As you can probably tell from the title, this post is about blogging. Rache’s Platform Building Writer Campaign is an awesome slice of fantastic cake. No, seriously, I mean it. I’ve met so many great people I now get to chat with regularly, found a heap of great blogs I try to visit (and need to get better at commenting on). To top that off – it’s forced me to actually write something and put it out there for the world to see instead of pretending my corgis like it when I read to them.
One of the things I’m learning from this campaign is that blogging is an art. A fine one at that. People have specific days they post on, topics they cover on those days. So, I thought to myself, I did. No really, I do occasionally think despite the fact that it hurts. This is why writing is a passion for me. Couldn’t put up with the pain of brain activity if it wasn’t.
But I digress.
I’ve been thinking about making a schedule myself. There are some things I like to write about, and I’m pretty sure I can exercise my noggin and stick to a planned schedule, at least if there aren’t too many squirrels hanging around.
Mondays: My weekends. This won’t always be about writing. It can be about anything. The RenFaire in KC I’m going to this weekend, my friend’s party, my corgis, my absolutely fantastically awesome husband – just to name a few potential topics
Wednesdays: My writer’s process, blogging, where I am in my WIP status as far as drafts and querying goes etc. Anything I can come up with that could conceivably make someone laugh/be of interest to anyone that doesn’t have four stubby legs and a tail.
Fridays: I have a face to face critique group on Thursdays. So this would probably include some amazing light bulb that’s gone off in my head when critiquing, something about my own WIP, something about other’s processes and perhaps an occasional interview or something or other…
I have no idea if I’ll be able to keep this up, but I really want to try. I’ll also allow myself the opportunity to do twitter posts and some miscellaneous vague ranting, but hopefully at least the latter will be in the minority.
So – what do you think? Do you think I’m being unreasonable, overstretching myself? How do you handle your blogging tendencies?
I think you need to do what works for you, and this sounds like it could. I know lots of people have regular posts like this and they like it because it gives them a solid framework. I wish it work for me, I ought to be more organised. Sadly, I never seem to know until I come to write, just what I’m going to write about 🙂
Thanks. I’m hoping it’ll be easier and I can work on them when I have time but in time for when I’d like to post them – if that makes sense.
Yeah – sometimes – the inspiration just needs to hit lol
Sounds like a great schedule! You’ll never know how it works until you try, so good luck! I look forward to reading more blogs.
Thank you 😀 Reading and writing blogs is becoming an integral part of my daily routine 😀
There’s nothing unreasonable at all about your schedule. From what it looks like, you’ll have plenty of material to post about on the days you post, and that’s what will matter. Blogging about something you like, about something you feel passion for and letting us, your followers, enjoy the ride with you 🙂
That’s kind of what I was thinking. This is great 😀 It’s just so much better to run it past other people and see what they think. I hope I won’t bore you all to death
sounds great to me. I say try it and see how it goes.
I tried a schedule once… it worked for like a day, or two, ha! now, I just blog whenever I have something to say, sometimes it’s daily, sometimes.. I’m silent for long stretches.
I do like your idea of having one day that could be about anything.. hmmmmm… I like that, I try to keep my blog to writing related.. but, sometimes, I do have other things I want to say.. hey, I just might steal your idea 🙂
You may take it and use it 😀 I’m just trying to start a schedule. Maybe I’ll end up finding 2 days a week works better for me, but for now I do think I’ll try this. And I think that sometimes it’s nice to know the person’s blog you’re reading isn’t just two dimensional – that they have more interests than just writing. The more fleshed out the person is, the better they can adapt their experiences to writing…
But see, I even digress in comments lol
I do love getting to know more about my favorite bloggers besides just their writing.. I used to have a mommy blog, and that was really fun, I gave it up to focus on writing but I do miss that other side… maybe I will try adding a day that is non-writing related. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Anytime – and I will get that questionnaire filled out AND try to think of something else just in case 😀 If that’s still ok
absolutely, whenever you get it done is fine 🙂
I used to just blog when things came to me, and… things never came to me. Now I have a schedule: Custom Pony of the Week on Sundays, Music Mondays when I feel like it (which isn’t every week, but that’s ok), Getting to Know You Tuesday which is basically a grab bag of things that I like, and Fie Eoin Friday. I’m supposed to post on a group writing blog on Thursdays, but since no one else seems to I stopped as well. SO yeah, not the normal MWF schedule, but it works for me 🙂 And it’s helped with traffic to my blog, now that people know to stop by on certain days for certain things (Sunday is my busiest day!).
I love your Sunday blogs! I can see why they’re your top hit. I love your getting to know you idea too.
Oh Group blog? My crit group and I were thinking of doing a group blog. One post each per week… but I meet them every week for crit group so I can bop them over the head lol
Good plan! I find I run out of stuff to say so I try to just post something, anything, every few days. I’m not as organized as you! I look forward to reading!
Thank you – I’m not usually this organized either, but I’m going to try to be lol
That would be a lot for me. I attempt to blog once a week (at this blog, another neglected blog, and a web-serial) and it about kills me. And the web-serial is already written. All I have to do is copy paste and click post. But maybe that’s my issue. If you can keep that schedule then that’s all that matters. Also, it might help if you write up some OMG-I’m-too-busy-to-post posts in advance (maybe your Wednesday posts) that way you can give yourself a break once in awhile.
Ah, but that’s three things for you (even if the web-serial is pre-done) Yeah, I thought if I made a schedule, it might help me stick to it… emphasis on might 😉
I do like the idea that I should write some up in advance. For example, I’m starting on tomorrow’s post as I get a few minutes here and there – today 😀
Best thing I ever did for my blogging (other than join Rach’s campaign) is create a schedule. I only commit to Wednesday and Friday, but usually add in something on other days. I think your schedule sounds very doable.
You are absolutely right, blogging is an art! It takes a while to get the swing of it and I still haven’t gotten down a good schedule LOL!!
Well I hope I get a good schedule going. So far I’ve made posts 3 times in a row! I feel marginally accomplished
You asked “How do you handle your blogging tendencies?” Heh heh. Um, with beverages? I used to blog when the spirit hit, then had a period of weeks earlier this year where I was blog silent. Then I decided to have a M-W-F schedule. Yeah, Mondays usually hit. Wednesdays were non-existant and Fridays turned into weekend posts. I need to get it nailed back down for consistency for myself and readers. Kudos to you for doing that already. 🙂
Thank you! I think we work best with what we work best with – if that makes sense
Originally I was going to blog whenever inspiration hit – but just like I’ve recently found with my writing, I work far better with structure lol