Jottings About The Opposite Of Purple Prose + A Question About Endings

/ Ally Bean

THE JOTTINGS PART

Purple prose is writing that is too elaborate or ornate. It detracts from the narrative instead of moving the story forward. [More here]

My way of describing purple prose is that it is fussy, unfocused, and old-fashioned. I don’t write like that.

I’m a straightforward writer. I tend to have a point, get to it, and make it snappy in the process. Photos and images help me make my point. I like pretty.

I edit mercilessly because while I can be chatty I shall not dither, possibly wasting someone’s time. That’d never do.

And when possible, depending on the topic I’m discussing, I prefer to come to a conclusion, whether it be my reasoned opinion and/or a specific question.

Thus I give you, my gentle readers, the following. It’s something I’ve been thinking about of late, for a reason you’ll understand.

• • •

THE QUESTION PART

The longer I write this blog the more I wonder how much longer I’ll be writing this blog.

As many of you know I had blogs before this one, starter blogs as I think of them, but when I created this blog in 2011 I told myself that if I hit 1,000 posts I’d call it quits.

Welp, after hitting publish on this post I’m 15 posts away from 1,000. Meaning that if I’m true to my original plan, I’ll soon be faced with a decision about what to do with this blog.

Which brings me to my question to you:

HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO END YOUR BLOG?

263 thoughts on “Jottings About The Opposite Of Purple Prose + A Question About Endings”

  2. I’ve been blogging for more than a decade and still enjoy it. When that ends, I’ll quit. As long as people enjoy what I post and keep dropping by? My door will be open.
    That said, I’ll miss you if you leave.
    😰

    Liked by 12 people

  5. You bring up a very interesting point. First off, you will be missed if you decide to move on.

    I assume that I will know when I am done blogging, because I will either be too busy or I find it to be more of a chore. I can’t imagine being so busy that I can’t make time for it seeing as my current situation is incredibly busy. So long as I still look forward to the interactions with my blog friends and I don’t find writing a post something that causes me stress, I will continue.

    Liked by 10 people

    • Ernie, thank you. I don’t know that I’ll end this blog, but it’s something to think about.

      You make a good points. If I was too busy I’d easily know this blog was over, but I’m not too busy to write. It’s not a chore to write here, other than the crap WordPress throws my way. I don’t find this stressful, so I may have to revise my plan. I can do that, right?

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Ally Bean I hope you choose to keep going. I do look forward to your posts. Not sure if there is a right answer in general to your query. Perhaps, like other things, you will just “know” one day… Whenever that may be, please don’t choose the “oh, I’ll just disappear” route. We will need time to grieve and try to convince you to stay around.

    Liked by 9 people

    • Deb, this last year I’ve seen some wonderful bloggers just fade away. That got me thinking about how I’d end this blog. Then I saw the number of posts I’d written and realized I was getting close to fulfilling my goal, the one I made for myself 10 years ago. I’ve changed since then so maybe I’ll revise my plan and stay around longer!

      Liked by 2 people

  7. Please don’t stop! I enjoy your posts!
    If you are having fun and we are having fun, why not keep going?!
    “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

    Liked by 9 people

    • Ellen D, that’s one of my favorite sayings! Thanks for mentioning it. I got thinking about how I might end this blog because I saw the number of posts was getting close to 1,000 and I remembered my original goal. Of course that was my idea 10 years ago, so I might just have to change my goal, being an older and wiser woman now. 😉

      Like

  8. This is a great question. I’ve been blogging since 2010, and I’ve often wondered when I would stop writing on my blog. I like LA’s response that if it doesn’t bring you joy, that it might be a good sign that it’s more of a burden than a pleasure.

    I would hate to see you leave. There are so many bloggers who I once loved to read who no longer write.

    Liked by 8 people

  9. Ally, first congratulations on building and keeping a successful blog. Just because you gave yourself a number… You can always change your mind.
    When I’ve complained of one issue or another, non-writer/non-blogger friends have told me “When it’s not fun any more, you should quit.”
    I agree with that… to a point. However, to me, it is not just about fun. Blogging gives me something I need. So my answer to myself is, “I’ll quit when it’s not fun any more AND when it doesn’t give back enough of what I need.” Hugs!

    Liked by 8 people

    • Teagan, your answer to the question resonates with me. Thank you. I agree that this isn’t meant to always be fun, a worthy goal, but not the entire purpose of writing a blog.

      I got thinking down this path because much is written about how to start a blog, but almost nothing is written about how to end one gracefully. I plan on changing my goal away from 1,000 posts to whatever number suits my fancy, so I’ll be here for a while longer.

      Liked by 2 people

  10. I was not aware Purple Prose was a name for this. My immediate thought to your question, Ally – Your body/gut will respond to the right answer for you. This type of question also has many grey answers.

    People who love you will want what is right for you and makes you happy.❤️

    Liked by 8 people

    • Erica/Erika, seeing the photos I’d taken of purple posies in our garden got me thinking about purple prose, which got me thinking about how my writing style is the antithesis to purple prose. How’s that for stream of consciousness?

      As for ending this blog soon, I don’t think I will. But it has occurred to me that almost no one talks about how to end one. Like you said, this question doesn’t have a black or white answer– just shades of gray.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Lynette, your comment reminds me of the old saying, “when in doubt, don’t.” I’m not losing interest so I’ll stay but talking about how you decide to end a blog seems like a topic no one broaches. Much is written about starting blogs, but ending one? Crickets.

      Liked by 2 people

      • That’s true. And I dislike it when people just … stop. No farewell, nothing. I’ve already decided that if/when I leave, there will be a good-bye post.
        A blogger I had been following for years recently did a good-bye post, while another I had been following for even longer (seven years) just stopped. She indicated in the comments (later, after she had stopped posting) that she was taking a break, perhaps permanently, but I felt that a post, even a very short one, would have been better.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I feel the same way as you do. When the time comes I’d prefer to end my blog with a definite good-bye post that thanks everyone and shows that I’m okay. When bloggers disappear without any explanation, I worry about them. Still everyone does what makes sense to them, I suppose.

          Liked by 1 person

  12. I have come to view my blog as exercise for my brain. Writing a post is not always easy but in the grand scheme of things I still I get great value out of the process.That said, everything comes to an end and if the decision to end a blog is a tough decision then maybe it’s not the right time to do it? Maybe instead it’s time to revamp the mission statement, try a new focus, for keeping a blog?

    Liked by 8 people

    • Jean, I often say that I continue to blog to keep my brain clicking and my heart open. I’m simple like that. I’ve every intention of revising my original goal, written in 2011, so I’ll be here for a while longer. It’s just when I realized how many posts I’d written and that I was getting close to my achieving my goal of 1,000 posts, I got thinking about the end of blogs. How to. When to. Why to. Good food for thought.

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  13. Oosh, a big question Ally Bean but no decisions have to made, right? You could always add another nought to the 1000, and if that gets a bit scary you could halve it. Like you, I enjoy writing, reading the comments, interacting, feeling connected, being amused, thoughtful, contemplative (oooops is this getting purply?) Keep on truckin’ Ally Bean. Thanks in advance 🙂

    Liked by 8 people

  14. I never thought of myself as a highly sensitive person, but some of those points in the little meme are definitely me. Perhaps I’m a semi-sensitive person? I think my daughter is all of these things. Anyway, the pretty purple flowers you found are lovely.

