For two blogs (Confessions of a Fat Chick, which will also be a nonfiction book, and The Idea Pocket), I have a schedule that is posted in the sidebar of the blogs. Some posts have sources quoted, some don't. Some were very easy to write and post and took very little time. Some have taken up to two weeks, depending. Another blog, Creatif, doesn't have a schedule. I've tried having a schedule with it, but it doesn't work out for me on that one.

Links:

• http://fatchickconfessions.wordpress.com
• http://theideapocket.wordpress.com
• http://jensorganizedwriter.wordpress.com

posted 3 months ago

I'm a psychologist (Mysteryshrink.com) just starting blogging in January. I've found that I've already gone through several significant changes. This is not a "diary" blog, but more tips from the lower brain of a psychologist who's been in the business awhile.

When I started I was going to be very organized and use posts for teaching or ms. development. The result of that effort was that I was way too wordy and complicated. Then, since blogs give a reverse twist on organization, going from the general to the more specific doesnt' work.

Since then I've followed when visitors pick up and go down (it's amazing how quickly 1000 daily visitors hook on) and frame my content accordingly since the idea is to reach people.

As a result, I've gone to shorter, specific topic entries. Humor always.

This is really a lot of fun.

Links:

• http://Mysteryshrink.com

posted 3 months ago

Hi Michelle,

I used to post sporadically as & when I felt like it on most of my (4) blogs. Then once I started being paid to write on other blogs and my own blog readerships grew, I found I had to find another method (so I could also run the business at the same time!).

So now, this is what I do...

1 - I have a strategy/purpose for each of my blogs which also helps me determine how frequently I should be writing on the blog.

2 - For the most popular (highest # of subscribers) blog, I have a weekly schedule which is posted in the sidebar so readers know what topic is posted when. For my personal blog, I aim to write on it at least 3 times a week and for the corporate/business blogs, it's once a week.

3 - For other blogging gigs, I try and keep ahead of myself by about 3-4 weeks which I also do for all my own blogs except the personal one.

For you however, if your current process works, then there's no need to change it just because it seems you *should*...if it's not broken, why fix it?

posted 3 months ago

I've been writing for my own website since 1997. I started using a "blogging tool" (WordPress) about 4 years ago.

I try to post at least one thing a day. My blog is really just a gathering place for a few friends to chat about things they like... so I have one category that is "X photo of the day" (X being one of the things my reading community likes to chat about) and when I don't have anything else to talk about I post one of those. I'll write a little bit about the photo... where, what, circumstances, memories it evokes, whatever. The readers then take it off to somewhere else usually. I like that.

Sometimes the photo of the day becomes a trainspotting contest, that is, can the geeks among my readers identify the objects in the photo. Those are fun too.

To facilitate this I have pre-populated a web server with a few thousand photos and have a way to browse them independent of my blog. This is a handy writer's block cure.

The other things I write about are things that strike my fancy or things I am passionate about.

Once or twice a year I do intense, week-long competitive events which I blog the details of every night. I've been doing this for the past decade and people STILL read the event logs from stuff that I did in 1999! I've always thought that these are my best writing, as they relay the intensity of the event quite well... the success and the failure, the hard work and the heartbreak. It is very hard work, but quite enjoyable.

Hope that helps.

posted 3 months ago

For my personal blogs, I try to either figure out in advance what I want to talk about, then schedule time to write them, or I toss off an ad-hoc piece of tripe. For the blogs to which I contribute profesionally, I focus on the breaking news first, then determine what can be scheduled out, and shuffle my research time and writing around the deadlines.

posted 3 months ago

You can plan these things?

I tend to be more of a "stream of consciousness" sort of blogger. I write what pops into my head when it happens. For posts that require research (quotes, linkage,etc) then I may develop the basic "plot" a day or two out, but that's about it.

I envy those that can load up multiple posts (that aren't time sensitive) and have them stashed away for a rainy day. Great concept that I've never been able to pull off.

posted 3 months ago

I try to blog at least once a week on each of my current sites. While I have ideas logged in advance, I usually write up the post and publish immediately (or schedule for next morning).

Although I am rarely ahead of schedule, if I write more than one blog post, I try to edit and schedule it for posting the following week unless it is a current, breaking issue.

posted 3 months ago

My blog, LB's Rambles, is primarily a communications blog, with excursions into other areas of interest (including my weekly podcast on Classic Mysteries). As I am generally writing about some news item that has caught my eye, my writing schedule is pretty dependent on the existence of said news items. Some days, there may be several items worth pointing out or worthy of comment. Other days, if there's nothing to be said, there's no point in posting.

Some people prefer a more even flow. If they're going to be away from the keyboard, they may write an item and set a time for it to post during their absence. If your readers are used to a more eclectic style, there's no real need to do that - just write when you have something to say and, otherwise, don't.

