How to Blog Almost Every Day

October 10, 2009 · Comments

Crowd at IzeaFest I put up a blog post (almost) every day, and sometimes, I put up more than one a day. On top of this, I write for clients, write for other projects, work on books, and other things. Some of you don’t have all these other writing commitments, but still want some ideas on getting more writing out the door. Here are some thoughts into my process that I hope will give you a framework for writing a blog post (almost) every day.

How to Blog Almost Every Day

  1. Read something new every day. Need a starting point? Try Alltop. (Hint: read something outside your particular circle to get new thoughts).
  2. Talk with people every day. I get many of my topic ideas from questions people pose to me, or through conversations.
  3. Write down titles and topic ideas in a notepad file. ( I’ve given you 100 blog topics and another 20 blog topics just to get started.)
  4. Maintain a healthy bookmarking and revisiting habit. I use Delicious.com
  5. Find 20-40 minutes in every day to sit still and type.
  6. Follow an easy framework. Here are 27 blogging secrets to start you on what I mean.
  7. Get the post up fast, not perfect. You can edit if you have to, later. Perfectionism kills good habits.
  8. Dissect other people’s posts to understand what makes them tick. The more you understand of HOW they write, the more you can take the best parts of it into how you write. (hint, my 27 blogging secrets post gives you my patterns.)
  9. Find useful and interesting pictures. I use Flickr photos licensed under Creative commons for most of my photos. This helps me sometimes get a great photo for a post I already have in mind, but it also gives me post material sometimes.
  10. Think about what your customers and prospects need. I write from the perspective of the communities I serve. Every post is aimed at something I believe will be helpful to my community in some form or another. This focus takes some weight off my worries about what I should write about or not. I write about what my community needs.
  11. Mix things up by sometimes blogging on paper first.
  12. Mix things up by writing guest posts for sites that aren’t like yours. This gives your mind new formats to think about. I did this recently as part of a project and I loved it.
  13. Mix things up by changing the lengths of your posts: some long, some brief. Learn what makes an impact how.
  14. Never worry about throwing up the occasional “best of” post, once you get enough material. Example: here’s My best advice about blogging.

It’s not easy, but once you develop the habits, they stick with you. I’m writing quite regularly now, but it took me several years to get my groove down to a science. Some days, it’s still thrown off. Busy schedules can get the best of us, no matter what. That said, try to keep some content “in the can,” so that you’re rarely at a loss to keep your audience happy.

What do you think? Any other ideas to add?

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  • If you can develop the mindset that writing a post every day is the single most important thing you have to do, then it comes naturally and it comes first, before email, tinkering with design, being on Twitter. That's my secret - I don't allow myself to do anything else until there's one in the can.
  • Mike is on it. This is the number one thing that helped me go from posting sporadically to posting regularly (I think I've missed 3 so far this year—not bad, considering my previous track record).

    I did something similar to Sazbean and created a recurring task in Things for each posting day of the week. It's enormously satisfying to check off that sucker.

    The other thing I did was to create some "features": Poetry Thursday, Referral Friday, etc. It's what old media does to organize content and it's a good practice to borrow from them. Again, like Sazbean, I mix it up (or miss one) occasionally, but give myself permission. No self-generated stress allowed!
  • Mike, I agree. I have a to do list item every day to post. If I know I'm not going to be able to post a certain day, I write an extra post beforehand, scheduled to go up.

    But, while I make it a priority ti post every day, I don't stress out if I happen to miss a post once in awhile. Sometimes something more important comes up - family, friends, whatever. :)
  • Great point, Mike. Glad you added it. Make it the most important thing. : )
  • Great tips - This one has been the most helpful for me - "Get the post up fast, not perfect. You can edit if you have to, later. Perfectionism kills good habits." I actually don't read posts before I publish them - or else I would never publish them, because I'm a perfectionist. Only after it's published and out there do I even read it to fix grammar, spelling, unclear thoughts.

    I think I need to try to "mix things up" more, too. :)
  • I watched you iterate on some posts the day before yesterday. Nice to see it in action. : )
  • We're in the same boat. I have so many "posts in progress". All victims of my perfectionism.
  • Sometimes I edit my posts 2 or 3 times! LOL...
  • Wait until we're all using Google Wave, and can see the editing in real time. That'll be... interesting.
  • When I shifted my mindset to seeing my own blogs as "paying myself first," it was amazing how quickly the posts started coming. You reap dividends as writer for making yourself write. Not every post is going to be earth-shattering. But then again, not every post you write for a client will be, either. Building a collection of smaller conversations will lead to the big ones - and you'll emerge with a growing sense of your voice, your audience and direction.

