I’m now on a blogging break until January 3rd 2023. However, I will respond to any comments left on my blog but won’t be reading or commenting on other blogs during this time.
Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Leave a link to your post in the comments section, and I will try and visit it and leave you a comment (provided the post and pictures are Wordless and do not contain any words). I will also share the post on Twitter, provided you have connected your Twitter account to your blog.
Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Leave a link to your post in the comments section, and I will try and visit it and leave you a comment (provided the post and pictures are Wordless and do not contain any words). I will also share the post on Twitter, provided you have connected your Twitter account to your blog.
This is my ninth December in the blogging world, and it’s turning out to be as similar as others.
I see a familiar path. As the days in December tick by, the blogging world gets quieter and quieter.
Don’t allow blogging to lose its sparkle in December.
I’ve already witnessed bloggers signing off their blogs for Christmas, wishing their readers a Merry Christmas and saying they’ll be back early in the New Year. Others have announced the dates when they’ll take a blogging break.
Just because the world of blogging gets quiet doesn’t mean you don’t have to stop blogging, but I’ve always found that this time of the year is perfect for doing blogging jobs many of us were meant to do during the year but never quite got around to doing.
1. Fix broken links.
I use the free version of Brokenlink.Com to check and fix broken links on my blog.
It can be daunting if you’ve never checked for and fixed broken links on your blog but don’t be put off doing it.
Fixing broken links helps the SEO score of your blog and also helps to reduce spam. Did you know that spammers are attracted to blogs with many broken links?
Your readers will also be happier because they’re not taken to pages, posts and links that no longer exist.
Top tip for checking broken links: Don’t try and tackle the list in one go. Do a few every day. Before you know it, you’ll have smashed it.
Click here to start checking for broken links on your blog now.
2. Update the About me page.
Every blogger should have an ‘about me’ page on their blog. Why? Because not only do most readers like to know a little about the person behind the blog before following, but it’s also one of the most visited parts of any blog.
When did you last update the About me page on your blog?
Not sure what to put on the About me page? Click here for recommendations.
3. Do some blog housekeeping.
From sorting out the tags and categories on your blog to updating the menubar, housekeeping your blog is vital if you want to keep your blog fit and healthy.
Blogs, where no or little housekeeping gets performed, lose more followers and readers than well-maintained blogs.
Get your blog ready for the New Year by performing some housekeeping on it during December.
4. Explore the Block editor.
Are you still terrified of the Block editor? As the number of bloggers using the Block editor continues to climb, now is the perfect time to explore the Block editor and join all those already using it.
WordPress has excellent tutorials on how the Block editor works and how to use it. Click here for more details.
If you’re still using the Classic editor, WordPress recently announced that they’ll continue supporting it until either the end of 2024 or when necessary. However, don’t forget that you can still use the Classic editor via the ‘Classic Block.’
5. Unsubscribe from blogs.
Following too many blogs is not good for your mental health. It can cause some bloggers stress and guilt from being overwhelmed with too many posts to read.
There are many good reasons for unsubscribing from blogs. Here are just a few.
No longer interested in the content being published? Unfollow that blog.
No new published content for many months? Unfollow that blog.
Not read any of their posts for the last year (also known as ghost-blogging)? Unfollow that blog.
Check what blogs you are following by clicking on the ‘Reader’ button at the top of your blog. Click on ‘Manage‘ (next to ‘Following‘). You’ll be presented with a list of blogs you are following. Go through them and unfollow the blogs you’re no longer interested in.
Click the ‘Manage’ button to see a complete list of the blogs you’re following.
6. Choose a new theme for your blog.
If the WordPress theme you are using has been retired, you are likely (or soon will be) having problems with your blog.
Once WordPress retires a theme, they remove support for it. Don’t waste your time trying to find workarounds. Choose a new theme.
To choose a new theme, go to your blog’s dashboard and click on Appearance – Themes. You’ll be presented with lots of current themes to choose from. However, my advice is not to spend too long choosing one. As soon as you find one you like, go with it.
The current theme I use for my blog is Toujours.
7. Delete old blog posts.
Did you know that keeping old, out-of-date posts can damage the health of your blog? These out-of-date posts are often the source of many broken links.
All the above tips can be performed at any time of the year. But make the most of the quietness the month of December usually brings to the blogging world. Keep blogging from losing its sparkle in December.
Am I planning a blogging break?
Yes. I’ll take a blogging break from December 23rd – January 3rd.
I won’t be publishing any new blog posts during this time apart from my monthly round-up post on December 31st. I won’t be reading and commenting on blog posts during this time. However, I will be responding to comments left on my blog posts.
What will you be doing with your blog during December?
Looking for more blogging tips? Click on the ‘Blogging Tips’ and ‘Block Editor – How To’ buttons on the menubar of my blog.
Follow Hugh on social media. Click on the buttons below.
Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Leave a link to your post in the comments section, and I will try and visit it and leave you a comment (provided the post and pictures are Wordless and do not contain any words). I will also share the post on Twitter, provided you have connected your Twitter account to your blog.
November 28, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the saying, “not my monkeys, not my circus”. What is the situation that would spawn that aphorism? Have fun with the setting and characters! Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.
Christmas Present – by Hugh W. Roberts
Watching the happy couple unwrap their gifts bought so much joy and happiness. I love Christmas.
One last gift, but who’s the recipient?
“The tag says it’s for you; somebody from your past?” said Veronica.
“Me?” replied David.
He hesitated at first, but his face was a picture when he pulled out red fishnet stockings and suspenders.
The atmosphere changed before death arrived. But it would be the next Christmas before they joined me.
Are you participating in Wordless Wednesday? Leave a link to your post in the comments section, and I will try and visit it and leave you a comment (provided the post and pictures are Wordless and do not contain any words). I will also share the post on Twitter, provided you have connected your Twitter account to your blog.
November 21, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, “Oh, my.” It can be used in storytelling or dialogue. What is the cause for such a response? Have fun with this one! Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.
The Gift Wrapper – by Hugh W. Roberts
Reggie always helped me with packing Christmas gifts.
He had an eye for matching tags and ribbons with the right paper. All the gifts looked terrific.
“Thanks for your help again, Reggie,” I said while putting away the remainder of the Christmas wrapping paper.
I always got the same reply when he looked at me with deep brown eyes.
But this year was different. No brown eyes were looking up at me.
“Reggie?”
Silence.
“Oh, my!”
There was no sign of Reggie. Surely my pet rat hadn’t crept into one of the fifty-wrapped boxes sitting under the Christmas tree?
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Image Credit: Charli Mills
Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
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Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘Glimpses.’
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Glimpses
28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.
Hugh's Views & News 