Discipline and the Bloggers Opportunity

I'm so sorry I read this today. Here I've been patting myself on the back for getting out one post a week. And the reaction to last Friday's (http://bit.ly/3xC1bQ) was so good I actually DID think it earned me a hall pass.

But I bow to the master. You are right. As Woody Allen says, “Showing up is 90%.” Now off to write something for today. Damn!

Loved it – and the timing was perfect, as I've been trying to emphasize to the “powers that be” that blogging is serious work, needs predictibility and quality. I sent your post to them as 3rd party source back up to what I've been saying. So glad you blogged about that today!

Really great stuff, as always. I, like so many others, struggle with consistently posting. Blogging is new to me, and so many times I neglect finishing a post or dismissing it outright because, by the time I finish and read what I wrote, it either seems irrelevant or incomprehensible. I realize the only way to improve is to be diligent, which you have again inspired me to do.

Thanks

Great post Chris. It really comes down to what you want to achieve with your blog. If you're want to develop it into something valuable you have to treat it like it has value and give value to your readers. Being consistent is definitely a big part of that along with the other great points listed here.

I try to deliver value by sticking to a schedule, aka an editorial calendar. I even created a 17 minute video showing my readers How to Create an Editorial Calendar for their Blog – http://www.rodkirby.com/archives/1720

Great post again, sir!

I think you've got the right idea. Consistency is definitely the key to being successful in anything you're doing. Don't forget another key, which is quality. I would rather sacrifice consistency for quality. If you put out trash consistently, then you'll damage your brand.

Don't let that blog slip out of your fingers Ros! Get those drafts and turn them into great content!

First of all, Nicholas, happy Veterans day, thank you for all you do in the military! And second of all, I couldn't agree with you more, “If we want to win the struggle for success then it's vital that we have the self-discipline to keep doing the right thing.” Keep making it happen man!

Great tips. Today is actually my feed day – I'm visiting the blogs in my feed and commenting on many of them. I read some where ;) that I need to spend 12 times more of my time doing for others than for self.

I especially appreciate that you used the stewardship metaphor. I had not looked at my blogs in that manner before now and it will definitely make me more conscious of how I treat them.

Great advice.

“Show up” may well be the most important bit of it, as that seems to be the biggest hurdle for most. Show up and you're past 99% of people already.

I liked your point about blogging being about interaction. It is more than just posting and waiting/hoping for comments.

Rod, thank you for sharing this video, it was very helpful. It makes sense to write twice a week for posting 5 times/week.

Chris – these are great insights. Thank you for sharing. But what happens in this situation: You take your blog past its current level, beyond the next level, to some who new level (seriously). You find the result TRIPLES your traffic and participation, but in order to keep that there, you have to write less because what your audience is coming to you for takes three times the time and research to write. Is it okay to compromise frequency for quality?

I suspect “barely functional” days contributed dramatically to the popularity and dissemination of lolcats.

So much easier to post a cat pic than write something interesting. Oh, internets.

Excellent. This is valid advice whether you're blogging directly for ad income or to promote your services.

The point wasn't to write super fast. The point is to be consistent. I think as often as you can muster is the right pace, but just remember that people can wander. Remember, people want a mix. They want tapas *and* they want full meals. Make sense?

Chris,

Great post. It sounds really basic, but I think we often forget the most important part of blogging is delivering content that others can expand on and add too. That's the meat and the potatoes. :) That, and generosity to others online can go very far. Thanks for the reminders.

Rachel Kay

You get points for launching. Baby steps. : )

I'm mad at myself for not putting that tip in the post. I do that all the time. I put a few post-dated posts in there for safekeeping.

David, that is a pretty good guess on the cows. I'll buy that. I actually didn't connect that reference with the photo, but I think you're probably right.

Just one last question: Am I the cow or are my readers the cows???? :->

Thanks for modeling what it's all about, Chris! Passion is a beautiful thing, but there are days when it comes right down to the discipline. It's great to see the benefits of developing positive habits with blogging. I read an analogy of blogging as a marathon. Since I am training in my running toward that end, it helps me to view it that way.

I always try to be discipline on my work. I think as I am learning from blogging I am going to aware about more discipline.

There is no doubt that the effort takes discipline and real thought. Posting just to post is transparent and meaningless content just takes up space on the page. If you are really trying to make an impact and your INTENTION is to give something to the people spending their time on your blog; it pays off. Thanks for your good intention Chris.

For those that have mentioned “starting small”, you're on the right track. As a freelance writer, I thought I could knock out posts everyday with no problem. But I discovered that things quickly get in the way. Like LIFE.

Once I enrolled in graduate school, I knew I would have to back down. So I took a step back and got more serious about it. I went ahead and got a web host (was just using free wordpress site previously), and decided I would make 2 posts per week. That has fit into my life/school schedule quite well.

I'll probably up that per week number when I hit the holiday break, as I will have more time. As an added bonus, I find the days in between not writing provides me the time to read more (inside & outside my discipline) and to think about the posts I will write, so that my posts have been of higher quality.

So start small and make adjustments as your life/career changes.

Rod, your editorial schedule is excellent idea.

Thanks for this post. It was just what I needed to hear. I write for two blogs and I have found that I do great with one and the other kind of suffers. It is just a matter of discipline and I need to do better. You are the best – Thanks!