    Whether tweeting, updating your FB status, writing a blog or doing a client's monthly report - it's all practice and interrelated. I'm also an advocate of Stephen King's philosophy on writing/reading: if you're not reading, you really don't have any business writing!

    Great thoughts for a Saturday, Chris.
  • I love your mindset of "paying yourself first." Clever thinking there. : )
  • Batman
    Does tweeting 150 times a day count as writing? :)
  • Not to me, it doesn't, but then that's only because it's so temporary. It just rolls past.
  • Batman
    Well, Twitter is a microblog, therefore, all your tweets are still there, if you so desire, you should be able to parse them at your leisure.
  • <Twitter is a microblog

    I don't think it is, to be honest. Most blogs have a central theme around which content is developed. For me, twitter is just instant messaging with some nice features built in.
  • It's all about creating the habit. It took me a while too.. But find a fixed time during the day when you just sit down and write. Research and outline at some other moment.. Just write and write. And just as Chris says, don't be too perfectionist.. Write much more than you should, let yourself flow and then cut down and edit. That's working marvels for me lately!
  • I'm printing this list off and putting it above my desk. Great stuff Chris, as usual.
  • I have been wondering for a whole year how you did this! Now I can study, learn and post more often...thanks for these invaluable tips. I hope I can be more productive with all our company blog posts and client posts too!
  • Nice tips.

    Reading posts in other niche blogs to get a new perspective is interesting point. I'd add this:

    Read physical books more. From every book you read, you can create a minimum of 10 blog post ideas.

    Also staying away from computer will help a lot in coming up with blog post ideas.

    I think it would be better if you sit still for 20-40 minutes and write in a notebook instead of typing in computer. Or that's what works for me.

    Good post, Chris.

    Cheers,
    Ramkarthik
  • You're right. I read lots of books. Good addition. : )
  • Great stuff. Quick question: When you're looking for Creative Commons-licensed photos on Flickr, do you think it's necessary to only use those licensed for commercial use? I've done that for my blog just to be safe, but it really limits the results.
  • That's what I did. I did the ones that only required "by attribution." Seems the safest way to roll. No after-the-fact complaints.
  • Because I have Google Ads on my site, I also play it safe and limit myself to commercial use Flickr photos. It pay to be safe, I guess.
  • This isn't actually related to your post, and I apologize, but I do want to say thanks for the info on Thesis. I've been trying to figure out if I should switch and your info was valuable.
  • Thanks Chris, Great tips! Consistency in habit is key for blogging too I'm learning. Finding time to blog has been a challenge for me hence, letting my blog go for a few weeks. Not good!! Also, #7 was encouraging...I've posted often and not perfectly and have had to go back to edit and sometimes annoyed at myself for small errors too!!
    @duongsheahan
  • I'd also add:

    1) Be realistic. If you constantly struggle for something to write about, maybe you aren't supposed to have a blog. And that's okay.

    2) Not everything is going to be gold. Hopefully it's not all garbage, but more than anything, just write and get it out there. I see a lot of people take a "THIS will be the post that gets 400 sites linking to me - it's THE PERFECT BLOG POST IDEA."
  • Two great points, Brian. I think you're right. Not everyone's a blogger. Heck, there are some great photobloggers and great videobloggers who'd feel crushed to come up with words every day. Me? it's the opposite. I'd be crushed to come up with a video every day.
  • corinnemcelroy
    Hi Chris, Blogging is a whole new world for me.
    Your ideas and resource are great. Thank you
  • Glad you're here. : )
  • Great tips Chris. My problem, lifestyle and brand too is to live in the moment, and sometimes I can not publish a "canned post" if I don't feel like it. Or sometimes I am in the roll and write 3 a day, and can't just wait to get them out there and publish them at the same day.

    While I have been trying to be more tactical and save posts, I feel that I am still at my best when I get an idea and stop everything else until I have gotten it published.

    Also - I am the boss of my blog, and if I can not be a "successful" blogger because I don't post every day at 8 o'clock, then I won't, and I am fine with it. I much rather post good content in the terms I feel comfortable with than add "filler" posts just to get content up every day. Or this is how I have been feeling lately, but Chris you made me think with this post, and maybe there is a way for me to live in the moment, and write about things I am passionate about while having some sort of schedule :)
  • There are definitely many paths to the goal, and we might all have different goals. I love your drive to stop everything and get the post done. As I have several outside forces usually pulling my schedule in different directions, I can't do that often.