Links:

• http://lbsrambles.typepad.com

posted 3 months ago

Originally, I had a tight system much like the one you explained, but as my consulting and speaking engagements pick up I'm not always able to maintain my blogs with the frequency I desire.

Although, my blogs are not updated daily I still update them when it flows as opposed to forcing the information. In addition, they still generate money for me through Google Adsense and affiliate links.

Links:

• http://www.selfpublishforprofit.blogspot.com
• http://www.moneygoldmine.blogspot.com
• http://www.makemoneyselfpublishing.com

posted 3 months ago

I, too, try to post once a day-- my blog, winemedinemecinci.blogspot.com, lends itself towards several major posts a week with smaller ones interspersed. Occasionally, when I know I'll be busy, I'll "stockpile" posts for later posting, but usually, I try to write and post on the same day. Otherwise, I feel like I get backlogged!

Links:

• http://winemedinemecinci.blogspot.com

posted 3 months ago

I approach it differently depending which blog of mine it is.

For BackBlog, which chronicles my struggles to mend my aching back, I blog when something happens, a new pain, or I find some pain relief, or try a new exercise, etc. For You Want a Piece of Me?, my personal blog about anything and everything, I usually blog about something topical I've seen in the news or online and I'm usually in a rush to get it posted. For my dog's blog, I'm pretty laid back and just blog when something happens in his life.

http://ingridsbackblog.blogspot.com/
http://ingridspangler.blogspot.com/
http://www.tonysez.blogspot.com/

posted 3 months ago

Michelle: Depends upon whether the theme of the post has dependencies upon any other tasks. If not, it may seem to be published immediately , though it probably had simmered for a while before that. At creative times, one may be satisfied with more imaginative frameworks such as a title or punch line that would seem to have good timing based on current events. Book or product reviews require some preparation to report facts. Software analysis may require siginificant development so will take longer. The effort of writing an entry usually yields ideas for further research. During dramatic times, have tried to pause for a cooling down period in order to give more of a timeless sense that would be of common interest to others. Blogs tend to be rough around the edges. Other publications, such as papers, documents or web pages usually allow more refinement. Thanks.

posted 3 months ago

for me writting blog post is like instict action,

I use freemind as my mind mapping tool most of the time

and as and when i get some time to write something on my blog then i just have to look at my mindmaps to get more info,

Links:

• http://freemind.sourceforge.net/

posted 3 months ago

Hi Michelle,

Even before you begin a blog, write down the 3 reasons why you want to blog. Identify your domain - a subject in which you have some degree of expertise (could be even a hobby). Choose a domain that instantly connects your audience to the subject. Plan and schedule a list of topics to write. Don't write randomly. Write atleast 300 words on a subject. And don't worry. Professional blogging platforms offer a "scheduler", that will push your blogs posts automatically on the dates you've scheduled.

Learn basic html, avoid spelling errors. Plug in Google analytics. Understand user behaviour on your site. How they come. From where do they land up. On which pages do they land. What do they read.

Once significant traffic arrives, look for ways to monetise - Google Adsense could be a good staring point.

Good Luck!
Rajasekar KS

posted 3 months ago

For me at least, my blog is more about spontaneous writing than planning ahead. I see something that catches my interest and I write about it. On a long entry, I may leave it in a "Draft" state for a day or two, but generally I write and publish immediately or the following morning. I sometimes have a backlog of blog ideas, which I may add to my To List so I don't lose track of them, but that's about as much planning as I tend to do.

If your style is to write in the fashion you have described, nobody can really tell you how to organize your own schedule. You have to find the balance that works best for you. In my case, my blog is a labor of love, and doesn't generate a lot of income. If that's the case with you too, you may want to start thinking about how to generate posts more quickly and keep fewer long posts in the Draft state.

posted 3 months ago

I take each new week as a challenge to find two to three things to write about which features our experts at Emerson. I subscribe to a bunch of RSS feeds about the industries we serve and keep and eye on the calendar of events where one of our folks might be speaking.

I usually start each week with a bare cupboard but somehow pull off the goal by Friday. I enjoy the challenge.

Thanks for the great question!

Jim Cahill
Emerson Process Experts
http://www.EmersonProcessXperts.com

posted 3 months ago

I usually write and finish a post and either post it then or put it on a timer for release the following day. I found that if I do "drafts" they never get finished. Other stuff gets in the way. So even if I'm working on a longish post I try to finish it -- or else it doesn't happen,
Sam

posted 3 months ago

I don't write blog posts in advance nor do I map out what I'm going to write, although I generally have two or three possible posts I'm mulling over.

I use the "Getting Things Done" system of folders. When I run across something that is blog worthy but I don't have time to write about, I put it in a folder for a day later in the week or further out in the future. I also make a note on it as to why it's blog worthy, because otherwise I'll forget why I found it interesting.

