Has Your Blog Jumped the Shark?

Posted on by Mike Senczyszak in Writing & Blogging

fonzie_jumps_the_shark
I’ve previously written on the challenges of blogging, the week to week frustrations, the looming deadlines, the struggle to find new material. Some of my more popular posts have centered on the tumultuous struggle between discipline, inspiration and procrastination. It seems I never run out of ideas on the topic of running out of ideas. In fact as I write this, I’m having a bout of déjà vu, the words and subject matter familiar, but alas, I’m too far along to turn back now.

‘Jumping the shark’ is a well-known idiom, synonymous with the pending death of a creative cycle. Think Henry Winkler on water skis, and you get the picture. Writers who jump the shark are usually desperate for material, they stray from the formula, gamble on gimmicks, and take reckless chances, all in a last-ditch effort to maintain popularity.

And blogging is no different. We all want visitors, followers, comments, but ensuring our site remains current and fresh, involves work, discipline and determination. I’m astounded by Bloggers who post daily, those gifted few who never seem to run short on material –especially since I struggle to post weekly.

But it’s important to remember that we all entered this arena for different reasons. We all have our goals as writers, our motivations, our challenges, our Netflix preferences.

Has my Blog jumped the shark?

No, but occasionally the question arises. There are times when I sit, captive at my keyboard, lost in a hopeless maze of empty thought, debating my options, waiting on the ‘good stuff’ to appear. The problem is, as Dan Poynter so eloquently put it; “if you wait for inspiration to write, you’re a waiter, not a writer.”

I love that line.

For now, I’m good. Next week may be a different story.

Is your Blog at risk of donning a black leather jacket and pair of water skis?

I’ve compiled a short list of warning signs below.
.

Five Warning Signs Your Blog May Have Jumped the Shark
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Your last three posts were pictures of cats.

You wish you still looked like the avatar on your ‘About’ page.

You write a post entitled ‘Why I Love ISIS’, and no one responds, not even the FBI.

The last person to follow your Blog had an AOL address.

You get excited when your ‘Comment’ section is spammed.

Until next time,

45 thoughts on “Has Your Blog Jumped the Shark?”

  2. It is possible for blogs to change their intentions. What may have started as a blog to help fellow writers may evolve into something else over time. I think it is good to evolve. Change is necessary. Good post, Mike!

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  3. So funny! I hope to avoid jumping the Shark or being jumped by the Shark by only having a blog for a year…we’ll see what happens…may change my mind… 🙂

    I am enjoying your posts! Hope you have a Happy Father’s Day!

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  7. I bet we all go through such times, I do post at weekends only, since I have my life and work, sometimes blogging takes the last place in my list. It’s good when you have more free time, if it can be my main work, then no problems, ideas can always come!

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    1. Glad to hear of another ‘weekend’ poster like myself. Every time I turn around it seems it’s Thursday, and I’m struggling to think of something to post for Saturday. Cheers, thanks for commenting!

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  9. So hold up – I feel like you might be implying that Henry Winkler with the jacket, on skis, and sans bike is bad? If this is the direction you are heading, I’m definitely hosed. 😉 Nice post Mike. Jo

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  10. I am still managing to walk the straight and narrow line on my blogs. I keep to what I know but jumping the shark actually sounds like a challenge one which I hope never to take up.

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  12. Well said. This is how I feel about the third season of Orange is the New Black. Do you watch that show? They’ve seemed to have run amuck to maintain popularity. And I can see how people might be inclined to do the same with their blogs…but I’m sure it’s not worth it.

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  13. Oh wow, I didn’t really think of blogging that way. I’m a sporadic blogger I suppose. No schedule, I blog only when I feel like sharing something no matter how insignificant. I’m just happy to be doing something other than work I guess =)

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  14. Surely it’s impossible to run out of material – it’s just such a huge world out there! Happily none of your conditions are true for me, even though I post three or four times a day. 🙂
    Keep on smiling, Mike.
    Kindness – Robert.

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  17. So funny.I really enjoyed that.I don’t have a problem thinking of topics but I have strategies like posting a good article about poetry and mulling over that if I can’t get going.I have got obsessed with villanelles and you only need two lines to start with.But I am more confident now after doing it for about 6 years.I sometimes begin a line not knowing how it will end.Of course, the quality may vary.I’d feel more stuck writing in prose about my day or about politics.This annoys some readers.One woman wrote, I don’t want to read a poem I want to know what you are doing, who you see, what you eat.So far I’ve not been inclined to share those things.Possibly ot might be boring
    I had my usual Weetabix for breakfast before heading to my usual coffee shop for coffee.I then entered Ryman’s and bought 20 ball point pens and a box of A4 paper.It was so heavy I ended up in A and E with my usual slipped disc.I came home for my usual bread and cheese and made my uusal complaint to the Royal Mail as my five new bras have not been delivered despite me paying for tracked delivery.OMG I can see the dog is wearing the red one!So the dog has signed for them.Is the postman blind, am I a dandelion? ?I made my usual pot of tea and took some pot with it for a change from Codeine linctus.I see,it can be fun but it’s a lie.None of this happened!
    Nice to read your thoughts,Mike

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    1. Ahaha! I loved your play by play, fantastic! I would tune in regularly, that kind of wit goes a long way. I struggle weekly to find something i think is worth writing about, I don’t think that will change any time soon. I appreciate the visit, and the comment. Thank you Kate!

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