A horse! A horse! My Kingdom for a horse” – Richard III, Shakespeare

This oft recognized quote from Shakespeare’s play is shouted by King Richard during the battle of Bosworth Field when he is knocked off his horse. Ultimately the King meets his demise in a duel against Richmond. It is Richard’s proclamation, made during the climax of the battle, that reminds me of the tactics we bloggers  succumb to in desperation for comments, likes, shares, etc.

Perhaps, like a king in battle, you are confidently riding on the field with your soldiers at your side – social media, SEO tactics, design. And you’ve even managed to keep a strong horse – a steady following with decent interaction on your posts. You feel strong and confident. You’ve even rallied your troops – sent out newsletters, tweets, updates, publicized to countless peers and colleagues.

But suddenly, your horse is weakened, and even taken from under you. Your soldiers are retreating, and it seems your battle cries are largely ignored. You cry louder for help – attempting to draw attention to yourself and your blog as much as possible – the sound of defeat and desperation filling the very air around you, becoming your only companion.

Now your enemy approaches, and your Achilles heel is marked with a bullseye – you’ve ignored your training in weaponry – the practice of creating new content. In all the effort, you realize that your sword has become dull from lack of use, and it’s no longer fit to fight off the enemy or protect your kingdom.

Unlike Richard, you have a chance to train. It’s a matter of partaking in the daily discipline of writing. If you are spending the majority of your time promoting your blog instead of writing, you are doing it wrong. Keep your strength and don’t give up! Make sure you are on top of all of your training, especially your swordsmanship (content), so when you are alone at the pinnacle of battle (writing),  set backs won’t leave you defenseless.

How much time do you spend promoting your blog, and how much time writing? Share your thoughts in the comments! 

Image Credit: oceansbridge