    I try not to make my content feel like "filler." For the most part, I'm writing what I hope is decent useful stuff. I'm just not shooting multiple posts out a day when I can bank a few for a rainy day. Make sense?
  • I'd also add, that sometimes people feel like they need to have 10-20 topics before they even start blogging. Just get started. It gets much easier as you get practice and as you find your grove and voice.

    Having an opinion on other posts in the industry (or outside), is also a great source for content.
  • I agree. Starting somewhere is much better than not starting.
  • cherissef
    Thanks Chris! This is helpful for someone starting out and trying to get into routine. Sometimes I can do it, sometimes I can't. The notebook idea with titles is great. Sometimes I struggle with if the information is useful enough and will anybody care anyways. That mindset causes writer's block.
  • In all honesty, you sound a bit boastful in this blog entry of yours. If you're trying to blog and create really quality original content, I don't think having a push on how many blog posts is necessary. A blog post every day doesn't mean you've created something high quality every day. Perhaps you and I are just trying to do two totally different things with our blogs. http://www.starbucksmelody.com
  • I don't really see where I was boasting. I mentioned my workload, and then I talked about how I got into the habit of being able to write daily. Sorry if it seemed like a brag.

    I also didn't discuss quality versus not. I just mentioned how one gets into the habit.

    Sorry we don't see eye to eye on this one. Enjoy your blogging. : )
  • If everybody waited for truly original content to write anything, the Internet would be a really boring place. I think Chris' point is that you aren't going to create "quality" every day. But the quantity isn't about creating a ton of content - it's working at it and getting better. I could be wrong though.

    Chris - I'm impressed not only by the quality and quantity of your content, but of your level of interaction. You are a true model for all of us.
  • Chris I think Blogging is Boasting most of the Time Anyway.If you are not Bragging a little you won't Impress your Readers.
  • Thanks for writing this post. I try to write once a day, but I've seen how easy a routine/schedule can get thrown off. The answer for me is to scale back all the things I could be doing and find the time to do something meaningful. For me, blogging is that investment.

    You are doing a great job. Keep it up!
  • These are all really good, I've added them to my existing list of techniques (there is a some overlap, which makes me feel I'm on the right path).

    Fortunately, I'm now in the habit of writing every day, and have dozens of draft posts to choose from.
  • Two more ideas:

    1. If you're really inspired, write several posts and schedule some of them for future publication.

    2. Take a shower every day. Seriously, sometimes you can get excellent ideas when you're taking a break from work. Now I just need a waterproof pad and paper (your idea number 3).
  • This applies to #2. About a year ago I quit listening to the radio in the car. And I am always amazed how my mind starts to really focus on things that I don't otherwise think about while doing other things. But I think that's it, I'm doing other things. In the car, not so much.

    And it doesn't need to be waterproof, but I always have to keep my pad of paper ready. I used to use Jott.com before they started charging... actually, now that I say that, I should go back and investigate if it's worth paying. Calling is less accident prone.
  • I do love your ideas, and #2 is doubly useful. : )
  • One of the most productive tools I've used for coming up with blog posts (and tweets) is Google Alerts. I've got Google Alerts set up for the main topics I write about (mathematics, technology, education, and productivity) and they come up with stuff sometimes that I'd never run across if I were surfing the news manually -- particularly news items from non-US sources which, for bloggers, is good both because those items are interesting to US readers and because they draw in non-US readers too.
  • Really great point, Robert. I heard that KD Paine does that too. Very clever.
  • marieforleo
    Incredible post Chris!! Thank you for the reminder about getting it perfect (and that you can edit later.) Also for the reminder about how valuable "list" posts are. These are often very easy for me to write. I forget that what comes easy to me is also hugely valuable for my peeps ;) Fantastic stuff!
  • Spot on, as always, Chris. I'll have at least four of my classes blogging again next semester. This post will be a must-read for them. I've already added it to my Delicious bookmarks.

    Also, do you have a recorded (either audio or video) on getting started in blogging that might be helpful for college students?

    Thanks for your consistent contributions,

    Barbara Nixon
  • Chris, I write a daily blog about San Diego real estate. When I first started almost a year ago it was hard to write something everyday, now I find it hard not do post more than one a day. So much is going on in the world of real estate, technology, learning social media, and San Diego it's exciting.

