How I keep track of my blogging schedule
I am trying to keep alive the juggling act of writing three blogs simultaneously. I try to post a new article on each blog every day. I don’t always succeed but I’m getting better. Regular posting like this hopefully keeps the readers returning regularly and this repeat traffic is important.
Forward Planning:
Most of the time I plan my topics and posts well in advance. Many articles are also written days or even weeks ahead of when they are published on the web. This helps to even out the workload and allows for emergencies. Knowing that I have a new article coming on every day for the next three days, for example, eases the mind if something unexpected occurs.
Record Chart:
Keeping track of these posts and plans is the key to forward planning. I’ve devised a simple way that works for me. I have a chart drawn up in MSWord. This chart has four columns. The first column is for the date. The other three columns are for the three blogs I publish, one column for each blog. As I write each article, I type its title in a bold font next to the date it will be published. At a glance then I can see upcoming posts and when they will appear. I can also see dates with no upcoming posts and I can then work on writing articles for them.
Other ideas:
For ideas for posts I use two parts of the chart. Where there are spaces I type in ideas ahead of time. These are not in a bold font and act as prompts for future writing. For example, I might plan to write a series of writing hints and publish them every Monday over the next four weeks. So on the chart I type “writing hint” every Monday for four weeks.
Virtual scribbling Pad:
I also have a space under the chart that I use as a virtual scribbling pad. It used to be on a pad alongside my computer, but other things kept on being put on top. On this scribbling pad I jot down ideas for future posts. Some I use, some just sit there for another day, or week or month; some may never be used but they are there so I don’t forget my ideas. You never know when you might be scratching for an idea.
How to run a home based business
Many writers and bloggers are trying to turn a dream into a successful home based business. Working at home has many attractions, many benefits and can be very cost effective. There are, of course, many pitfalls too.
As far as I am concerned I’ve only been working at home on my writing and blogging for a little under three years. I’m not expert on the topic. My limited experience has shown up a few benefits.
Benefits of working at home:
- No commuting (this is a fuzzy one for me; all my working life I was never more than 10 minutes from work, 30 minutes if I rode a bike).
- You don’t have to dress up (and I will admit to writing while in my pyjamas; I couldn’t sleep is my excuse).
- You can work when you feel like it with no boss to check up on you (unless your wife/husband/partner/dog/goldfish give you a hard time when you are not working).
- You can eat and drink when you feel like it, not according to the company clock.
- You can go for a walk, feed the bird, water the garden and check the letter box anytime you want to.
Disadvantages of working at home:
- You need to be very self disciplined.
- You need to be very self motivated.
- It can be lonely sitting at the computer all day and night.
- It can be very scary trying to make a living from your writing or blogging when there is little or no money coming in.
- People get to know you are at home and will think nothing of phoning or calling in when you are trying to meet a deadline or the creative juices and ideas are flowing freely.
I am sure that with a little thought I could come up with many more advantages and disadvantages. I don’t need to because Tony D. Clark has an excellent blog called Success from the nest. It’s about working from home; he’s been doing it successfully for nearly 14 years so he must know a thing or two about how to make it all work.
Success from the nest has the added bonus of being illustrated by Tony’s own cartoons. Check them out.
Looking for Inspiration
Quote for today:
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
Jack London.
There was a time some years ago when I was frustrated with the small amount of writing I was producing. The desire was there, the passion was there, the skills were basically there (though they needed some honing) and sometimes even the time was available.
But the writing never came. Some might call it writer’s block. Some might call it procrastination. Some might call it fear. Whatever it is called, it can be devastating and crippling. Some may even say ‘I lack the inspiration to write.’
Waiting to be inspired in order to write is living in a fantasy land. And only writers and other artists allow themselves to suffer in this way. Can you imagine lying on the operating table and the surgeon says, “I don’t feel inspired enough to operate today.” I think you’d quickly find another doctor.
I find that when I don’t feel like writing is just the time I should get down and write. Anything. It doesn’t matter if it is garbage. Get writing and then an amazing thing often happens. The very act of writing often brings the inspiration. The act of putting down words on a paper or a screen gets those creative juices flowing. What you write may not be award winning stuff, but at least you are writing. The the process of writing stimulates thoughts, ideas, concepts and then you are away.
And if Inspiration should bless you with a visit one day, enjoy her presence and draw every ounce of energy from her while she is there. And if she fails to visit, go after her, pursue her relentlessly by putting down word after word after word until she becomes so curious she has to visit.
Setting priorities with your writing
Life can be frustrating at times.
- I am trying to maintain a regular, daily posting on my three blogs. In this I am largely succeeding but it does take quite an effort.
- I am also trying to check out lots of other blogs for ideas and help with the whole concept of blogging.
- I get heaps of e-mails every day and that takes time to deal with.
- I recently conducted a major review for a medium sized organisation and have just completed writing a lengthy report as a result of this review. The whole process was enough to make my head spin and my brain hurt with the sheer scale of data to analyse. It was self inflicted pain because I tried to cover too much ground when I formulated the questions.
- I need to be getting several short stories sent off to publishers.
- Ditto several dozen poems.
- Ditto two novels for children.
- Ditto several picture book texts for children.
Then there is the long list of writing ideas I have for stories, novels and other writing projects, not to mention a history book of our church for its centenary celebrations in about five years, something I haven’t even started thinking about.
Then yesterday my daughter asked me to write several articles for a family history book due to be published later in the year. Now this last writing project is relatively easy – she has given me a deadline, and there isn’t much time left to write them. So they will have a higher priority than other writing projects.
See – it’s all about setting priorities and having deadlines.
Some tasks naturally have higher priorities than others, so they get done sooner – or should. Deadlines have a habit of focusing the attention. Match procrastination with a deadline and the focus gets sharper still. Throw in a few suggestions of panic – and it’s amazing how focused one becomes and what one can achieve.