EXPIRED BLOGGER

DEAR BORG:

I am a blogger who has lost her voice due to the constraints and wear of a full-time office job.  I find that when I get home, I have no energy or interest in sitting in front of another keyboard after 8-10 hours of writing e-mails and sitting in front of computer screens. 

But I miss my voice and being able to think of myself, let alone describe myself to others, as a writer.  I do write a lot every day - just not for myself.  I have a semi-inactive blog that had developed a small following in the past, but it's been so long and my posts sporadic, that I am sure most of my readers - except the one I married - have forgotten me.

What can I do?

AN EXPIRED BLOGGER

P.S.  I do like to read advice columnists regularly and often have strong opinions I want to share about some of my reactions to them.

DEAR EXPIRED:

You are stuck in a rut.  My condolences.  I think you should consider reinvigorating yourself by starting a new blog based on letters requesting advice and your thoughts regarding some of these.  You can pick letters you've read where you've reacted strongly as you have mentioned above, or perhaps, as your blog becomes more established, letters from real readers directly seeking YOUR advice.  From what I've read of your blog, you have some life experience, and might have some sound advice to offer others. 

However, in order to be successful, you should set certain goals for yourself in frequency of writing.  I.e., publishing an average of x posts a week.  Remember, blogging software allows you the ability to write several posts at once, and publish them at distinct times so you can take a block of time once a week, even, and write several posts that will nonetheless publish over the week to follow.

To find your voice, and to find yourself as a functioning individual outside of your office job that seems to have sucked you in and sucked the life out of you, you need to plan time for you and for the things you enjoy doing.  Writing your blog was one of those things in the past that brought you pleasure.  Then, at night, as you start to fall asleep, you'll dream of the brilliant things you want to write in your own life rather than the e-mails for work that you need to send.  Hopefully this will help you find harmony.

Sincerely,
The Borg