Okay, raise your hand if this has ever happened to you. God has given you the most amazing idea for a blog post. You poured your heart into your masterpiece, agonizing over every word and comma. You scoured the internet for just the right image to go with your inspired creation. It was perfect — your very best work.
Then a few days after it’s published, only two people have read it … and one of them is your mom (Thanks, Mom!).
Yea, me too. It’s happened to pretty much everybody. It can be so discouraging. You wonder why you even bother, and think about quitting. But here’s the thing. Even when nobody is reading, there are a lot of reasons to keep writing. Here are five of them.
#5. It’s the only way to get better. Really. You can read all the great writing books, go to the best writing conferences and take a hundred online writing courses. But none of those things will help if you don’t put them into practice. Like most things in life that need some improvement, there are no shortcuts or easy ways out. Continue to write and self-edit. Ask others to read and give you feedback. Great writing will attract great readers.
#4. It improves your website rankings. Those creepy crawler web-bot thingys like fresh content and will reward you for posting consistently.
#3. It helps you process life. Remember when you first started writing? It probably began as journaling as you worked over the thoughts in your head. Putting them on paper (or in pixels) puts things in perspective, clarifies your thoughts and give your feelings space to breathe. When writing begins to feel more like an obligation than a calling, it’s time to go back to basics, and just write what is on your heart.
#2. Your impact may be greater than you think. That one person who read your post (and maybe even your mom)? She was the exact person God had in mind when He inspired you with the post idea. God gave us a message, and asks us to share it in conversation with others. If your words make a difference in even one life, isn’t that worth it?
And the #1 reason you should keep writing even when nobody is reading?
Because God didn’t tell you to stop. I’m assuming God told you to start in the first place, right? If He did, He had a reason. And if He’s ever ready for you to stop, He’ll tell you. Until then, keep writing.
Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
Respond
What strategies do you use to keep writing when no one is reading?
Resources
- 15 Steps for Overcoming Discouragement
- Ministry Coaching can help you stay motivated in your calling. Visit my Home page, explore the Content Conversations course and connect with me on the Special Offers page!
This week, I am linking up with Kelly Balarie’s #RaRaLinkup, Holly Barrett’s #TestimonyTuesday, Holley Gerth’s #CoffeeforyourHeart, Suzie Eller’s #LiveFreeThursday, Amy Schlichter’s #LookingUp, and Missional Women’s #FaithFilledFriday, with Kelly Balarie at #RaRaLinkup, with Holley Gerth at #CoffeeForYourHeart, with Natalie Venegas at Salt & Light, with Arabah Joy at Grace & Truth, with Susan B. Mead at #DanceWithJesus
80 thoughts on “5 Reasons to Keep Writing (Even When Nobody Is Reading)”
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Great points and wonderful reminders, thank you! I put in almost three years of blogging before I acquired any kind of real readership, and boy was it tough to keep pressing on! But God is so faithful. Love your final reason, very convicting 🙂 thank you.
God blessed your faithfulness to your calling and your consistency. Thank you for reading, Eryn. At least I know somebody besides my mom read what I wrote today! Ha! (Thanks, Mom! Love you!)
Thank you for writing this! Believe it or not, this post is a direct answer to a God-conversation (prayer)! Just because I feel discouraged with lack of readers doesn’t mean God called me to stop. THAT is what I needed to hear! Thank you for your encouragement and truth! <3
So glad it spoke to you, Anji! #keepwriting
Sitting with my hand raised!!! It can be so discouraging to look at the low numbers or lack of comments and also so tempting to see those things as a reflection of our work. When I have one of “those” posts … I ask myself a couple of questions:
Did I learn something? Sometimes I am the one person in whose life it made a difference!
Why did I write this? Was it to be opinionated or to share my heart?
Was it something new I tried because I saw “success” in other people’s blogs and thought I should write like them (guilty party of one!) ? If so, maybe I just need to go back to being the writer God created me to be!
Sorry for the long comment!!!
Love you!
No apologies necessary, Sarah! Those are really great thoughts. “Why did I write this?” I love that.
