In internet years, I am a stegosaurus.
I am a pterodactyl circling the tar pit.
I am a wooly mammoth, nibbling a bit of lichen.
All of this is to say – I’ve been blogging for a long, long time.
As I type this, there are 2,732 posts in my archive. Two thousand seven hundred thirty-two! Since the summer of 2008 I’ve been posting between five and seven times a week. I posted while I was working full time, I posted while I was working full time and tutoring on the side, I posted while I was backpacking around India, Asia, and the Antipodes for 10 months.
I will be the first to acknowledge this is ridiculous. Really and truly, you don’t need to post this frequently. I am a Virgo, eldest child of Germanic heritage; my insane work ethic is something I come by honestly but I’m not sure I’d recommend it. If I could turn it off, I would!
With that said, I know that many people struggle to post regularly or to develop an editorial calendar that works for them. If you’ve been blogging for a long time and you feel like you’re burning out or if you’re just starting and struggling to find your footing these tips might help.
1. Create post series
It’s a million times easier to come up with ideas when you’re thinking within an established framework. I have six post series; each of them ties into different offerings, different types of readers, and different potential sponsors. Mini Travel Guides tie into my travel ebooks, Real Life Style Icon interviews help me reach new readers (and introduce my readers to new blogs), the Kitchen Globetrotter series is Pinterest catnip.
It’s so much easier to plan out my month when I’m thinking “What type of food should we write about for Kitchen Globetrotter this month?” rather than “What in the world should I write about?”
2. Write things that are directly related to your services and offerings
When you’re stuck for an idea, just have a look through your sales pages. What problems are your products solving? Write content that relates to those problems.
Problem solved by your product: decluttering your house
You write a post about: organizational tools that will help you declutter
Problem solved by your product: long-term solo travel
You write a post about: how to take a sabbatical from work
3. Bring on contributors
Contributors will make your blogging life so much easier! I have two contributors who write about topics I don’t know about (vegan cooking and DIYs) and their posts get favorited and shared all over Pinterest. Contributors can lighten your writing load, attract new readers, and share expertise in areas you don’t know about.
4. Take time to refill your creativity/inspiration bucket
You know where I get my best ideas? Sitting in my office, in my yoga pants, with a cold cup of coffee. Juuuuuust kidddding! I get my best ideas when I’m out and about – walking around my neighborhood, road tripping, taking a dance class, or chatting with friends at a new restaurant. If you’re looking to get new ideas, you’ll probably have to get at least slightly outside your comfort zone.
5. Stop posting so damn much
This is just as much of a note-to-self as a note-to-you. About a year and a half ago I stopped posting on Fridays; I post four times a month here and one of those posts is a link round up and one is a guest post. It’s important that you post regularly, but it’s also important that you don’t burn out and hate your life.
If you’re a blogger who writes a ton - how do you do it? Share your tips in the comments!
P.S. A version of this post appeared on Evolve + Succeed, but I was so happy with it I wanted to re-post it and share it with you guys!
photo by Laineys Repertoire // cc
I have a writing routine and I stick to it, every single weekday and often on the weekends.
As soon as I roll out of bed (6:30-ish), I head right to my computer and start writing… after making coffee, of course! I devote the first 3-ish hours of the day to my stuff, not the freelance things I’m working on or personal things on my do-to list. Usually in my PJs, sometimes I don’t even brush my teeth.
I usually can crank out a full blog post (sometimes two), schedule a bunch of social media and research upcoming posts. I might send a few emails once that’s done, but unless there is a four-alarm fire to put out elsewhere, that’s my sacred writing time. I always, always, always do it. It’s like when you’re on a plane and the flight attendant says to “put on your mask before assisting others.”
Best part? I can still do coffee or a morning meeting because I am usually done by 9:30-10. And since I’m writing early in the morning when other folks are getting ready/driving to work, I hardly ever get interrupted. It’s the best.
Yes! Love it! When I’m on my A-game (re: 30% of the time) I just write until noon - no social media or email!
I love hearing about other people’s routines! Mine changes all the time but my favourite (and most productive) routine to be in is similar to yours - those first early hours are sacred, reserved for myself. I never schedule meetings or appointments before 10 for just that reason. I love your commitment to this!!
It was only this year that I got myself an editorial calender that suited myself and has went down well with my audience. I write about loads but am most recognised for cruelty-free beauty and vegan food. So on Monday I do a beauty post and Wednesday I do a food post, then Friday I do a link round-up and on Saturday I let my imagination run wild! Works for me
I have the opposite problem…I can’t actually *stop* writing. Blogging has become my favourite part of my business and through I use my post scheduler to space stuff out, I still seem to be putting something up six or seven times a week.
Not that I want to promote this lifestyle (!) but the secret to that is (obviously) to love what you do. I just have so much to say about tarot - and the beauty of my subject is that if I ever am stuck, I just have to shuffle and draw a card and… so many ideas
And it feels like that with your blog Sarah - you share experiences that are happening to you live, like this week, as a business owner there is always a perspective, a lesson to be learned, or a summarising of info/ideas you’ve been picking up/mulling over lately.
But yeah. Honestly I am *trying* to reduce the amount I post. I don’t want to set a standard for myself that becomes unsustainable when my lifestyle changes (I do want a kid, pretty soon!) I keep planning to make it three times a week but then… ah, I just keep writing these goddam posts.
There is still some seriously useful advice in this post. I started using guest writers late last year and it’s really revolutionised things - my readers really appreciate me bringing in alternative perspectives. And series are awesome… I keep forgetting to do them but the few I have have been really successful. Actually the most successful is a fortnightly guest post from a gorgeous astrologer.
In the past few months I’ve started challenging that Urge To Write All The Damn Time into more profitable directions - my first online course and a couple of books which I’m working on. Sometimes a blog feels too ‘light’. Realising I could make money by *selling* my writing was a bit of a lightbulb moment.
Anyway, gosh, you see my problem, can’t stop rambling. Thanks for another really useful post!
Do you schedule your posts?
I used to write so much that I had enough drafts to schedule out for each day for the next two months; I wound up only scheduling them for every other day, however, because I return every comment I receive on others’ blogs, and… well, it would have been too much to keep up with, and every-other-day posting is a good routine for me. XD
But I only ask because so many bloggers don’t know they can schedule their posts and are so shocked/surprised/relieved to learn they can. :3
Love this. I’m just starting to transition from mostly-lifestyle-blog to my-lifestyle-is-what-I-do-and-I’m-going-to-try-to-sell-it-to-you-blog. (that’s a thing, right?) I love the tip about creating a series. Totally where my head is at right now. I too like to carve out time to write a series of posts at once, but mine is two-fold. Every night, I try to write 5 post ideas in a notebook… come Saturday, when I get around to writing, I get to decide which ones were actually good and then laugh at the rest!