    I’ve come close to shutting down my blog a few times, mainly because I didn’t feel like I had anything left to say. But somehow I keep coming back, even if I only have a small handful of readers, I like that interaction. I guess I will quit when I truly feel I have nothing left. I know that sometimes something will happen in the world that I would have blogged about earlier, but then I think, “I’ve said a version of this so many times, does anyone want to read it?” So I don’t bother. I hope you don’t quit because of hitting a number…I think you bring people together and have interesting conversations, and it would be sad to lose that.

    Liked by 7 people

    • J, I found that meme and it was me! I am highly sensitive, oh yes I am.

      As for ending a blog, as someone who’s been around as long as I have, I take your points. I find myself in the same situation wherein I know I’ve written about something before so I don’t bother writing about it again. This does limit my choice of topics. But like you I enjoy the interaction in the comments and I like to write, so I keep going. The genesis for this post was a number, but I realize that it won’t impact how long I’m here. As long as I feel I’m adding value to the blogosphere I’ll show up to my blog.

      Thanks for the compliment, btw. I’d hate to see you end your blog, too.

      Like

  15. Many times, we don’t realize that this time is the last time we’ll do something ~ consequently, we may not be aware we’re writing our last blog post (or our last blog comment) at the time we are writing it.

    Blogging for me has never been about the numbers. It’s a journey not a destination to a certain # of words, posts, or followers. As a result, I wouldn’t hold myself to stopping with post #1000 unless I wanted to stop at that sign post.

    Good luck deciding whether to extend the goalpost and post some more . . . or not.

    Liked by 7 people

    • Nancy, yes you’re right. Things often just end and there you are. *Surprise, surprise*

      I got thinking about this topic in light of the number of blog posts I’ve written and remembering what a lofty goal I thought I had when aiming for 1,000 posts. Of course that was then.

      Now I’m a different person, a wiser woman, with different blogging goals that are pretty darned simple: show up, write something, make it pretty, chat. Which in this case is a hypothetical discussion about how to know when to end a blog!

      Liked by 1 person

  16. I’ve been wondering the same thing… when is it time to end a blog? We’ve had our blog since late 2004. In the beginning we blogged every single day. I have no idea where we came up with so much to say. It’s probably because we had just retired and had way more energy than we do now. So, I wonder when is it time to end? I guess it’s when we have truly run out of ideas, when the sky stops being beautiful, when the birds don’t land on the fence posts anymore, when the garden no longer entices us with delicious veggie promises, when the country finds some semblance of sane and truly humane way of being. Whoops.. I think we’ll be blogging forever! I hope you stay too.

    Liked by 7 people

    • Robin, I started my first blog in March 2004. Like you said, at a certain point you have to wonder when to stop. I used to post daily, too. Couldn’t do the now to save my life!

      I agree with you that when you have nothing more to say you end your blog. At this point I still find myself with something to talk about here because I’m engaged with the world + people, observing and trying to make sense of it/them. If for some reason that engagement ends, so will this blog, I suppose.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. I hope you’re still having fun blogging, and you enjoy the interaction with your commenters to keep going.

    Both those things keep me going.

    I’d never heard the phrase ” purple prose” before. I learn something new every day from bloggers! 😀

    Liked by 7 people

  18. When it’s a cumbersome burden. I love the connections. I’ve met (both literally and figuratively) many wonderful people who I would otherwise not have known. That would have been a shame. If you still have stuff to say, onward!

    Liked by 7 people

    • Kate, good answer. I agree with you. Writing this blog isn’t a burden and I do have things to say, so I’ll ignore the number of posts I’ve written and keep going.

      BUT the topic of how and when and why to end a blog is one that is often overlooked. I felt the need to shine some light on it. Something to say, don’t you know? 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      • I like an announcement. There were a few I liked a lot that rode off into the sunset. There was one in particular that was written by an 80-something. I always worried that she had died but she’d pop up and tell us she broke her leg or something. I like endings.

        Liked by 1 person

        • I like definite endings, too. I have to wonder if the reason some people don’t officially end their blogs is because they truly think they’ll be coming back to the blog… sometime. 🤷‍♀️

          Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, yes that’s a great answer. I think that my goal from 10 years ago was perfect then, but now it seems out of step with who I’ve become. Still, thinking about how to end a blog does bring into focus how to blog now!

      Liked by 1 person

  21. I’ve been asking myself this very question, Ally. If you are still enjoying writing your blog and interacting with your readers and commenters, then ignore the the (arbitrary and dated) 1000-post stop sign and continue on. I’ve reached the point in my life where “fun” is an important determiner of what I do and what I don’t do. Pursuing joy is not a bad way to live. Your decision also doesn’t have to be an either/or; you could declare a sabbatical and see how you feel after a few months. Or you could decide to post less frequently and only when you feel inspired. I enjoy your blog very much so would be sorry to see you go. It always makes me smile, often makes me laugh, and always makes me think—a very good combination. But, of course, you must do what’s best for you and what makes your heart sing.

    Liked by 6 people

    • Donna, thanks for the kind words. I’m pleased to know that you like this blog. I agree that 1,000 is an arbitrary number and I don’t have to be beholden to it, although when I decided on it I thought I’d never get to it. Of course much has changed between then and now, in my life, in our world.

      I still enjoy writing here and I like replying to comments so I’ll keep The Spectacled Bean going for a while longer. If for no other reason than snorts and giggles. But at some point all bloggers have to decide it’s over– just not yet for me. How about you?

      Liked by 1 person

      • When I started my blog in 2015 (I’m a newbie compared to you and many others), I diligently posted once a week, and thought I would only blog for a year (hence the name, “A Year of Living Kindly”). But my blog readers encouraged me to continue and the blog led to a book, which has led to many new adventures. After a while, I reduced my posts to twice a month, and now I post when the impulse strikes—which may only be once a month or so. My initial focus on kindness is still my center point, but I also stray to politics, social issues, random silliness, or whatever strikes my fancy. Like you, the interaction with readers is the best part. If it becomes drudgery or keeps me from my other writing projects, I will reconsider, but as long as I enjoy it, I will continue.

        Like

        • Your approach sounds sensible to me. Way to be kind to yourself! 😉

          I try to be here once a week, but if nothing happens and I have nothing to say then it’s every other week. In the beginning I posted daily, which I cannot fathom doing now. I allow myself the luxury of writing on a variety of topics, so from that point of view as long as I remain curious about the world around me, I’ll always have something to say here.

          It’s interesting the ways in which we make blogging our own, refining the process until it seems like second nature. We all find our paths. Yay!

          Like

  22. You seem to handle your blog writing with panache and deliberation. When you need or want a break, you take one. You write about what you want whenever you want. I think it’s ideal for you and your readers. I will probably continue blogging indefinitely or until my blogging platform (typepad) goes belly up. I don’t think I have the energy to migrate my site and learn a new interface.

    Liked by 7 people

    • Margaret, thank you for the compliments. I do try to add something of value here. Albeit often in a silly way, but my heart is pure. And I like to write so blogging works for me.

      I hear you about NOT changing blogging platforms. I feel the same way about WordPress. It has its problems, but to learn a whole new system would be worse than dealing with this one.

      Like

  23. Many bloggers just stop. No explanations … which is always worrisome. We all have a right to our privacy and so I hate to ask “are you okay”? Better I think to say “I’ve said all I meant to.” Of course, I’m a blabbermouth so I’ll probably blog till I drop dead.

    Liked by 6 people

    • Jan, I like your goal of blogging forever! I agree about bloggers who just stop posting. I worry something is seriously wrong, but wouldn’t want to be too nosy about asking what’s going on. If/when/should I end this blog I’ll have a final post saying I’m toast. Of that I’m sure.