So, you must have heard that conversation I had this weekend, right? Ugh. Some days it just seems so discouraging. And I keep vowing I’m shutting my laptop and never opening it again. But then I can’t get away from the fact that God will open the doors He wants opened and shut the doors He wants shut. It’s hard, but I just have to trust that if He has me doing all this hard work it is for a good reason. And maybe it is only for me. What if this whole adventure if just to reveal another part of Himself to me, and only me? Is it worth it? Yes!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Aw, Stephanie. Trust is a big step! I can’t wait to see what you learn in the trusting!
Great thoughts! I need confidence that what I have to say is meaningful. I always want to read the thoughts of others but am wary of putting my own out there.
Oh.my.goodness. Beth! Your words are meaningful beyond measure! You’ve got a message that people need. Put it out there!
#3!!!! Yep, #3. And definitely #1. Great post! Thanks for your encouragement, my fellow Louisiana writer!
Thanks, Ellen! So glad you stopped by!
Love this!
I am raising my hand, too! My mom is my biggest fan:) I’ve been through the thoughts you share here more than once. I’m sure many of us have. I’ve been blogging two years now, and God hasn’t told me to stop yet! Thank you for the much-needed reminder today to keep going. Blessings!
Thank you for reading, Kristine! Thankful that we have moms to encourage us!
I feel like saying “me, me, me!” I understand this and when I feel I have words that are better than usual those are the times that there seems to be a bigger silence around me. I know God is teaching me humility as well as patience. Great words today.
I’ve noticed the same thing, Mary. It is times like that when I know I was writing more for what God wanted to teach me than to teach anyone else. Thanks for stopping by!
Christa, thank you so much for this encouragement. I was just having one of those days a few weeks ago and I had to remind myself why I started writing in the first place. And it’s because I really do love it! Such a good reminder for us all today to keep honing our craft even in the face of discouragement.
Thanks so much for the encouragement!
Just the other day, I had “that thought”. It was fleeting, but it still happened…
When I do have those thoughts, I try to remember that the whole reason I started blogging was to go deeper into the Word of God and “hope” that others might learn along with me, but never “expecting” it.
I often think how one day my blog will be a beautiful testimony to my children of what God has done in my life as an encouragement to them.
Thanks for offering these great insights!
Christa, “Because God didn’t tell you to stop.” Yes and AMEN!! Thank you for the honest and encouraging post. It is so easy to get caught up in the wrong reasons in the blogging world. It is so easy to compare. It is so easy to make it solely about ourselves. It is so easy to forget that God gave us a passion and a message – whether it is for 1 or 1 million!
It is almost funny, though, that the times I have thought I was really onto something and my audience would grab hold of my post with welcoming arms, turned out to be the times I would hear crickets! Sigh! I think God put us on a mission to point to Him, and just as anything in life, if it were all easy or we became too comfortable with our own power, we wouldn’t need Him. To write about Him, we most definitely need to need Him! 😉
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Oh my gosh, how I needed this today! Seriously! I was just telling my husband how frustrated I get sometimes at the hard work I put into posting regularly, when my audience is often so limited. I was feeling very discouraged today. Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone, and for encouraging me to keep at it! I am so very glad I ran across your post at Holly’s place, where I also participate in Testimony Tuesday Linkup.
Blessings!
Linda
Thanks for stopping by, Linda! Testimony Tuesday is one of my favorite linkups. Holly is a great host and the other writers there are so encouraging!
Today was a give it up day. And then, I read this article! Even if I only reach one person it will all be worth it if God is in it. Thank you Christa.
Sheila, I am so glad this could be an encouragement to you! Thank you for letting me know that. It means a lot!
Christa, I’m your neighbor today at Holley’s place. Yay! So I re-read this post, and STILL love it. Great insight!
Thanks for the encouragement! Love your blog, Christa. Stopped by from #LiveFreeThursday and I’m so glad I did. Keep writing, sister!
