The 5-Step Plan For Consistent Blogging
If you have been following me for awhile, you probably know that I like to plan things. I like to be prepared and know what I'm getting into before I dive in.
Just like everyone else, however, I don't always have the time to be prepared. I try the best I can, but I can only accomplish so many things during the day.
I've read Dan Kennedy's No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs and I've also read Tim Ferriss' The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich, so I'm well-versed in the concept of time management and outsourcing. I love the idea of giving someone else responsibility to do those things I either don't want to do or don't have time for. I also love the idea of letting someone else handle things so I can "go with the flow".
But sometimes, outsourcing doesn't work out the way I'd like it to, and in order for me to be prepared, I have to take care of things on my own.
For instance, if I'm following along with someone, say my husband wants to check out a store he just heard about and I'm riding with him, I like it when he knows where he's going and how to get there. But like clockwork, after rushing out the door and getting in the car, I realize he neglected to look up the directions. It only took me a few times of this happening to know that this responsibility falls on me because he really isn't a planner.
While things don't always have to be perfect or be done perfectly–in fact, most things aren't–, we can still try to get them as good as we can without overdoing it.
Writing regularly will help you become a more consistent blogger, but it takes a little planning to be efficient. Being prepared helps us to not feel rushed at the last minute to get our blog posts scheduled. And we don't have to feel panicked when the words don't seem to come out right.
To help you become more efficient with your blogging, I've put together a 5-step plan for consistent blogging. This will not only help you blog consistently, but it will also help reduce your stress. Writing should be fun, not stressful!
Let's get started…
Step One: Develop an editorial calendar.
What topics do you want to cover for the next several months? What messages do you want to send? What do you want your readers to know? Plan out your topics and then follow the next step.
Step Two: Write out a workable outline for each post for the next month.
You can do this in your spare time while you're waiting on someone or when you're in the bathroom. Sitting in the bathroom with the door closed automatically makes you unapproachable (by most people), unless of course you've allowed interruptions in the past. Just don't tell anyone what you're doing in there. Otherwise they'll figure out you're not really doing anything important in their eyes and bother you whenever they need you. So much for your privacy!
Step Three: Don't let yourself get distracted.
Distractions are known killers of productivity and will keep you from achieving writing success. Avoid them as much as you can. Here are some tips on preventing distractions.
Step Four: Write every day.
Getting the habit down will help you write your blog posts. If you don't write consistently and make it a habit, it can feel like a chore, especially when you're having a bad writing day (don't worry – we all have them). The more you write, the easier it will get.
So, what do you write? Write on several topics based on your editorial calendar and outlines.
Step Five: Edit your blog post.
Editing your work is an important part of the writing process. It allows you to give more clarity in your post so that readers will be able to understand what you mean. Oftentimes, when we write the first draft, we're not as clear as we could be. So, editing your writing will help you provide more value to your readers. If you had good writing sessions, you'll be able to go in and edit your work with minimal effort.
Now that you have gone through the five steps for consistent blogging, you're ready to schedule your blog post. Keep up the good work!
What techniques have you tried in the past to keep up with your blog schedule?
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