      Like

  24. Well, obviously I agree that it would be sad to see you go so I’m glad you have decided to revise your original estimate, and yes, to ending it when it no longer is a fun thing to do. In answer to the real question though, speaking as a fan of your writing, I would hope that you would let me down gently by saying a formal good bye. I’d hate to just never hear from you again and wonder whatever happened to my friend Ally Bean? Because like it or not, you have some friends out here that you have never met IRL and who care about you.

    Liked by 7 people

    • Janet, thanks for your kind thoughts. I still like writing this blog so even though my goal was to end it at 1,000 posts I think I’ll keep going. But seeing that I was getting close to what I thought would be the end of this blog got me thinking.

      You can find sources that tell you how to start a blog, but there’s nothing about how to end one. I agree with you about ending a blog with a formal post telling everyone good-bye. I’d do it that way when the time comes, which is not now.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Although I’ve pulled back now and then, I haven’t yet thought about shutting down my blog completely. I still enjoy thinking of topics to write about, writing about them, then reading and replying to comments. For me, it wouldn’t be a lack of interest that would lead to shutting it down, it would be to shift the time I put into it to some other endeavors. My blog has brought me so many riches… in fact: next week, I’ll be staying a few days with a blog friend at her cabin in the mountains. And next month, if all goes well, I will be traveling to visit several blog friends for an extended stay. I would have never met these amazing women if it wasn’t for my blog. It certainly wasn’t what I expected when I started, but I really love the connections this platform has brought me. It would be hard to give that up.

    I know your question was a bit rhetorical, but I would really, really miss you if you were gone.

    Liked by 7 people

    • Janis, I write + publish less than I used to, but I still enjoy writing here. Plus I adore the comments. It’s fun to see what sparks conversations and where those conversations go– often in directions I’d never have guessed.

      It sounds like you’ve got quite a blog-full summer going on. I hope you’ll share your adventures on your blog so that we all can join in, in our own ways, of course.

      Thanks for your encouragement. I was being rhetorical, not fishing for compliments, but I appreciate your kind words. Ditto to you, I’d miss you if your blog just ended.

      Liked by 1 person

  26. I started my blog in 2008 after leaving a message board that I’d been a part of for four years, which is a crazy story. Crazy in the literal sense, if you are familiar with the term, ‘Munchausen Syndrome.’

    I see my blog as a community of friends and I’m not sure I will ever quit. Well, at least until I’m no longer able or all my blogger friends are gone.

    Liked by 6 people

    • Bijoux, I’ve never had much to do with message boards, and everyone who talks about them seems to have stories to tell. Munchausen Syndrome? Oy vey 😕

      I agree with you that blogging is a community effort. I’ve made friends along the way and I’d miss hearing from them if I stopped blogging. My goal of writing 1,000 posts then calling it quits sounded lofty at the time, but now that I’m getting close to 1,000 I feel like it’s time to retool the plan. I’m not the same person I was when I made the plan, so why not let go of it!

      Like

  27. I’ve never thought of it in terms of how I will know when to end it. I’ve been blogging since 2003 and have had so many different blogs over the years. I’ve taken many blog breaks through the years too, some short and some for a very long time. A couple of times I thought I was done for good, but here I am at it again and enjoying it.

    I’d say the same as many others – when it becomes a chore or no longer brings you joy is when it’s time to stop.

    I hope you don’t leave us, I really enjoy your blog and have really just started getting to know you!

    Liked by 6 people

    • Martha, I started my first blog in 2004 and like you have had a few different blogs along the way. I, too, have taken breaks of various lengths, but always with the intention of coming back.

      I only got thinking about this topic because of my specific goal that sounded impossible to me when I said it in 2011. But now that I’m the cusp of 1,000 posts I’m having a change of heart about ending this blog. I can do that, right? My blog, my rules!

      Liked by 1 person

  28. That answer is easy, when I no longer do it… likely meaning I’ve moved on to something else (or maybe moved on in the more cosmic sense). A lot of things I enjoyed doing regularly over the past two decades have come and gone. I’m glad this one hasn’t (and hope your artificial milepost won’t be your ending either)….

    Liked by 6 people

    • evilsquirrel13, ha! Yes, that is THE answer. Of course, why you no longer do it might be the real crux of the matter. My goal of 1,000 posts seems arbitrary now, but when I set this blog into motion my plan sounded grand to me. Things happen, we change, eh?

      Liked by 1 person

  29. I suspect there are as many reasons to end a blog as there are bloggers. Thinking over the people I’ve enjoyed reading and seen disappear over the years, that variety is obvious. Some died. One became blind, and no longer could paint or read. One bought a ranch and began herding cattle instead. Some became bored with it all, and others realized they just didn’t want to put the effort into it.

    When I started The Task at Hand, my stated goal was “to learn to write.” What that actually meant was learning a non-academic way of writing. It was a pretty open-ended goal, to say the least, and I’ve never paid a lick of attention to the number of posts, meeting specific goals, etc. What did do was start a second blog, which sometimes feels like the height of insanity, but there we are.

    You have brought to mind something Bill Zinsser said about endings in his wonderful On Writing Well: “When you’re ready to stop, stop. If you have presented all the facts and made the point you want to make, look for the nearest exit.”

    Liked by 6 people

    • shoreacres, Bill Zinsser’s advice rings true with me. That’s how I approach my blog posts, no purple prose here. ‘Be specific’ as my high school English teacher told us. Like you, thanks to blogging, I’ve learned to write in a less academic way. My style is much looser + friendlier now– and for this I am grateful.

      You’re right about the variety of reasons that prompt people to stop blogging. I hadn’t thought about that but often a person stops blogging for reasons that have nothing to do with blogging. Cattle ranch? How intriguing.

      I admire you for starting a second blog. I’ve thought of doing that, but could never get myself in gear to do it. I like both places you have going on. You’ve made them work for you. Yay!

      Liked by 1 person

  31. Pingback: Older, no wiser – Just Tawkin'

  33. I’ve just scanned some of the comments and I’m on the same page (so to speak and maybe literally as well, although the page is a screen) as the ones I’ve seen. Stop when it’s no longer fun and make a formal or informal goodbye so people know it’s a choice and something didn’t just happen to you. A blogger I followed for quite some time suddenly disappeared a few years ago. I finally sent him an email and found out he had cancer. I really need to email again and see how he’s doing, but it would have been nice if he’d somehow said he wouldn’t be blogging for some time, even if he didn’t say why.

    I’ve thought about only doing posts on some days, but so far I love blogging and like you, I love the interaction and even meeting bloggers in person. At this point, I’m far from wanting to quit, although soon I’ll face a decision about whether to fork out even more money for more space or to start a new blog and hope everyone comes along. 🙂

    janet

    Liked by 4 people

    • Janet, I agree with the idea of doing this for fun and for the opportunity to meet new people either online or in person. I learn lots from the people who comment here. And the laughs. People can be soooo funny.

      When I end this blog [not soon] I will make a formal announcement for the reason you mention. I wouldn’t want anyone to worry about me. I look forward to seeing what you decide to do about your blogging dilemma. No advice, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out in a way that pleases you.