    One tool that I use to keep tract of possible subjects is Omni Focus. When I come across an interesting blog post or new article I capture the link and save it to my blog folder. This has been a great help when I need a subject to write about and I can have Omni focus remind me of time sensitive material.

    Another tool that I have just started using is Instapaper. Being in real estate is quite busy but many times I have pockets of time while waiting for a termite inspector or appraiser. With my iPhone I can easily read content that I have saved from my laptop earlier to inspire future posts - really a nice time saver and much easier than using the mobile browser.

    Blogging is hard work, but also very satisfying to see that your content is read months later as someone is searching for an obscure post on Google.

    One another note, thanks for writing Trust Agents, I really enjoyed the book and I'm doing my best to use the suggestions - a very good read for anyone learning about building a site with authority.
  • You're welcome, and thanks for the thoughts about Omni Focus and Instapaper. I use Evernote a bit for that.
  • Thanks alot Chris - This will go along way with helping me to write everyday -
  • Here are some of my blogging habits that help me find fresh ideas for posts: popurls.com is a nice aggregator of new web content. I also like to check Google.com/trends for the top web searches of the day. (Gives me ideas of what's buzzing at the moment). I love to check the Google news page for my blog tops as well as using Google alerts as above poster noted.

    I love to carry my small digital camera around with me so I can snap a quick picture of anything that catches my eye out in the world. I can also Twitter from my cell phone and have a Twitter feed on my blog, so that helps add fresh content when I am on the go and it's harder to do a full blog post.

    Also, I advise don't stress over creating a post every day. It's fine to post every 1 to 3 days in general. Just keep the blog fresh and interesting. Keep your audience in mind - I like to have a fictional audience in my mind for each blog and pretend I am talking to that person when I post. Personal blog audience is my mom! Crohn's Disease blog audience is someone just diagnosed and wanting advice. Sci Fi blog audience is my friends who are Sci Fi fans.

    Remember - blog posts can be short. I comepletely agree that perfectionism is the enemy of good habit forming. Do not fear mistakes - just point yourself in a direction and keep going!
  • I'm all about the small camera. I had a Canon Powershot I used and loved until I accidentally left it in my pants in the wash. So I thought I would upgrade to a Sanyo Xacti. It's a better video camera, but the net result is MUCH less video AND pictures. I need another Powershot.

    Thanks for reminding me to look into that again.
  • Great post. Definitely will bookmark this. I love to write, so the ideas of what to write are not limited.
    Maybe I think too much of what I want to write(while I'm busy with a million things to do) & when I do sit down to write late at night, it becomes a long post 1-2 x per week.
    What are your thoughts about writing 1x per day shorter posts. Or 1-2 times per week longer posts?
  • Chris

    Blogging every day used to be something that was a challenge and finding time was never easy. I was trying to be the perfectionist - having the best post everyday. Now, I do write M-F and sometimes on a weekend and skim it before I post. I also keep little notepads around and jot topics and ideas down as they come to me. I have lots of little papers.

    I seem to be have found blogging creativity and focus comes after 11pm. I have tried to get the post written and up earlier but I generally fall into the late nite. Unless I am literally falling asleep at the laptop, I write the post.
  • Lots of my posts are written after 1AM. : )
  • Wall street rich guy
    You forgot the part about not having a job
  • My problem is not a lack of ideas; got plenty of those! My problem is that I have 3 different blogs, and while one is multi-author (giving me some slacker leeway) the other 2 are mine, all mine. It is hard to post as frequently as I'd like to all 3.

    The other issue is that I am first and foremost a writer. I will not post weak, crappy, full-of-grammatical-mistakes material just to be "fast," because those errors detract from my reputation as a writer. That reputation matters to me. I edit the hell out of my stuff and will continue to do so, because better work (posted perhaps less frequently, but so be it) is more important to me than speed.

    Make no mistake - when I gotta crank it out fast, I can do it, but how often is there really doggone "breaking news" in travel or social media that requires me to drop everything and go to town on the keyboard?

    Remember this: "There never seems to be time to do it right the first time, but there always seems to be time to do it over."

    My data point - when I look back at things I've written months or years ago, I rarely wince and go back in to edit. Sure, maybe as an early blogger I screwed up the photo placement or something, but the words are usually fine, because I edited carefully before I posted. It works for me.

