There are times when the tasks associated with running two blogs and consulting become quite demanding. I realized early on that if I wanted to be able to handle everything effectively, I was going to have to plan and create some type of schedule.
You'd be surprised how something so simple as planning can really save a lot of headaches and frustration. My worst bouts of writer's block happen when I'm not prepared and have no clue what to do. The Nothing takes over my mind and threatens to devour every creative thought I've got.
Google Calendar to the Rescue!
I publish a post just about every day of the week and sometimes on the weekends. To keep myself sane, I use Google Calendar to plan out which posts I want to publish on which days. I used to use a very simple table in MS Word, but I got the great idea to use Google's calendar function from Rod Kirby of The Success Center a while back. And I've been loving it ever since.
I use it to plan out my entire month ahead. I love it because it sends reminders that keep me on track even better.
Plan out your Month
Now, you might think, planning for an entire month ahead is an impossible feat - but let me clarify. I'm not saying that I've got a month's worth of posts written - what I have is a month's worth of tentative blog post titles and ideas. I might have a few posts written, but for the most part, I do my planning based on ideas, which is something anybody can do.
I find that when I at least have a topic and a few ideas, writing comes much easier. Just knowing what I need to write about ahead of time does wonders for warding off the dreaded writer's block.
Be Flexible
Of course, don't fall into trap of thinking that what you plan is set in stone. There are many times when instead of posting what I'd planned, I published a post on a trending topic that couldn't wait until a later date. Had I posted it later, it would've lost all of its freshness.
Leave Some Room for Guest Posts
Whatever schedule you decide on for yourself, whether it be daily, every other day, or weekly - be sure to leave some room for incoming guest posts. I know it's hard to predict when you'll receive them, but don't pack your schedule so tightly that you can't bend a little. This ties back into being flexible.
Create Some Series
It also helps to have some recurring series that you intend on returning to weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. This makes it so much easier to select topics for your blog by removing some of the mental strain that comes with writing.
Even if you don't create an official series, you can still have a general rotation of topics. Take cues from your chosen categories, and organize your posts based on that.
If it wasn't for this type of approach to blogging, I really don't believe I'd be able to keep up. There's just so much to do and so little time. Keeping an editorial calendar helps me stay out of the meltdown zone.
So, how do you organize your blogging schedule? Do you keep a calendar to help you stay on track?
Image Credit: flik
- Kiesha
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