      Like

  34. I use to have a lot to say and blogged multiple times per week. After almost ten years, I’m down to once a week, and some weeks I struggle with a topic. If I stopped blogging, I’d miss all the folks who stop by and we exchange comments. That being said, I’m guessing one day a person either doesn’t have something to say or it seems more like work than fun. But, definitely stop with a goodbye even if the comments are closed. Let’s face it when people just don’t show up, you wonder about their health so please just tell us you’re off on a new adventure. 🙂

    Liked by 5 people

    • Judy, my blogging journey is like yours. Ten years ago I was here multiple times a week, but now sometimes I can only crank out one post every two weeks. I agree with you that if I were to end this blog I’d miss the people who comment. I get a kick out of reading and replying to the comments. I assure you that when the time comes to end this blog I’ll write a good-bye post telling everyone what I’m doing– or not doing, I guess.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Donna, I think you’re right that when you relax about your blog it’s easier to know what to do with it. I gave up on writing on a strict schedule years ago and I don’t write in a niche so that makes it easier because I can write about anything I want. As for achieving my goal, one set in 2011, I think I can easily modify my plan now. Like I often say, my blog, my rules.

      Liked by 1 person

  37. No one has ever said that plans were etched in stone. If you want to continue to blog well past 1,000 – go for it – I’m sure I speak for many when I say we will be here ready to connect.

    If/when it is time to pull the plug – you will know – whether you just fade away or make one last post. You will know and that will be that.

    In the meantime, I’ll enjoy seeing what you have to say whenever you say it and will miss you if/when you go.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Gigi, thanks for your support. I agree that there’s no harm in changing my plan and writing beyond 1,000 posts. When I made that plan 1,000 sounded so far-fetched, but here I am now.

      I suppose you’re right that when it’s time to end this blog I’ll know and it’ll seem like the right thing to do. As it stands I’m still interested in writing this blog so I shall do that.

      Liked by 1 person

  38. When I began blogging in 2013, I published a section called “Purple Passages.” Although I knew the phrase had q pejorative (Gotta get a $20.00 word in there!) meaning, I liked the color purple, so I went with it, but dropped it after a while. It didn’t interest me any more nor did it seem like fun.

    There’s your answer. Blogging has to feel like FUN, or otherwise why continue? I’m at 556 posts and so far have enjoyed it, but I must say replying to responses does take up most of my Wednesdays. I should think that responding to your enormous readership would take lots of time and effort. As I said, continue only if you enjoy it. If you decide to stop blogging, it could be a long PAUSE. I bet your readers will lure you back….in time.

    Liked by 6 people

    • Marian, I don’t remember your Purple Passages but I have to smile about it. Purple posies I like, purple prose… not so much.

      I do agree that if blogging doesn’t feel like fun, then why bother? When I started this blog and declared my 1,000 post goal I didn’t understand that fun was the motivation. Over the years I’ve learned otherwise.

      You’re right that it takes a lot of time to reply to all the comments here. I adore them, but have come to realize that if I posted more than once a week, all I’d do would be to reply to comments– and that’d leave no time for me to go and read other blogs, something I love to do, too. The time I spend on personal blogging is a balancing act at this point.

      Liked by 3 people

  39. I am opposed to artificial deadlines. I may have gone for long periods without writing and but I still enjoy the process and the conversation.

    I suspect you will know when blogging no longer brings you happiness or fun. I will hate to see you go but you need to do what is right for you.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Zazzy, the 1,000 goal was a goal that at the time seemed insurmountable. Now, as a wiser woman, I agree with you that it was artificial, but it did get me started so I can’t hate it too much.

      I know you’re right. When I’m sick of writing a blog I’ll know it and end this one. But it is a good hypothetical question to ask if only because it clarifies why I’m doing this at all!

      Liked by 2 people

    • AutumnAshbough, good answer. There’s much written, too much in fact, about how to start a blog, but little advice about how and when and why to end a blog. When I do end this blog, I’ll want to do it gracefully. Guess I’ll figure it out when the time comes.

      Liked by 2 people

      • I’ve seen both. One woman ended a blog because she was having a baby and didn’t think it was fair to write about her kid’s life without consent. She was very popular and the end came with a ton of fanfare. But most blogs just seem to slip away.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Yes many blogs do just sort of go away. It makes me sad, but I understand how it can happen. Especially if the blogger thinks she’ll be back but doesn’t know when. Then one day she just forgets about her blog altogether and it’s over for her. I get it, but I don’t like it.

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  41. The comments were much longer than your post! What an amazing community you have built on here. Which is probably why you hang around – we all think you are funny and respond appropriately trying to be cool kids!
    I started our house restoration blog in 2006 and am still at it (as is the restoration!) and then this one in 2010. I come and go in frequency (I’ve realized if you post too much it’s also perhaps not fun for your readers although I do an advent calendar for the first 24 days of December). 2 years ago I started a photo daily blog because the other blog was running out of media space. Now this spring I started a specific blog about updating a camper. It will definitely have an end but the other ones – still enjoying the words. I also try to use it as a social consciousness and address issues as they impact me or fellow citizens which means some posts are weightier.
    Anyway glad you have decided it’s just a number and you will keep on keeping on.
    Bernie

    Liked by 5 people

    • BernieLynne, I’m laughing too. I wrote a few jottings to clarify who I am and asked a hypothetical question. The result? Wonderful wordy comments here. I do love the comments by the cool kids on this blog as much as, maybe more than, writing the posts.

      I admire you for being able to keep multiple blogs afloat. I’ve thought of starting a second one that’d be more about my experiences growing up, but so far haven’t done so. You’ve succeeded I’d say because each blog has a specific purpose. I’ll keep that in mind.

      Yes, while the number 1,000 sounded like a lofty goal when I started writing here, now it seems too arbitrary to worry about. Still, it did get me thinking about endings and write this post, thus proving just about anything can be fodder for a blog post. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

        • I wouldn’t remember either. I know I repeat myself with content every so often, but I figure that’s ok. Readers come and go so to some people it’s new!

          Like

          • I always try to make the title and the first paragraph “vague and alluring” so that doesn’t even help me! And back when I started I didn’t use the categories much and sure am not going back to change that! I have gone back on our house blog and redone 104 posts (pictures were lost on original host site but still existed in my computer) and that was a LOT of bloody work. But it’s a record of our house journey so worth it.

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            • Ha! I can understand how vague and alluring doesn’t help you remember what you wrote about. About a gazillion years ago there was a popular blogger who said straight up: I repeat myself and I feel no shame about it. I’ve taken her attitude to heart over the years.

              Earlier this year I redid some of my categories and ended up moving about 175 posts around. NEVER AGAIN will I do that. Like you said it was bloody work, but once I’d started I was determined to see it through.

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  42. I guess I’ll end my blog when I feel like it’s becoming more of a necessary thing to do rather than wanting to do it myself. Although I hope that time is far since I just got started (:

    Liked by 5 people

  43. I think I’ll end my blog when it becomes more of an obligation than a passionate activity for me. When I no longer write for expressing myself.
    And I like the statement that you’re a very straightforward writer. That, you are. You’re this kind of writer who says all they have to say in a very clear and crisp way.
    That being said, I’ll miss your wonderful writings if you leave.

    Liked by 4 people

  44. Verbiage! That’s the word my father was fond of using to describe your purple prose. 🙂

    That’s an interesting question you pose. I’m at 1,041 posts and that’s not counting the duds I’ve deleted. I do enjoy blogging so much I’ve never thought about ending it. I hope you won’t end yours, though, as it seems like I just found it. I love your straightforwardness and pertinent illustrations.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Barbara, my mother said that too! I’d forgotten that word entirely.

