Asha Dornfest

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Blogs are back. #NaBloPoMo2019

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It’s time to bring blogs back.

There are a million reasons why this is the moment. We could say it’s because social media has hijacked our attention and fractured our democracy. Or because Zuckerberg doesn’t see a problem with monetizing misinformation. Or because our creative, human Internet has been overtaken by a cynical, money- and power-driven Internet.

All those reasons would be enough. But the biggest and best reason, to me, is because we can. And because it would be fun! I think we can all agree we need more fun and joy in our lives right now.

So here’s what I propose: #nablopomo2019

What is #NaBloPoMo2019?

NaBloPoMo stands for National Blog Posting Month, and it was created by Eden Kennedy in 2006. Like NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) on which it’s based, NaBloPoMo is a friendly community challenge to post on your blog every day in November.

That’s right, blog! For 30 days!

But, hey, it’s 2019, and we can make whatever rules we want. You might decide to post every day. Or post once a week. Or write ten posts in November. The main thing is that between November 1-30, 2019, you POST, you SHARE your posts on social media using #nablopomo2019, and you visit other NaBloPoMo-ers and LEAVE COMMENTS to cheer them on.

That’s it. FUN, RIGHT?

I’ve got more to say about this (so much more). And I’ll toss out some writing prompts and post ideas as well. Follow #NaBloPoMo2019 for updates (or just check back here). But for now, just say yes.

If you’re wondering how you can possibly do this, or if you’re worried you’ll mess up, or you’re worried no one will visit you, say YES anyway. There’s no wrong way to do this. If you’re reading this after November 1, just jump in. If, after November 30, you decide you’re done blogging, no problem. We’re in this together, to have fun, to be creative, and to remind ourselves that the Internet can still be a magical place.

How to join #NaBloPoMo2019

Decide how often you’ll post, or how many posts you intend to write during November. Dust off your old blog and let your friends know you’re doing #NaBloPoMo2019. Grab a graphic if you want to: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Starting on November 1 (or whenever you see this in November):

  1. POST. It can be as simple as HEY GUYS I’M DOING #NABLOPOMO2019! YOU SHOULD DO IT TOO! There, I just wrote your first post for you.
  2. SHARE using #NaBloPoMo2019
  3. LEAVE COMMENTS on your fellow #NaBloPoMo2019 pals’ posts

Need more? Here’s the #NaBloPoMo2019 FAQ.

Let’s do this. For fun. For the love of blogging. And because we can.

Are you in? Say YES. Leave a comment with a link to your blog!

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33 Comments

  • Sounds great! My food blog needs some more attention from me: https://chezvorax.blogspot.com

    Unfortunately I don’ t think I can commit to daily posts since I am also doing NaNoWriMo trying to help my wife finish a historical fiction novel.
    But I will try to draft off the positive energy, and hopefully contribute some energy myself.

  • Here for this! I feel the same in a way. I want to take back my online presence, do more than just tap out of being online. The allure of a great community is hard to give up. I still remember Flickr and Twitter back in 2007 – good times! Maybe there’s new normal, where people can connect without the explicit platform. The timing of this is perfect for me. For the first time in a few years, my work travel is not crazy this month and I have no excuse to not try. Thanks for the inspiration!

  • So great, Sarah! 2007 was a great year. But what’s interesting about now (to me) as that so many more people who back then didn’t “get” blogs now totally get the idea of personal sharing online. I have great memories, but I’m not looking to go back. I believe there’s something great up ahead. Or, at the very least, a fun month of blogging.

  • OMG! The queen herself! *deeply curtseys* Seriously, Eden, a month of your writing is the biggest gift.

  • Yay Jeff! You get to decide what your commitment is. This is meant to be a fun community nudge.

  • Carter, you and I are on the same page. I can’t wait to see what you do.

  • WHOOP WHOOP. From one of the great writers who NEVER stopped blogging.

  • So excited about your new blogging project. BUT YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT.

  • Here! for! this! For the first time in a few years I don’t have a busy November travel schedule and will have more brainspace to focus on this. I love the idea of taking back my online presence, so to speak, but never get the momentum I want to have. I’ve been inspired by so many online, too and I believe in my hear it’s a community worth nurturing!

  • Every year! That’s amazing! I’m so glad we found each other.

  • I feel the same. It’s so much more motivating to do this together.

  • Another resounding HELL YES! from me. I couldn’t agree more with your reasoning for taking our blogs back/bringing blogging back. I’ve been trying to get people to dust off their blogs for years now, and we all do well for a few weeks, then I think most get discouraged because not many people read blogs anymore, and social media, for all it’s shortcomings, makes connecting and interacting with others so much easier. Maybe we will all find new, regularly updated blogs to keep up with long after NaBloPoMo is over.

    I’m committing to weekdays, but may throw some posts up during the weekend, too.

  • Eden, I love your writing and will definitely come back to see what you post during November. But I can’t leave a comment – I’m not sure if it’s me/my computer, or if your blog is just set up that way.

    I am very sorry for your loss.

  • You’re welcome. Encouragement for all of us! I’m so glad you’re here.

  • Re: “I think most get discouraged because not many people read blogs anymore, and social media, for all it’s shortcomings, makes connecting and interacting with others so much easier.”

    I so hear you on this. That comments and conversation and all the energy that comes with that got sucked over to social media WAS discouraging. Here’s how I’m trying to frame it now for myself: Even though I (impulsively) framed this whole thing as “blogs are back,” I’m not looking backward. I’m not trying to recapture my old experience of blogging, or bring anything back. I’m trying to create something new. “Creating” = offering something to the world. Creating = giving. So I’m doing my best to focus on the energy in that. The energy in writing just to write, not to be read. The energy in leaving comments, rather than waiting for comments to show up on my own blog. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE GETTING COMMENTS and I want people to read my blog and get something from the experience. But, right now, I’m trying to generate my own energy rather than rely on the energy from readers to propel me forward.

  • I love this! I wish I could stop looking backward hoping for a resurgence of how things used to be in the blogging world. I should also focus on writing just to write. I’m already leaving comments and reading other blogs. I think we’re primed for something different now. I can remember the days when MySpace was the place to be on social media, and no one thought that would ever fall, but it has. Twitter and Insta will probably never go anywhere, and Facebook is certainly a juggernaut that is here to stay. But I do think a lot of people are ready for a “change” again, and waiting on the “next big thing”. I hope that next big thing is blogging.

  • Me too. I’m willing to be patient on this one. If we don’t build it, no one will come. But if we do, they might.

  • I’m a few days late but I’m going to start now anyway. I wrote a post every day last month and had been thinking of continuing the practise. This gives me a great reason to do so.

Comments are closed.

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