How to Blog Almost Every Day

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

Intersting

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!

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!

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.

What a delight to find you!! I know what I'll be doing tonight.

Your post came right into time that i was thinking ” How will I find time to write my next blog post?”.Great timing!

Thanks, Chris. Great post with lots of practical tips to boost creativity and develop the habit of writing daily.

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.

We're in the same boat. I have so many “posts in progress”. All victims of my perfectionism.

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.

That's my favorite thing to do, Jez: model the behavior I point out. : )

Sometimes, you get permission NOT to blog. I'd say that all you're going through grants you that permission, Krissy. : )

Pretty much everything I espouse is common sense, only it's done in different orders. Make sense?

Lots of my posts are written after 1AM. : )

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'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.