12 Phases of Blogging

These are 12 phases a blogger might go through. It is a cycle for all development, so I thought why not for blogging.

It is a cycle that can take a whole (blogging) lifetime, but it can also be something that you go through very fast, or only partly.

For some the focus is very much on one part and you might get stuck there. Or you might skip some phases and add them later with a new blog.

But above all it is a very abstract cycle. Just a way of differentiating one phase from another. With no other purpose then to categorise and to bring order. Very phase 6 actually.

But lets start with the beginning. The beginning of taking action, the birth of a new process. That of blogging.

1. Action
This is the phase of starting with a blog. For the first time you heard there is something like an online way to say what you want. Or the first time you hear there is a way you can make money online. Or the first time you hear you can have some space of your own, online for the world to see. You hear about WordPress and you just start a new blog without even knowing anything about HTML or CSS. You just sign up for an account and the next thing you know is that you are writing without any structure or purpose as just the fun of it.

2. Manifestation
Here the first action gets a form. You think about the form it should get. The colours the design, the widgets, style and so on. Very focused and practical. It is also the phase of value. Maybe a way is found to materialise it into money. There is no exchange, no interaction it is just about taking a form, growing and becoming massive.

3. Interaction
Time to interact with others. Not so much about personal stuff, but circulating news, share the latest gossip. It is about networking, getting to know others, about making connections. Seeking novelty and being easily bored. But also about learning. Not so much improving your own qualities (that comes later) but just learn as much as you can about others, about the world around you and about blogging in general. Just trying things out and go to the next interesting subject.

4. Emotion
This is the phase of listening to your own feelings. Maybe blogging about your personal life, about your children or about how difficult it is to cope with life. Or maybe the whole blogging thing is not turning out to be what you wanted. Or life is just getting in the way. Or life is getting in the way and you realise what really is important. And as a result start blogging about that.

5. Expression
Here a whole new phase is starting. A phase of self expression. Working with the whole blogging thing has given you all kind of possibilities to express your own self. You have found a way to really be you. But it is also the phase where you have to separate yourself from your background. It can be the start of taking your own domain. Finding your own voice that you want to use further. It can be a very selfish phase, but at the same time it is a very important one. Discovering what you really want, what makes you unique and stand out from the rest of the world.

6. Function
What you were doing so far is all a bit unorganised. Many ideas, many posts, many reactions of others but not yet a clear structure. The phase of making categories, lists, unclutter and so on. Cleaning the place up. But also the phase of improving yourself, learning more skills, getting more techniques, learn and help others. Learning how to overcome problems. Analyse what has happend, and do it again and better next time. Being efficient and functional.

7. Reflection
Now that all is better organised it is time to interact with others in a more personal way. So not just interact about the world but more reflective about your own work. Giving it all a more attractive look so that others tend to like it. It is also the home of art and design and the home of those who blog about relationships. And also about fashion and beauty. It is all about presentation of your self.

8. Integration
This is the phase of looking at your own reaction on other bloggers. Why do you admire some and dislike others. So doing some soulsearch. But it is also the home of research bloggers, or those who blog about psychology. Of those who want to deeply investigate one part of life. Or who want to know all about one subject very deeply. About obsession and fascination. About psychology and deep inner turmoil. Or maybe the death of a blog because of many outside attacks. It is the phase of potential transformation. About integrating all parts of your self.

9. Vision
Again a whole new phase. Very tempting here is to get your own ideas into the world. Let everyone hear what you think and try to convince others of your ideas. Or try to sell what you made or what you find important. But it is possible that when the previous phase is not integrated well, or when there is no real knowledge of yourself, you get carried away. It is also the home of bloggers about religion or philosophy. Or who blog about travelling or other cultures. Or everything that goes beyond your own individual self.

10. Construction
Here the blog becomes an institute. A place where facts and authority are important. No more bleu sky ideas, but the theory has to become reality. Here you know the rules and play the game. It is the home of political blogs. About companies but also about building. The construction of societies. And in the process of the blogging cycle it is the blog that has the practical role in society with a certain authority.

11. Invention
This can be a phase of total destruction. Where all the rules from the previous phase are to strict and there is no more growth possible. But it can also be the phase of freedom and collaboration between other individuals. Important is that others are seen as equals, recognising their individual character. It is about  focusing the mind to formulate new and unusual ways of dealing with people, groups, society and the world.

12. Compassion
This is the end of this cycle and maybe a new one is starting soon on another level. But maybe it is just the phase of giving to others without wanting something back. Some might come into this phase to early and feel very easy drained by all the demands of others. Or feel overwhelmed by hackers or other bloggers. It can be blogs about mysticism or charity. But also about fairytails or myths. About what is outside of society.

This is the phase of forming seeds for another cycle. Because next is the start of a new one. Maybe that of another blog, now about a whole new subject. Or just another cycle of the same blog on another level.

Annemieke

10 comments

  1. That’s an interesting list of steps. I can see that I’ve been through many of them, but they kind of swirl for me, overlapping each other and freely skipping from one to the next. Good stuff to think about.

  2. This is an interesting list, some of them I would not have thought of and but I found informative. I have been blogging for over 3 years and I feel I am still bounce back and forth on some of these.

  3. ‘Skipping’ and ‘bouncing’ is indeed exactly what I am also doing. And I am mostly bouncing with certain phases. I also have different blogs that ‘belong’ to different phases, while others still never have been covered. Must go look into it further.

  4. Good point perseverance, indeed very important in the blogging process. But I am not yet sure where it belongs. My first thoughts would be phase 2, 6 or 10 (the earthsigns) but I have to think about that further.

    Thanks all for the comments. I am so glad you more or less recognised the steps. Or to see where others stand in the process. I will have to give it all some more thought, especially the words to use with each step.

    1. I have been thinking about that too. And I think it is certainly possible to be in several phases at once. Most of all because there are cycles within cycles, as each phase has its own cycle.

      And certain blogs are the definition of a certain phase. A technical blog falls into phase 6, as a design blog falls into phase 7. That is their focus, but also a technical blog needs a design.

      And the designing phase of that blog might also go through those phases. Some very quickly and hardly noticable while others take much longer or even might get stuck.

  5. hey…gud work….this was really an intrestin blog…because most of the steps really happens when um writin a blog or shud happen…
    keep goin…
    luvv
    jeff

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