      I plan on continuing this blog past 1,000 posts but realizing that the number was coming up in the next few months gave me pause. Ten years ago I was so convinced that blogging was more about the numbers than the need to write. I don’t think like that anymore. Now I like to write and to make things look pretty! And I love the comments here, what fun it is to talk with people.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Glad you’re planning to continue! It’s interesting how our blogs change over the years. I do less writing and want to share mostly photos these days. Sometimes I wish you had a “search” widget on your sidebar so I could explore your older posts more methodically. And I agree, the best part is comments that turn into conversations.

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  45. I have wondered this myself. I think for me, I will stop writing it when it doesn’t feel fun anymore. My blog has evolved from a real mom blog to one where I talk about the grocery store a lot, but it still feels fun to me. I hope you continue your blog!

    Liked by 5 people

  46. It’s interesting to me, Ally, that you started with a specific number of posts in mind. I hope you will feel free to extend that if, as so many readers have pointed out, you still enjoy blogging. I certainly enjoy reading your blog.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Christie, when I started this blog having a number in mind seemed sensible. I needed a specific goal, I guess. Like an item on a bucket list, almost. Now I’m more relaxed in all that I do so I’ll just revise my original plan and keep on blogging.

      But thinking about hitting 1,000 posts has made me reflect on how to end a blog with style and grace. Little is written on that topic, but it is important.

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  48. A bookend number of posts, your goal, comes from the bossy organizational everything neatly defined and in its’ place..the bossy office. While the musing and questioning comes from the open-ended, free flowing creative part – from the artistic side. Some are ruled by one and some by the other, then there’s the rest that stash back and forth like in a moving bubbling stream.
    Enjoyed the melding of both in your post here. Guess that’s why there’a always a hint of a smile – entertaining and humorous – in post or comments.
    More and more – especially after last year – I prefer a “see ya'” post – removes worry…and some bloggers you’ve known after a few years you do wonder and worry about. Two years ago there was the MIAs who died suddenly – and the community only found out late. I remember one blogger who was in poor health (and a shut in) and another blogger actually got in the car and went to check on him…he was surprise, but felt much less alone when he realized. Despite there was little time left, he knew he had friends – same with an elderly character in Australia (who had instructed his daughter to read him our farewells and to please let us know when). But Gibraltar, that was a shock – not on summer break as usual after all. Sometimes family don’t realize, that the blogging community is.
    So, back to my regulating side (rarely listened to…), Blog on – until you feel like it’s time to wander off…but a wave goodbye much appreciated ( and we’ll try not to guilt trip HAHA – such fun here)

    Liked by 4 people

    • philmouse, yes, you’re right. My goal from ten years ago was bossy office thinking. My reality today is creative thinking, which is why the old goal seems odd to me now. I’ve evolved and lightened up since I started this blog. Hallelujah!

      You describe some scenarios that underscore the relevance of my question about how will you end your blog. No one much talks about ending them, but like you’ve said people die and without knowing for sure what has become of someone, we’re left wondering. I understand how people drift away from blogging for periods of time, I think that’s healthy. But if it’s over for you & you won’t be blogging any longer [for any reason], a post telling your readers what’s going on would be nice.

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  49. Ally, I have thought a lot about the question you asked, because I am facing the same choice. I think we’ll both know when (or if) to let it go.

    I often think about quitting when it seems as if I don’t know what to say or if my audience seems to be dwindling. What keeps me going is that even if the latter is happening, I’m still showing up to post if just for myself.

    Liked by 4 people

    • L. Marie, you raise a good point. There’s value in showing up to your blog just to prove to yourself that you can follow through and be there. Everyone finds her own way with blogging.

      I’m not planning on ending this blog when I hit 1,000 posts but seeing 985 was a catalyst for thinking about how to end a blog, any blog. Starting a blog is one skill set, ending one is another, I suppose.

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  50. I’ve had two other blogs before my current one. Lately, I’ve been thinking of stopping, but I really enjoy my penpals. I think if they stopped, I’d stop, but otherwise I’ll try and post every now and again.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Katie, so you had starter blogs, too! I learned lots in my early blogs. Mistakes mostly. As for ending this one I won’t do it because of a number. Lately I’ve cut back on the amount of time I spend blogging , but I still plan on being here for a while longer. I hope you do the same.

      Like

    • Laurie, I believe it’s a sensible question to ask yourself. [I mean that in a theoretical way, not saying you should or shouldn’t.] When I saw 985 posts and realized my goal, I became contemplative.

      I still enjoy writing which is why I explained how I write this blog in my jottings. And talking with people in the comments is fun so I’m here for a while longer, but when the time comes to end this blog, will I know?

      Hope you stick around. I enjoy your blog, but if you leave I understand that, too.

      Liked by 2 people

  52. I think that’s a decision that each of us gets to make for ourselves. But personally, I’ll stop writing my blog when it becomes a chore, rather than a joy, on a regular basis. Every now and then it feels like a chore, but that’s rare. When it becomes the norm, it’s time to quit!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Ann, hear, hear! I like your logic. I agree that once in a while this blog becomes a chore, but for the most part it’s fun and I feel like I’m adding value to the blogosphere. When it’s a chore all the time, it’s over for sure.

      Liked by 1 person

  54. I know someone who writes in this Purple Prose style and I am NOT a fan. I really didn’t know that there was a real name for this style as I always (in my mind) referred to it as Breathless. If you can picture/hear someone reading it to you and they are almost whispering the words slowly to you, like they’re going to run out of air.

    I say you stop writing your blog when it no longer brings a smile to your face or feels like drudgery. Which, I really hope yours does NOT feel like that to you, because you would be missed.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Suz, breathless is a good way to describe purple prose. Not my way of communicating and I agree with you, not a fan of it. Get to the point, says I.

      Good way of deciding when to stop blogging. Aside from my woes with WordPress, blogging brings a smile to my face. I like writing and goofing off in blog land so I’m here for a while longer.

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  55. I’ve given this a lot of thought many, many times. I’ve been writing online at the Dept. since 2005. I’ve almost quit a few times. Then I find I miss it. For me, I think I’ll know it’s Time To Quit when I don’t feel the urge at all in any way. No need to reach out, no need for connection, no guilt about Not Writing. When all those are gone, the Dept. of Nance will be, too.

    Liked by 4 people

    • nance, your reasoning makes sense to me. I realize [now] that ending a blog based on a number isn’t the way to go, but in 2011 it made sense to me. I agree that if I feel no guilt about not writing then I’ll definitely know it’s over. As it is now, I’m still enjoying the whole blogosphere extravaganza so I’ll stay.

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  56. Hi! I wasn’t going to comment bc I’m a sporadic reader and bc other comments have answered your question but something you wrote in a reply comment intrigued me:
    “…how you decide to end a blog seems like a topic no one broaches. Much is written about starting blogs, but ending one? Crickets.“
    This flipped your q for me & I started thinking about how some blogs are like businesses & others like friendships. If your blog is a friendship blog, maybe you end it for the same reasons and in the same manner you end a friendship?

    Maybe this is why your “end after 1000 posts” thing is startling to me. I think of this as a friendship blog. I can see a business blog declaring Mission Accomplished and ending after meeting a numerical goal bc businesses end like that….. but a friendship blog? I can’t imagine a friend lmk they’re ending our friendship bc we’ve hit their goal of 1000 chats. 🙂 Maybe your original goal was set by a different version of your blog?

    Sorry if this comment is just noise. I’ve enjoyed your posts (and even your comments on other blogs). Hope you will set a new goal and keep on posting!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Maddie, I set my goal ten years ago and I was in a different headspace back then. Much more into keeping score. I thought of this blog as a kind of business, I suppose.