    One thing I HAVE learned how to do in travel blogging is to use a great photo, with just a little commentary, as a complete post. That does speed things up. I've also learned to zoom in on small things and make them a quick post, i.e., rather than a "Tips for Seeing Florence, Italy" post, I focus in small, and instead produce a "My Favorite Gelato Place in Florence" with a luscious photo of the limon gelato.

    By the way, I edited this comment numerous times before I posted it. :)
  • By all means, it's definitely a race with many different paths. I don't think everyone has to just put it up. However, judging by the comments, several people get stuck in editing loops, so I am essentially saying, "go free" to those folks. Make sense?
  • Sure, got it, thanks (and I do let the perfectionism problem bite me more than I should!)
  • Cynthia M
    I am really enjoying reading your articles. I saw you at Izeafest. I am a newbie (Is it really a blog if no one is following? haha) Went because my friend has a Mommy blog. I loved what I felt was your balance...this is still about people and relationships - take a deep breath and stop the madness. Thanks again for sharing your insight.
  • teamnirvana
    This is a comprehensive list which would help me in the days to come when I am stuck at some point. At times I do feel void in my mind on what to write. This would surely help me in thinking about one topic or the other from which I need to make a valid post.
  • Great post Chris,
    One of the things I tried to do as new blogger was to write a post every day. I started out writing three posts everyday for a month, then it moved to at least one post a day. When I found a great topic, I would perhaps write two or three.
    Since that starting point I have found that it does get difficult to keep up the posting every day, but for me, it seems to be worth it.
    I see a pastern that if I miss out on that schedule, then my traffic also suffers.
    Now it has become a habit. In fact, I actually feel down, well off of sorts, it I don't post for that day. Kind of feel that it's my duty and my readers are missing out, that I am doing them a dis-service.
  • Straightforward advice on how to keep blogging.
  • Kathy Nygaard
    As a new blogger, I hessitate in getting my blogs published. Perfectionistic tendencies are killing me. I can be my worst critic. Your advice is very encouraging and helpful. Good blogging habits seem to be essential to successful blogging.
  • seung choi
    Thank you so much for your good information. I am so encouraged. I have just started my blog with wordpress.com and tumblr.com. I will try to write on what I want to write on those blogs. Thank you again.
  • ahockley
    I'd seen many of these ideas before but a few are new. One other source for material is to blog about something that seems overly simple. Maybe it's one of the fundamental things in your field, or something that seems like it might be "common sense" - even though it might seem simple to you, there are probably people who could use a good explanation.
  • Pretty much everything I espouse is common sense, only it's done in different orders. Make sense?
  • fransevern
    As one just entering the field of blogging and social media, I am very intimidated and overwhelmed by the jargon, the applications, the sheer size and scope of it all! But this is the future and this is *my* future as a writer and communicator. Thanks, Chris, for laying it out in a manner that lets me think that I can do this.
  • Just type, Fran. The rest is window dressing. : )
  • Thanks, Chris for the fabulous info. I think my problem as of late has not been lack of ideas or creativity. It's been inability to write bc of stress and being overwhelmed after years of John's two different cancer's, a bone marrow transplant, and many other treatments, including 100+ blood transfusions, rounds and rounds of chemo, and other treatments too numerous to mention. Than there were the 100+ times he could have died, and more complications than I can remember, which do continue to this day, but not to as great an extent. I did find out the other day that I am experience PTSD bc of the experiences. I am very angry at myself at present that I have not been able to blog for over a month now. I just think about writing, sometimes even try for 15 minutes, then give up. Part of my problem when I do want to post is I want the post to be perfect, and if it's not I scrap it. I should just post anyway. I have probably given out too much information, but am wondering if there are any bloggers who have any info for someone stuck like me, someone with lots of ideas, but someone who just feels too overwhelmed and doesn't know where to begin... This makes me angry, but not totally, as I don't truly get angry, LOL...
  • Sometimes, you get permission NOT to blog. I'd say that all you're going through grants you that permission, Krissy. : )
  • Thanks so much, Chris. Your opinion means the world to me, bc you're a blogger I respect. :)
  • markharmel
    My easiest posts are one that play off something in the news. The Nobel Prize in Physics rewarded an invention to digital photography. The quick post was about my start in digital. Because it was breaking new I wanted to get it up fast instead of making the perfect post.
  • Insightful, purgent, practical and real. Great stuff from the guru. More grease to your elbow. Permit me to share this on my blog.
  • Interesting
  • Thanks for this blog. I have been blogging for about a year and I struggle to do it every day as I usually think my issue is a subject. But you are correct, if I would just make a note of ideas as I have them or as my clients as questions, or as an audience asks questions during a presentation I would have plenty of subjects.
  • Thanks Chris - Love number 7. I've got a ton of posts that are 80% complete and queued up. I guess I get need to hit [publish] and get them out there.
  • Like Seafarer, I'd rather spend time thinking through a post than slapping it up there, even if it means posting less often. It's in the editing that I figure out what really needs to be said. So for me, I'm calling these tips How to Blog (Consistently) Once a Week. And I especially appreciate the reminder (#1) to read outside the usual suspects. Thanks!
  • Jez
    This is a great article, thanks. I've just discovered your blog and I love the way you take your own advice in every post — it's so much easier to absorb the advice when there are examples of it right before my eyes.