I also post "on the fly" whenever I come across anything interesting. For example, yesterday I posted about the VW "it's what the people want" campaign. That was something I found while eating lunch and reading the WSJ.

posted 3 months ago

Hi Michelle,

I have two blogs, one personal and one professional. My personal one, as you can imagine, I write on-the-fly. They are thoughts, tidbits, observations that, at the peak of emotion, are logged into my Blog.

As for my professional blog, I try to write at the end of each work week. I map out in my head what I've seen, heard and what our company has done, then, like my personal blog, I just write it. My only rule: no name calling or outting any clients and second rule is that I try to gut-check my posts with my co-founders.

Sometimes I post a draft, have a look and realize it's not real and that I'm writing for an audience instead of for myself. I know enough by now to pull it down if it's not sincere. I figure readers can smell a bogus post from a mile away.

Hope that helps.

posted 3 months ago

Hi Michelle,

Managing the process of writing posts varies from person to person;still, a blogger needs to prioritize its posts as per their criticality.

However, a few things should be kept in mind before writing posts:

Value for the readers

Controversy, Sensationalism, Big Claims and Rants should be avoided.

Transparency should always be maintained as readers are very intelligent

Sustainability & Consistency of your own views

Now, about how to manage posts, given ways can be followed :

If you own many blogs, you need to make a time frame of twice or thrice in a week to publish posts. It should be a disciplined activity unless and until something of truly critical nature appears.

If you write for a corporate blog, only the matters related to the company are posted, and here one needs to be punctual about its schedule, otherwise the story or post gets staled.

If I own blog for affiliate business, its posts should be planned in advance, and should be written meticulously.Here, one needs to be focused about its objective.

Further, I would like to say that a blogger should not indulge in frequent postings, which will eventually have a negative impacts on the readers' loyalty. And, such postings keeps away genuine and intelligent readers from the blog.

Links:

• http://www.outworxblog.blogspot.com/
• http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2006/06/w_why_blog_post_frequency_does.html

posted 3 months ago

My blog is specific to the stock market so maybe this doesn't apply to you but I usually don't plan out my posts - I just go with the flow of the market. When I do have an idea that is "not quite ready" I will put that in a new Word document and then save it (with a descriptive title) in a particular place with other such posts. Every so often I go back and review these partial posts to see if I have any thoughts on how to round them out. This has worked well for me.

posted 3 months ago

Michelle,

There are blogs and blogs. And if you take an unbiased, aseptic look at the blogosphere, it's not hard to see a lot many of them are scratching each others' backs. They feed each other and they form some kind of an online clique. So, the real question would be - do you join this clique and play by its rules? Or do you set your own rules and start printing (not reselling) the tickets to the game?

It works best if you sit down and plan what you want to say on your blog over the next month (slice that up into weeks, and days), figure out how you are going to say it (unfolding the story, or stories if you will), and make yourself a calendar. On the way, you can use news and events as pegs to anchor your point of view. While other blogs piggyback on news and events and often get distracted following up on the gossip, your blog will continue to dispense its point of view, without being distracted from your core purpose.

Trust me, it works. Shoot me if it doesn't. :)

posted 3 months ago

Hello Michelle.

I post every day and try to reflect developments that I've personally observed in the world or in the news pertaining to bird conservation, natural history, the environment, and general ecology. These tend to be written on the day of posting but not necessarily posted immediately following their being written (sometimes a few hours passes where I step away if I am not happy with what I have initially written). However I also write reviews, mostly of books on the above topics. These do tend to be written over a period of days, usually about a week, then posted.

Links:

• http://www.bornagainbirdwatcher.com

posted 3 months ago

Hi Michelle--

I've been blogging for just over three years about the happenings at Holiday World Theme Park. The HoliBlog's subhead is "a Walk in the Park" and I base posts on the funny and interesting goings-on behind the scenes. These are the same stories I would tell a travel writer during a tour of the park.

As a former broadcast journalist, I developed the handy habit of writing quickly in my head, so writing posts doesn't take long. That said, I figure if the story is worth telling, I need to take the time to tell it well. Althought I start and stop drafts in my head, I don't believe I've ever done that on virtual paper.

As the park gets closer to opening each spring, I try to post more often (nine times this week), even if it's just a quick note to watch our webcam to see one of the coasters being tested. The lengthy, photo-filled posts are balanced by the one-liners.

I guess my best advice is to be spontaneous (even thought that's not how I normally address my work--or life for that matter!). A college student emailed me that the HoliBlog is like a "letter from home." I try to keep that in mind when I let a few days pass without a post.

Hope this helps!
Paula Werne
Holiday World PR
http://www.holidayworld.com/holiblog/holiblog.html

Links:

• http://www.holidayworld.com/holiblog/holiblog.html

posted 3 months ago