      You are soooo right that this is a friendship blog, a term I love. I’ve found that as I’ve written this blog I’ve relaxed into who I am now and that I am much less inclined to care about the things that I did 10 years ago. Growth, I’m pleased to say.

      Your comment is spot on and I appreciate your observation. It’s funny how it is only through my interaction with people who comment that I find out who I really am. Probably why I like the comment section on this blog so much.

      Like

      • For me, the proof of being a real friendship blog (not a business blog pretending to be friendship blog) is in the comments. That’s my personal test. Are the comments for upping stats or for actual conversations. Because I like learn n grow friendships vs. transactional friendships. So what you wrote made me smile. You’ve def outgrown your old business plan!

        Your comment about your comment section also reminded me of a quote (can’t remember source eeep!). Something like: “I write because I don’t know what a I think until I write it.” That’s me if you include a lot of rewrites. Also why I comment or talk (my poor darling husband). You’re not alone in learning about yourself through interactions in the comment section. 🙂

        Like

        • Good criteria. I like actual conversations, having never been about my stats. I write this blog for snorts and giggles, not to sell anything. Some days I think that makes me an outlier in the blogosphere, but I continue on as I am.

          The quote you mention is spot on. No truer words! I’ve figured out what I think about something long about my 13th draft. I am a slow writer to begin with, then add the self-awareness variable and it’s a miracle I get anything posted here. Thanks for joining in the conversation.

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  57. Late to the comment party again – darn the time differences! Although I did read the first fifty comments or so, which clearly indicate how highly valued your blog is in the blogosphere. If you end this blog, would you use another platform to begin another? Would it follow a different theme? If you would stick with WordPress, I am unsure what benefit a new blog could offer over shutting down this one temporarily and beginning again, when it suits you?
    I feel that blogging is a living beast, evolving and changing aligning with our life stages and needs. From my perspective, the conversations we have with readers constitute a very large part of the benefits from writing and inspire me to write. Funnily enough, I was just reading about purple prose last night. I had never heard the term before, but sheepish put my hand up as guilty on that count. But trying hard to be more succinct, especially after reading about it. Perhaps blogging is a good way of honing our writing skills with comments as a type of editorial feedback?

    Liked by 5 people

    • Amanda, the comments on this blog stay open for two or three weeks, so I’d say you’re early-ish to the blog party! Thanks for reading along here in the comments to get a feel for what is going on.

      I like your idea that blogging is a living beast. That’s true. We evolve and react in real time when posting to a blog. It’s fluid, not static like a book or newspaper column.

      You ask pertinent questions. I suppose if I ended this blog I’d stop blogging altogether. I’ve done this for a long time, but the reality is that I still enjoy it despite being close to hitting my 1,000 post limit. That was then, this is now. I’m sure I’m allowed to change my plan, right?

      As for purple prose, I’ve never noticed that with your blog posts. You move the story forward. I agree that blogging hones our writing skills. I’ve found that commenters often say better that which I’ve tried to say.

      Like

      • So relieved to know that my blog is not too purple, maybe only a lilac tinge here and there…. lol.
        Ah. So you wouldn’t take a break so much as that would be ‘it,’ for blogging? As you have alluded, you don’t sound completely ready and willing to do that, just yet. I love that we can and do change our plans! But, life can surprise you. Bloggers I know who have taken a long break from blogging often seem to get completely out of the habit of writing and it is a hard slog to come back to it, so they don’t. Then there are the writers who move on from blogging, to write freelance or publish their own books, and blogging falls by the wayside. I feel like if I took a long break, or some other writing opportunity came up, I might walk away but right now, that would feel a little disloyal. Thinking about this, I could write a whole post on this subject. Your writing inspires me.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Lilac prose? Well, maybe. 😁

          Every once in a while I’ve taken a month off from blogging here. I announce what I’m going to do, then step away from the blogosphere. That has helped me come back refreshed and with a sense of purpose. It was, though, difficult to know how to write my first post back. I felt clumsy as I wrote it, having lost the sense of flow that comes with blogging.

          I asked this question because no one seems to talk about blog endings, all the how-to resources are about starting a blog. When it’s time to end one I guess you’re on your own. I’m still here for longer so I guess I’ll find out later.

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  58. Whoa. I’m the wrong person to offer an opinion on this one. It’s been over a year and I’m still dithering about the future of my blog. I blame this weird time and this sense of purgatory we’re living in right now.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Joanne, you make an excellent point that we all have been living through a weird time and knowing what to do for sure about anything has been difficult. Blogging included.

      I got thinking down this path because I’m close to accomplishing my plan, which I’m going to revise, obviously. I look forward to seeing what you decide to do with your blog. Have you abandoned it entirely or are you on an extended hiatus? Inquiring readers want to know! ☺️

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      • I wish I had an answer. It is a paid site, and I continue to pay for it because I simply don’t know what I’m going to do. If I do decide to abandon it, I will make it a post.

        So, I guess no news is good news 🙂

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  59. Ally, well I am on year #8 for my blog, the first four years with only two commenters from the outside. So it’s been quite a ride the last four years. Today’s post was #1,617 for me – I always say “who knew I had so much to say?” But I’ve neglected other things in my life due to the whole package, i.e. walking/photography/blogging. Since my work life is becoming more and more of a challenge as the years go by, I tend to indulge myself to do my own thing on my down time when I’m responsible to no one but myself, but ignore other aspects, including the house and I know I have to step back more than I already have to get things in order once again. I have followed a UK photographer for about two years. A woman blogger always commented on his posts (sometimes two or three daily, seven days a week). I always agreed with Peggy’s comments and I followed her about two months ago. Last month she wrote a farewell post as she wanted to have less screen time and to enjoy her remaining days in nature and seeing the beauty of her garden. The reason: she is already blind in one eye and has a medical issue with her other eye and advised to limit screen time and reading. It was immediate and she said goodbye. I felt badly I never followed her earlier.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Linda, you do have a lot to say! 1617? Good for you. I find that while I enjoy blogging and all that it entails I do realize I have to have balance in my life. I cannot live by blog alone. Sounds like you’re aware of that, too.

      I know how you feel about finding a wonderful blogger shortly before they end their blog. The situation you describe is a good example of how to end a blog based on a good reason for doing it. I understand the less screen time issue. After these last 15 months of being at home all the time I’m trying to do less with screens in general, more with the real world.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I am trying to find a better balance. Blogging took off and then morphed until it took way too many hours of my time, but I let that happen and have stepped back considerably from last year and must step back more. I was posting three times a week, even four sometimes and in real time – same day posts as that walk or event. But the posts were shorter and just a few pictures. Same day posts are a lot of work, so I’m not doing that any more as it’s way too time consuming. I’m trying to find my perfect balance but it’s difficult.

        In looking through my collection of people I follow, some have not posted in months and about ten of them in years! I hope you continue to blog Ally – you’d disappoint the masses if you called it quits.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Yes, it’s all about balance. When I was at home all the time because of pandemic restrictions it made sense to focus on blogging just about all the time. But now as life is opening up again blogging, while wonderful, is just one thing I want to do with my time.

          I recently went through my list of who I follow and dropped many people who haven’t posted in months/years or who make no effort to reply to their comments. I see both of those behaviors as indicative of someone who is on the fence about blogging. Not a judgement, just an observation.