Your impact may be greater than you think. — finding this a BIG AMEN. God keeps showing me that I just need to show up, write what I feel impressed to write and leave the rest with Him. Thanks for a great post… #LiveFreeThursday
You are so right! Thank you for the encouragement!
This is such a good reminder! Sometimes I need to focus on connections, not numbers. Would I rather have 1000 page views from disinterested readers or 100 page views from readers who genuinely care? The latter!
I totally agree with that, Brita. And we also need to keep a good perspective on the numbers. 100 page views from ANY readers would be a great day for a lot (dare I say most?) bloggers. So I try to remember to be thankful for each and every reader and pray that they are blessed. I’m so glad you stopped by!
I absolutely LOVE this post!! We must trust that the person intended to be touched is the very one who reads it, even if it is ourselves. Great post!
We are obedient in pouring our hearts out into words, and trust God for the results. Thank you for visiting, Mikki!
Oh, what a great message. Thank you. I love when you said that unless God has told you to stop then keep going…and I know he told me to start so I am going to keep plugging away.
Good for you, Valerie! Keep at it!
Thank you for the encouragement- especially #1. We have all had that happen, good thing writing is also praise unto the Lord!
Such good reminders! I’m 6 months into blogging and this encouragement is so real and needed!
Smiling at those five points, because I just don’t know the mind of God when it comes to my writing, but I’ve had some good “book mentoring” from Madeleine L’Engle who said that she would have been a writer even if no one had ever opened one of her books. And it’s funny: the blog posts that I labor over and create from the reading of a thick book and lots of study seem to have fewer readers than the posts that flow out of me in minutes.
I remind myself all the time that I am not responsible for the results — only for the faithful showing up and saying the words.
I might need to read these every day! Thank you for these truths.
Such great encouragement here! God uses every letter typed for His glory. It may only be in ourselves — and that’s still enough. So grateful for the reminder today!
The posts I think are the best are sometimes barely read, then I have one that is a surprise hit (well, not a surprise to God.) you are right, pushing through those times is great practice and honors God. Reason enough for me! 🙂
That has been so true for me as well, sarah. I think of one post in particular where I closed my laptop at night thinking that was the biggest pile of drivel ever written, and then woke up to a chorus of readers saying “me too” and sharing the post like crazy!
YES!! I love this so much! It’s easy to forget it happens to everyone, too. Thanks for helping me remember that truth!
That’s one of my favorite things about the Christian blogging community. We all face the same struggles and should never feel alone!
From your keyboard to God’s inbox. Thank you for this excellent article.
Awesome Post for Faith Based Bloggers. It definitely encouraged me today! I love how you reminded us about God not telling us to stop. Blessings!
Glad these words could encourage you. Thanks for stopping by!
Well stated! And more than two people read it!
Ha Ha! And I am thankful for every single one that did!
I needed this TODAY! And I’m fully aware how long ago you wrote it! God rocks! ?
I’m so raising my hand over here! And my Mom doesn’t even read my blog because she doesn’t have a computer. She knows I blog but I’m pretty sure that she doesn’t have a clue how much time I put into it or how passionate I am about it. I find it something that’s hard to share with her, for some reason. You asked, “what keeps me going?” I’m honestly not sure except that there is something inside of me that drives me to write. It’s my thing that has really given me fulfillment in the midst of mothering, staying at home, and homeschooling. I often get overwhelmed by all the things I *should* be doing to maintain a successful blog so I just go back to writing when that happens and try not to worry about numbers and readers.
I’ll join the group too. Been there and it’s frustrating. I’ve also had it when I thought the post wasn’t the greatest and it gets lots of comments?!? God likes to keep me on my toes.
Your tips and encouragement are just what I needed to hear tonight! 🙂
Visiting from #Salt&Light
Christa, this is so encouraging and you make some great points, especially the last one – God didn’t tell you to stop. Oh that is something to remember when I feel discouraged! Thank you for sharing this!!!
I can definitely identify with this as a new blogger. By being consistent with writing, I know I will get better over time. You can keep motivated by keeping your WHY for writing in focus.
