able to mange more than one blog. Kudos to all of those who can!
That would overwhelm me so bad. I would probably have a nervous break down if I tried to have a second blog.
I’ve tried to maintain a few blogs over the past 5 years that I’ve had my book blog and it never works! Instead I decided to just let my main blog evolve with me … now I’ll post what I want when I want, but still have the main focus be books. It works great!
Oh god, I have… *counts* NINE blogs. Yeah, that’s right. Nine. And they’re all personal. They’re all for different aspects of my life. I’m not just a book blogger. BUT I’ve also been stalked, both online and in real life, so I do EVERYTHING anonymously. So every blog I run is done under a different name.
As for how you ‘keep up’ with them… well, my main blog is my book blog, so I post there the most. But like everyone is ALWAYS saying in the blogging world, ‘only blog when you have something to say’. Most of my blogs get at least one post a week. Sometimes I forget about one or two. One or two are spite blogs where I go to vent anonymously about random crap, so it’s only updated when I’m feeling rather vengeful.
I feel too vulnerable sharing all of my aspects in one blog. Especially since there are people out there who will take what you love and use it to hurt you. So anonymous is it!
No wonder I needed to take a break.
I can’t manage one blog really 😛 I mean, I’m always behind on something – whether its scheduling posts, replying to comments, visiting other blogs or whatever – I’m never on track. That being said, I did recently purchase a domain for another website (not necessarily a blog), because I’m hoping to publish within the next year and I wanted ownership of the most logical domain for that. But I have every intention of keeping things simple there and having a link to my book blog for daily updates.
I blog at two different book blogs: Deadly Darlings and The Social Potato. Of course, I would give more attention to my own blog since my co-bloggers there don’t post very often. On TSP, Faye and Rashika are very active, and I just drop them a message if I won’t be on much on a specific week, but it does make me feel really guilty when I do.
It’s really difficult to balance blogging on both places since I’m still in high school, but all my co-bloggers have been considerate, so I guess I’m still okay. During breaks or weeks without homework, I try to get plenty of posts up on both blogs.
I have 2 blogs that I post on daily, my book blog and a beauty/personal blog. I read so much that I have to post daily on the book blog since I like to keep track of every book I read. And my beauty/personal blog is more for fun since I get to play with products.
I’ve tried to do 2, but honestly one is a lot of work, so I had to give up #2. I just can’t have two blogs with the same level of quality that I do with one.
I could NEVER balance more than one blog at a time. Between schoolwork, reading, etc…..Nope. I’ve considered getting a co-blogger, but I’m not sure that it’s right for me right now. Lovely post, though!
I can’t even handle my own blog! LOL. I absolutely admire those bloggers who have more than one blog. I was actually thinking of doing another blog for anime stuff but whenever I think about it. Hmmm, hmmm. Better not. 😀