          Liked by 1 person

          • I often pass along a previous post and am surprised to find that most of the commenters stopped blogging altogether. In a way that’s good as I followed back “everyone* in the beginning. Sometimes I wish I waited until I retired to begin a blog, but right now it is very fulfilling to me as I am really not out and about as much as I once was. I’ve worked from home for ten years and I have only kept in touch with friends through social media – most friends live out of state now. And it’s just my boss and I since we left the Firm in early 2003, so I lost touch with former co-workers too. My neighbor/friend prodded me to start a blog about walking as I often mentioned what I saw on my walks, so in part I did it for her. I have stepped away more this year than in the past three years. That’s a good thing as we get back to a new-new normal.

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  60. I love the color purple……but am guilty of purple prose. Anne of Green Gables was too. I hope you don’t quit Ally….we would miss you! But I do understand the dilemma – I find it difficult to meet my weekly commitment – which is silly because it’s a self-imposed commitment but once I get writing I enjoy it, but yea, I can see why people quit or need to take breaks. Other things take priority, including other writing projects. I’m just over 200 posts and four years…

    Liked by 3 people

    • Joni, I like purple, too. When possible I chose purple annuals, as some of my photos show. I never thought of Anne of Green Gables as being an example of purple prose. Interesting observation. I think I loved Anne so much that I didn’t care what she said, or how long it took her to say it.

      I have the same self-imposed weekly posting goal. I’ve learned that if I don’t tell myself to be here every week I just drift off, often down a rabbit hole of online research, and forget to write here. By showing up weekly, I stay on the blogging straight and narrow path.

      Liked by 1 person

  61. I love your meandering via purple pansies & purple prose to the big question of what one does when reaching a goal. You’ll not be surprised to hear it’s something I work with as a Life Coach. Lots of different reasons why a goal reached can turn out simply to have been a point in a longer journey. One of the many reasons I love your blog is how you weave these seemingly unrelated thoughts together into one enjoyable and thought provoking posts.

    Glad to hear you’re planning on sticking around Ms Bean 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    • Deb, thank you for understanding the meandering of my mind. I wrote this in the moment and then wondered if my logic made any sense. Not that it’d matter if it didn’t, mind you. I’m comfortable being perceived as a bit wacky.

      I’m fascinated with your Life Coach perspective on goals. When I told myself that the 1,000 post number would be the end, I never thought I’d get to 1,000. It seemed impossible. Now of course I can see my goal and have no regrets about setting it then & revising it now. You’re right, it’s a stepping stone on a longer journey. Love that idea.

      Liked by 1 person

  62. You know I will miss your blog if and when you make such a decision. I hope you don’t stop. But my selfishness aside: “Blog because you have something to say, not because you have to say something.” So, stop blogging when you have nothing you want to say.

    Liked by 6 people

  63. “HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO END YOUR BLOG?”
    Well, ***this*** purple tulip loved your purpley post and with your ending question being posed in purple, I felt obliged to attempt an answer!
    HA!
    Actually ‘quitting’ the blog as in deactivating it for further interactivity is a much different thing than both either taking a blogging break and/or maintaining an internet presence with intermittent activity.
    So since I still feel the need to keep an internet presence for purposes intertwined with my music, I won’t be deactivating my blog/website any time soon. HOWEVER: I have been grappling with the best way to stay active and engaging with those who actually like my postings without seeming to disregard the need to post on a regular, if not sparser, basis.
    Pulling the plug is so final. But I firmly believe that you’ll know when it’s the thing to do. Based upon a variety of factors and not soley based upon some arbitrary blog post number goal you set for yourself years ago!!!!!
    Good question – BTW.
    😎

    Liked by 3 people

    • Laura, hello my purple tulip friend! You are right that ending a blog completely is different than taking a break from it. I ended earlier ones completely– but with the idea that there was a new one coming. This blog for instance. The one I thought I’d never get to 1,000 posts on.

      I’m finding that I’m doing less in blog land, too. I understand your quandary about how to stay active with the people who like you the most while not becoming overwhelmed with the interaction/noise from people who are just dropping in and out of your blog. There has to be a balance, I say to myself. I’m working on finding it, too.

      Thanks for commenting. It’s always great to hear from you.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Markus + Micah, good question for which I have no real answer. My previous blogs came to their ends but I was moving onto another one so it didn’t seem final. When I asked this question I was wondering about how to gracefully bow out forever…

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  65. A very timely question. In my case — and probably mentioned by others above, but I’ve sadly not taken the time to read any of them! — I worry endlessly about repeating myself. My blog is ostensibly about retirement. Although there are still a few milestones ahead of me (i.e. start of Medicare, Social Security, etc.), I’m not sure I can really add much to the conversation that I haven’t already explored. So I think a lot lately of shutting down operations. I’ll miss your wit if you do decide to do so, Ally. – Marty

    Liked by 5 people

    • Marty, I see your problem. That’s kind of thing about being in a niche, you feel like you have to stay in it. [Been there, done that.] Have you thought about changing the focus of your blog away from retirement toward your life in general? You’d be good at writing about that. I know you would.

      I’m not leaving blog land yet, even if I do hit 1,000 posts. I figure my blog, my rules– and in this case I can revise my plan to 2,000 posts! 😉

      Liked by 3 people

  66. My immediate answer was when it becomes a chore, not a joy, and then I saw the response of your first commenter – LA. I hope it brings you joy because your blog certainly brings JOY to me and your readers. xo

    Liked by 4 people

  67. Wow. Good question. I think when it stops being fun, but I’ll bet it would be a slow death. I’m having that problem with making crafts right now. I was into it for a while, but it’s not fun anymore. Still, I tell myself, can’t you do just one craft show a year (at Christmastime)? But it’s not just about doing the show, it’s about all the time and work that goes into making the crafts. Also, I can’t just shrug my shoulders and go “oh well – no more crafting” because I’ve invested so much money into it. Good grief – the guilt. So I’ll probably just continue to procrastinate and in 8 years I’ll finally sell all the crafting stuff that gathered dust for 8 years. Good things blogs don’t gather (literal) dust. And good thing it’s still fun. I hope you get to 1000 posts and realize it’s still fun.

    Liked by 4 people

    • The Travel Architect, good point about the slow death and good analogy. Your emotional investment in crafting is a lot like the emotional investment in blogging. You figure you can keep going, just one more time, but eventually you have to admit it’s over. I didn’t know you were a crafter. That takes dedication and drive to keep doing something like that, much like blogging.

      I don’t think I’ll stop when I hit 1,000 posts. That’s a goal from long ago and it’s still fun to write here so I’ll revise my original plan. It doesn’t make sense anymore.

      Liked by 1 person

  68. I’ve also been wondering about this sort of thing recently. I’ve been posting weekly for many years, and it’s become part of my routine, but I’ve picked up new hobbies along the way, and there are weeks when I feel like I don’t have time for blogging. I’ve been wondering if I should reprioritise and reallocate my time to other things.

    A lot of good comments and advice above, which I do agree with, so I won’t repeat it. Much to think about.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Pistachios, I’m in the same situation as you. I post weekly, or at least try to, but as the world is opening up again I’m less inclined to want to be in front of screens. I love blogging and have no intention of leaving when I hit my arbitrary number of 1,000 posts, but I’m pulling back some. It has to do with reprioritizing my time.

