I was looking at my posts from a year ago, wondering what I was up to. It turns out that we had just gotten back from the beach — after staying in the same spot we are today.
But what caught my eye were comments from a year ago.Several bloggers left comments that I follow and I enjoyed reading their posts. But I haven’t seen them pop up lately in my WordPress Reader. I clicked on their blogs and discovered one hasn’t posted anything since October 2021.
What happened? I wonder if these bloggers are okay? Did they get COVID? Did they get bored with blogging? Did something happen in their personal life that took away their time to blog?
I’d like a conclusion, an ending, an explanation. Perhaps a note that they are taking a break or they are done. If I decide to stop with this blog, I believe I owe it to my readers and friends to give a note of thanks and heads up.
Have you experienced the loss of a blogger? What are your thoughts?
If I decided to leave I would do a post to let everyone know. I wrote before about having a plan for what happens if something happens to me, but I still have not done anything to make sure someone posts here if I can’t.
That a good idea to let someone else have access. I’ll think about that.
Omg….so many bloggers aren’t blogging anymore. I think it goes in cycles
Maybe it is cyclical. I wonder what the average length of time bloggers keep their blogs going?
Someone told me 18 months is the average
Wow. That’s short. I would have thought three or four years.
From what I’ve seen, it’s pretty accurate
I think you’re correct.
18 moinths? So hmmm… finally something I am above average in! LOL!
Isn’t that a bonus 😊
Yes! 🙂
😉
So many bloggers I’ve followed have disappeared. Some gave an alert, but others like you mention seemed to leave during the major parts of Covid so it makes you wonder doesn’t it? It’s difficult to think that perhaps something bad happened… I would like one of my kids to post a simple note on the blog to those who read faithfully if something major happens to me. I can understand a health impact, but I always find it out that some bloggers just disappear without a word.
I like your idea of having one of your kids post a note if it’s a health issue. It’s unsettling when people disappear without a word.
It’s so sad when bloggers disappear because you never really know why they stopped blogging. I miss some that I interacted with for a few years and then they just disappeared.
It’s strange and sad if you’ve been interacting for awhile and enjoy reading their comments and posts.
Yeah it really sucks but that’s how it is online I guess.
It’s also can be that way in person. I have friends I’ve not heard from in years.
Yeah I have a few friends I was extremely close to but haven’t heard from in quite a while.
That’s too bad. But life moves on. We get busy with other things.
Totally agree, drop a note! There’s nothing worse than not knowing! 💕C
That’s exactly what’s so bothersome about it.
I started blogging in 2010, and no one (that I knew) from the beginning is still blogging. It’s just sad. But I am also grateful to have discovered my current community.
I agree with you about bloggers who stop writing out of the blue. I know a lot of bloggers who don’t keep up with their blogs because they don’t want to pay the WordPress fee every year.
I started blogging at the end of 2014. I have thought about using a different service, but it seems like too much work to move. I am enjoying my community too, although I miss a few I looked forward to reading each day.
When I’ve taken a break, it’s usually only been for a few weeks. I’ve always posted how long I would be gone. I started blogging seven years ago and find that I still love it, love creating, and seeing if my work touches anyone else. But yes, it does stink when your favorites go away! I guess that’s life, people come and go.
I was talking to my husband about that. How many friends or acquaintances do we lose touch with through the years and changes in our lives?
I am a sporadic blogger but I agree it is weird when someone you have connected with no longer is around. I think if I was leaving I definitely would try to put something out there. Wonder if I will be able to post this comment?
It worked!
YAY! 🙂
I agree with leaving a comment that you’re taking a break or leaving blogging altogether.
I think COVID changed things. For me, while I kept Blogging due to a friend who Blogs as well, I had lost interest. My creativity had gone away. Now, it’s coming back, thank goodness. It would be nice to know where Bloggers have gone. If they only knew we CARED, right. 🙂
Good points! COVID got me in a funk, too. I do feel like my creative spirit is coming back to work on other projects. It would be nice if the missing bloggers knew we missed them!
Hum… maybe contact them. That should go to their email, see what happens.
Good idea!
My daughter has instructions about how to publish a final post if something happens to me and I can’t say goodbye myself. It’s only fair to our friends.
I think I will ask my daughter to do the same.
Sometimes I end up going MIA due to life just getting in the way. It takes dedication and organization to blog regularly…and to comment regularly! Sometimes my muse goes AWOL and I have no creative juices. And, other times, I have ideas….but when I have time to put them to paper, they are gone (senior moments)! I also look back on previous comments and wonder where those bloggers went. But, there are also times when I discover a new blog and get excited to make new bloggy friends! 💜
I guess it’s all part of the territory. It is nice to discover new bloggy friends!
I do think that one owes it to their readers to say they are leaving if they are able to. If its something planned. If a tragedy happens, than that is different . I have grown close to several blogging friends. We communicate on here and through email and I would hope that somehow I would find out if something serious was to happen to them. Would hate to be left wondering!
So true. Because of the weirdness of COVID I feel there are more unanswered questions of bloggers disappearing.
My BFF is the only one that knows I still Blog and I have asked her to Post if God Forbid, anything happens. Otherwise, I would definitely let my Followers know.
I think that’s a good decision🤫
Plus, I love your Pug, in this one!
My grand-pug. I did raise it for a few months so I feel some ownership 💕
Oh yes. One blogger who always wrote such in-depth and interesting posts is no longer active. I’ve tried to find out what happened, but with no luck. I’m afraid that maybe they passed away as one comment over a year ago wished them the best on their cancer treatment. I really hope they are well and just taking time to recover!
That’s a frightful thought. I hope that blogger survived. But it’s so hard to not know!
I’ve been blogging since 2015. At first it was harder when people I considered friends dropped off the face of the earth. Now I’ve almost come to expect it. Honestly, it’s also one of the reasons I haven’t updated my about page because a lot of people who commented are long gone without a word. Hardly anyone says good bye first and I wonder why. Maybe they think no one cares or would notice they are missing?? Maybe they stopped caring. It’s hard to say because we’re still here and we tell ourselves and each other we would say good bye.
Maybe they don’t know they are quitting? They just don’t get back to it and then don’t want to explain why? Good for you to keep at it since 2015.
That could be that they don’t know and are too embarrassed after a certain period of time to come back to explain. Of course, there are a few that probably passed away and those are the ones I worry about the most. It takes a lot of discipline, organization, and creativity to keep at it. Good for you for keeping at it so long as well.
Thank you. I worry about people’s health too.
I think some bloggers do tire of it and perhaps they start out intending on a short break, but as it stretches on, it seems awkward to reappear only to say “bye.”
I do miss some bloggers whose work I really enjoyed. If I quit blogging, I would certainly let everyone know why. I do need to pen a draft “just in case” goodbye with instructions in my file of other end-of-life papers.
I too have lost contact with bloggers, some without a word– and after I thought we had a connection or even a friendship. It makes me curious but also sad. It’s a strange dynamic. I too would like closure and intend to provide it if I ever quit. I’m 18 years in so it’s doubtful that anything other than death will stop me. 🙂
Eighteen years! That’s remarkable!