Is there a blogger out there anywhere who doesn’t need this post??
Thank you!
Christa, I did stop for all the reasons you mentioned. God didn’t tell me to stop, I did because I was tired and discouraged. And God told me, “Start writing again.” And so I plug away. Thanks for these great reminders of why I need to keep going!
Great reminder! I may have even read this a little while back, but today it was new again 🙂
I love when that happens. It’s a message we all will need more than once!
An awesome insight – “God didn’t tell you to stop”. Thank you.
Thanks for this! I needed it today. 🙂
Then it was written just for you 🙂
look at the comments – you hit a likey nerve! great post and thanks for the encouragement. I used to have 11 followers in 2007…I blogged little. Then i blogged everyday – too much! But I’m better now and it’s good at twice a week and i’ve made so many online friends – even if most of my readers are other bloggers. God is good and does He wants with what we give. (: Great post.
Thank you, Sue. I’m so glad you stopped by!
Christa- I loved your post. My favorite part was when you said, “Because God didn’t tell you to stop.” I have been married for 29 years and not all of them bliss. Many times people have asked, Why do you stay?” My answers have always been, “Because God didn’t tell me to leave.” I never thought about applying it to my writing. Thank you!
Bless your heart, Maree. Your husband is blessed to have a such a faithful, Godly wife.
Thanks for the encouragement – and motivation. I’m rather new to blogging and yes, there have already been more than a couple thoughts of “why am I doing this?”…..but, you are right, I totally believe God told me to start blogging (again) and I will continue until He says to stop. Nice to have that reminder!
That’s a great attitude to start out with, Jennifer 🙂
I can certainly raise my hand. I can’t imagine not writing. It keeps me in the Word. It gives me accountability. But … there are times when I get the wrong focus and start to wonder if it’s worth the time and effort.
Christa -I just can’t begin to explain how much this post meant to me. Your words were EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I’ve been feeling burnt out on life in general, and my blog has taken the biggest hit. The thought of trying to theme and out plan content was overwhelming me. I pushed my blog further and further down my list of things to-do. About a week ago I heard the still, small whisper of a voice saying “Don’t worry about a theme, just write what’s on your heart.” A few days later I received this email in my inbox and marked it to read later. I’m late to reading it, but your words aren’t late at all. That final point you listed…I can honestly say God hasn’t told me to stop writing. Thanks for this post! You are such a wonderful encourager!
Julie, you have such beautiful words to share. Don’t you dare stop!!!
Thank you so much for #2!!!
God bless you.
This is right on, Christa!
Thank you so much for this post!! I needed to hear this so very much. As a new blogger, this hits home for me. But you’re right, God did lead me to start blogging. I’ve been writing since I was 10, I still have my huge piles of notebooks. However, I wanted to do more than keep the words to myself so God lead me to share them with the world. This was a big leap of faith for me, as someone who struggles with mild anxiety, putting myself out in the Internet felt like a very daunting task. But God gave me the courage to obey and open my own website. Thank you so much for your encouraging words of wisdom.
You have been very brave, Evelyn! And your blog is a lovely spot of encouragement and truth. Well done!
This is exactly what I needed to hear today! I have been so discouraged and feeling like my blog had no purpose, but it does! God has a reason for it! Thank you for your words.
You bet He has a big reason for it, Kelsey! Keep writing and keep praying and one day, you’ll realize what God has been doing all along.
That last point – so true! Just like with homeschooling. Many times I wanted to give up and send the children off to school but it always boiled down to “God didn’t say to stop”. And now I must apply it to my blogging. I get so overwhelmed and discouraged by what OTHERS are doing and getting. I have actually stopped blogging for half a year before and was rebuked by God for it. Now I just keep writing even when I don’t feel like it. Because…God hasn’t told me to stop.
God bless you!
Coming in very late, but this is a good post, all valid reasons to keep on. And here’s one more yet:
You end up with a library of posts few people have read and three or four years later when you have a lot of newer readers, you can repost them. 🙂
Oh that is a great one to add!! Love that!