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  70. Hi ally bean
    I read some of the comments and that has been really fun – and I learned that you likely will stick around after you reach 1,000 posts – (your blog, your rules – ha) and I also agree with LA and the others about leaving if it doe snot bring you joy (or becomes that laborious chore).
    thanks for sharing the about purple prose and your way of calling it “fussy, unfocused, and old-fashioned” and for me I find it “seriously unedited, verbose, and lacking hospitality to the reader.” I stopped reading a book recently because the author had some of this “purple prose” – but she also had some ego or something cocky I could not identify – I might go back and skim a little more – but was pretty annoyed and I think their version of purple prose was part of that annoyance.
    —
    and quitting a blog?
    I think a goodby would be fitting, but it would depend on why the person was pulling the plug.
    I know FB is not quite the same as a blog, but we recently were chatting about how some people have these huge rants about leaving and deactivating FB – then they leave – then they are back again – sometimes in a few weeks.
    People have different needs – those needs are always changing – and then we have different reasons for blogging – and I think it is wise to regularly monitor all social media interaction (which I know that you do) and make sure we know why we do what we do and make sure it is still serving us for wellness – something like that….

    Liked by 4 people

    • Yvette, your definition of purple prose is great: “seriously unedited, verbose, and lacking hospitality to the reader.” Well said, and so true. It definitely lacks hospitality to the reader. I can understand why you stopped reading that book when you found the purple prose. Life is too short.

      When I left FB I said good-bye, warned people that I’d be gone in a week, then ended it. Best thing I’ve ever done in social media: #DeleteFacebook. I quickly learned who was my friend, that is stayed in touch outside of FB, and who was only following me to up their friend count. Very enlightening and like you said, I discovered that FB was definitely not serving my wellness.

      When I end this blog I’ll do something similar to what I did with FB, but I plan on being here for a while longer despite my original plan. My blog, my rules. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      • Sounds like you had a clean break with FB
        I never found my groove there and I am a little wishing I did.
        Sometimes I feel I miss out – like we saw a lynard skynard cover band and they mentioned leaving them a like on the it FB page and I cannot do that! Oh well
        –
        And glad you are sticking around a while longer – 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  72. I will stop blogging when I no longer have a joy in writing, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon. My issues with blogging revolve more around having the time to write, to create a blog post, and visit all of my blogging friends. Even in retirement, there are not always enough hours in the day.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Mary, I know what you mean about finding the time to write/maintain your own blog, then go read + comment elsewhere. It’s fun, but it can become a bit much some weeks. Yet onward I go.

      Liked by 2 people

      • I wonder about you – responding to 100 comments or more and still running around to say hello to other bloggers. Let me say a huge “thank you” for taking the time to stop by my blog and leave a comment. You rock!

        Liked by 2 people

        • Thank you. You’re kind to notice. Over the last year while staying at home I’ve gotten more organized about who I follow, how I follow them, and how often I’ll comment in one week on one blog. It’s part of my word of the year SIMPLIFY.

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  74. My sister and I have talked about the things we’ve left behind. She used to be a talented belly dancer. After quitting, she sometimes almost felt guilty for leaving behind she’d spent so much time learning to do. I’ve left several things behind. I was a painter at one time, before that, an elementary teacher. I still like art and children. But there’s a time and place for everything, I don’t feel guilty for quitting, There can be many reasons for quitting. Maybe it’s simply time for a new chapter.

    All that said, I hope you continue.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Nicki, I intend on continuing this blog past 1,000 posts. My original plan doesn’t seem pertinent now. I agree that to leave some things behind could make you feel guilty. I played violin as a girl and left that behind as an adult. I like that I did it then, but don’t need to do it now. No guilt. Like you said, just a new chapter.

      Liked by 1 person

  75. And I played clarinet. That period of my life helped me appreciate orchestral music. And now I love the sound of a clarinet whether it’s playing jazz or Mozart

    Liked by 2 people

  77. Ally, you have built a real community here and opened my world to the wonders of the blogsphere. Who knew there were so many smart, talented people out there? And they come here, to your smart blog. Thanks for being a generous writer, reader and replier.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Anna, thanks for the compliments. I’ve been writing a blog for a long time now and it’s fun to interact with everyone here. I’ll stick around for a while longer, just to see what happens next.

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  78. I’ve scrolled through a lot of the commentary here and don’t think I have anything different to add. There are so many different kinds of blogs, written for different reasons. You can always change your purpose (or not), write (or not). I decided pretty early into blogging that I didn’t want to do it for money (after a different blog gave me the opportunity for a paid writing gig), and I love the freedom that brings. You don’t strike me as being an arbitrary person, so I’m thinking something as arbitrary as a number of blog posts isn’t going to the reason you stop (though it could be an excuse that no one will give you much gruff about because people are funny).

    In total agreement re: purple prose (though I will admit to getting long-winded from time to time).

    Liked by 2 people

    • Rita, you’re right, of course. People write blogs for different reasons. I write this one to keep my brain clicking and my heart open. I’ve never monetized it because, like you said, there’s a wonderful freedom to just writing what I want when I want. That’s also the reason I’ve never tried to be part of a niche, too limiting.

      I’m not arbitrary by nature but the 1,000 post goal, an arbitrary number, seemed impossible to me when I stated it. I couldn’t imagine that I’d get to it but here I am now, ready to forget about it and keep writing. Blogging is a trip, isn’t it?

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  79. Wow – you’ve hit a blogging nerve with this post. I’d reply more, except while attempting to read all the comments – I ran out of time as I finally landed at the bottom. I’m here to say – “You’re loved as a blogger and have a gift that endears your readers to share their thoughts and support. Once you lose that, or as others have stated, lost the fun in blogging, a proper goodbye would be in order.” I admire your blog. You’re too gifted to quit at some predestined goal. Goals can be modified and 1000 could just be a fraction of the future number of thought-provoking posts you’ll write. PS – I think it’s normal to question the continuity of writing a blog – expectations change as we purge our purple thoughts onto the page. There’s some peace in finding we have little to write about today or any day.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Shelley, thanks for your vote of confidence. I plan to continue writing this blog past 1,000 posts, realizing now that 1,000 was just a number, an arbitrary goal, from long ago. Still, the number got me thinking.

      I agree with you that I hit a nerve here. I had no idea this topic would be the catalyst for all these comments.

      After asking this question this is what commenters told me: 1) you have to enjoy keeping a blog; 2) you have to have the time to write it so that it’s not a burden; and 3) you have to talk about what interests you, not what you think you’re supposed to write about. Let’s call this Blogging 101. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      • You have blogging intuition Ally! Yay for Blogging 101 tips! I’d add on to #3 or make a #4 – your ideal reader is an extension of yourself – if you write to that person you’ll find followers for as long as you want to keep on writing. 🙂

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  80. I hope you do stay writing over your blog way beyond your original plan 🙂 As far as how I would know, for me, I think it’s when I don’t really have one core reader with whom I can connect with over a thorough blog thought and life share anymore. I love having friends where we can share one another’s life’s path in an in depth way and blogging seems to make this easier, somehow. Over the 20 years I’ve blogged, I’ve always felt like at least “someone” reasonated with my words or wanted to connect over our blogs. So I guess the overall need for interaction and at least one person reading each post, even if at different points of time, even when no one person has read all over 20 years. I guess I compare it like going on the bus lol. People get on and off, the like minded souls on life’s journey may change as people get on and off but I don’t want to drive the “bus” without anyone on it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Katy, I love your bus analogy. That’s exactly what writing a blog for a long time is like. People/readers get on and off the bus as you drive onward.

      Early on when I began blogging a woman who worked in marketing, and knew a great deal about blogging because of it, told me that I should think of each blog post as a letter I wrote to two good friends. If my two good friends, that in this situation would be two blog readers, left a comment on the blog post then I’d know I was on the right path. Had said something that resonated.

      This was good advice that has served me well over the years. For me blogging has never been about having fans/followers, it’s been about having friends/readers.

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