Please note: This article was first published on The Vegan Tourist and last updated Novmber 13, 2015.
In an effort to keep my website current, I decided to check if all the links which I listed under “Vegan Resources” were still current. Imagine my surprise when I found out that many vegan bloggers had abandoned their websites. Some published a “last blog post,” like maple spice, and listed the reasons why they no longer could or would tend to their websites, but most vegan bloggers simply stopped updating their sites.
I often feel guilty for not blogging more frequently on The Vegan Tourist; but no matter how busy my life gets, I always return to this site – when and if I have something important to say, or some bit of information or good news that I want to share with others. I think that’s the secret to keeping a blog alive: not to consider it an obligation, but as an opportunity to connect with others.
If you take a closer look at some of the abandoned websites of vegan bloggers, you’ll notice a pattern: many start out enthusiastically, publishing numerous blog posts during the few first few years. Then they start to publish fewer and fewer posts, and eventually the websites are abandoned. Some bloggers, like Maple Spice, take drastic measures: “So, no more social media for me and I’ll be spending much more time out in the garden…”.
If you’re just starting your own vegan blog, or if your established blog has become an obligation to you, my advice would be to simply relax. There are no rules to blogging. You don’t have to keep to a schedule. You don’t have to blog about your life or post new vegan recipes every single week (or several times a week). Do whatever you like, and don’t succumb to (imagined) pressure. You’ll just feel miserable.
Personally, I have a very limited online presence. I do have a website called Viaduct Dreams, where I post updates about my professional achievements. I freelance as a writer, and this site gives potential clients an idea of what to expect, if they hire me for a project. Why is it called Viaduct Dreams? I love all things Roman, especially Roman architecture. I blog on this site, and I have a Facebook page called The Vegan Tourist, linked to my personal Facebook account. That’s it. I don’t have a Twitter or an Instagram account, or any other additional social media account. I don’t even get Emails on my mobile phone, and I can’t access the Internet from my mobile phone either. I’ve purposely disabled both functions. I check my Emails on my laptop twice a day, and that’s it. I infrequently log onto my Facebook account. I don’t live my life online, and that’s why I still enjoy blogging after several years.
These are some of the websites, which I no longer list under “Vegan Resources,” as they are no longer being updated. The websites are currently (November 13, 2015) still online, and you can access their archives here:
But…where do you get your protein? (last post: February 12, 2014)
Don’t Eat Off the Sidewalk! (last post: September 7, 2014)
Eats Well With Others (last post: June 18, 2013)
maple spice (last post: August 4, 2015)
Post Punk Kitchen (last post: June 6, 2014)
The Laziest Vegans in the World (last post: December 27, 2014)
What the Hell Does a Vegan Eat Anyway? (last post: June 6, 2014)
