How to cure Blogitis

I visited the Blog Doctor with a troubling affliction yesterday.

"Doctor, I think I have blogitis. I haven't blogged in three weeks. And, ahem, what's worse....I haven't felt the need to."

The Blog Doctor looked shocked. "Well, Miss Tart, you know as well as I do that if you don't blog consistently, your readers will forget about you and go somewhere else for their cultural signposts and opinions."

"But that's the problem Doctor. I don't think I have any readers. There's no one to blog for."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, my stat counters for one, my lack of regular comments for another."

"Hmm. Are you tweeting regularly?"

"Yes."

"And interacting with other bloggers regularly?"

"Sometimes."

"Sometimes? Let me put it another way Miss Tart. Are you taking an interest in other people's blogs and commenting on them?"

"Not exactly. I read them (and really enjoy reading them) but I rarely comment on them."

"Hmm." Long pause. Chapel of fingers raised in front of face. "And I don't suppose you're posting any photos you've taken to Flickr? Or have joined any similar interest groups? Or created a Facebook group?"

"I've created an FB group. But...no sign of the others."

"It's very clear to me what the problem is Miss Tart. A lack of interactivity. You should aim for at least five portions a day."

"Ok. Also Doctor....there's something else."

Sigh....."Yes? Go on."

"I, well, erm, I, ah...I'm embarrassed by my basic Blogger template. And I think that's the real reason why I haven't been promoting it."

"But didn't you say during your last visit that your blog was somewhere for you to write about your interests - art, photography, music, events, film, TV etc. So the design is secondary?"

"Well, yes that's partly true. I'm a journalist so it's important the writing works. But I don't want an old-fashioned looking, constrictive blog. My HTML isn't up to designing it myself and I'm worried I'll lose my archive if I move to WordPress."

"Ah, I see." Lots of scribbling. "Take this to the pharmacist Miss Tart, and make a follow up appointment to see me in a month's time."

"Thank you Doctor."

Diagnosis: Chronic blogging constipation.

Prescription: to blog at least twice a week; to find a better Blogger template or work out how to move (seamlessly) to WordPress; to read how-to-promote-your-blog articles like this one from Green Buzz Agency; to connect with, and comment on, other arts and culture blogs.

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Has the Doctor forgotten a vital medicine?  Let me know!