    Keep up the good work!
  • That's my favorite thing to do, Jez: model the behavior I point out. : )
  • I am still learning (with the help of Mike CJ) and there are some great ideas here as well. I am just trying to decide on a posting schedule for mine at the moment, it was going to be Wednesday and Saturday, but I am wondering now whether to include a third day for a shorter posting. Not decided yet, but still loads to read up on.
  • Coming from an editorial background, #7 is definitely the most liberating lesson I've learned. Great list, Chris. Much appreciated, as always.
  • readerviews
    What a delight to find you!! I know what I'll be doing tonight.
  • Editing-itis is probably the thing that slows me down the most. Keeping the daily momentum is probably the most important thing, but it sure seems to be the biggest challenge too.
  • Your post came right into time that i was thinking " How will I find time to write my next blog post?".Great timing!
  • Also try reading http://www.paper.io - its brand new and you can own some topics too
  • Thanks, Chris. Great post with lots of practical tips to boost creativity and develop the habit of writing daily.
  • alexisjameson
    Good post and commentary. I think Realtors internet marketing is great but people
    are getting way to caught up with it and think that if you
    are great at blogging and marketing…the $$ just rolls in.
  • Whoa! Number 7 punched me in the face! Guilty as charged. These are some awesome tips, Chris. Many thanks.
  • You left out Blog Responses. I've barely gotten started, this should work: subscribe to the rss of blogs that frequently post entries you would write about (keep the on your iGoogle page or something) and write a response (some comments on this blog could be posts!) The benefits will be three-fold: (1) you'll keep up with the latest and greatest within your subject, (2) you may attract attention of bigger bloggers who appreciate the trackback and get yourself a link or two, and (3) You'll appear in Technorati under every blogger you trackback and may incite an online argument.
  • That's certainly another way to get it done. Thanks!
  • The post-date facility in Wordpress is your friend! When you're 'in the zone', write several blog posts and date each for some time in the future. I try to keep up to a month's posts already written ahead of time. That way, if I can't write every day (busy, away, not in the mood), there's always something ready to fill the spot.

    Also, I use a 'to do' list (Toodledo.com) where I copy in URLs from Tweets, RSS feeds, Google Alerts etc. that I haven't got time to read thoroughly when I receive them. When I'm ready to write, I go to my list to see if any will spark a blog post.
  • I can't agree more.
  • Great thoughts. I've found that other projects I have including answering email questions and writing assessments get some blog posts started. I take that content if I think others might be interested, format and expand based on fit, and there you go.
  • I came across this post last week that has a few related tips on how to blog faster, an essential skill if you're trying to post daily.
    http://www.productivecatholic.com/blog/write-a-...
  • I'd have to agree with some of the others and say scheduling multiple posts is a great way to maintain momentum. Especially in cases where you're doing multiple-part posts or weekly themes. There's something to be said about the sense of productivity you get from having posts appear "as if like magic" all on their own. Lends a lot to consistency.
  • I find the first 2 and #10 are critical to producing any kind of useful stuff at least for me.

    I would add to your list to experiment with apps like Posterous for brief stuff, it's very quick. You can post stuff from email or with the bookmarklet and it also works great as notepad. Also useful if you want to dissect someone's or one of your own posts and reduce it to it's essence.

    What do you think of Posterous Chris?
  • Posterous is great. Very lightweight, but does the job.
  • bill_free
    Great post, Chris. Will use as motivation to stop procrastinating and get my blog up (using Thesis on your rec, btw). Also wise counsel on curbing perfectionism. I will try to take it to heart.
  • Chris, you always give indispensable information where ideas can grow and flow through into our lives. Thankyou
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