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Today we continue my blogiversary celebration with a behind the scenes look at my style of blogging. I’m going to talk about post schedules, finding time to write, the blogs I read, commenting on blogs, and I’ll go over some of the tools I use.
Post Schedules
When I started Eden Journal a year ago, I stuck to a very strict schedule of posting two days per week, and always on Monday and Wednesday. At the time, all the gurus I came across recommended sticking to a posting schedule. In the beginning, this worked well for me. The schedule kept me on task, and imposed deadlines so I would make sure I made time for writing. I continued this schedule for about three months.
During that first three months, I was still getting a feel for blogging. I wanted to make sure it was something I would stick with, and I felt the schedule to be a necessary part of that. Also, the gurus said that the audience would prefer a set schedule.
After a busy holiday season and the beginning of a new job, I realized the strict posting schedule could easily get in the way of my home life. I had noticed this through the first few months, and I wasn’t willing to sacrifice the spontaneity of home life so that I could post to a set schedule. I also noticed that I wasn’t always inspired to write every time I sat down to compose for my scheduled posts.
I found that I could write better when I didn’t have the pressure of a deadline looming. In fact, I was just reminded of this fact when I had to get my contest post up on Sunday. I set that deadline, and I had to finalize some details on my mailing list, and then write a post with all the entry information and rules. My writing just doesn’t flow as easily when I’m constrained by a deadline.
So, in the early part of 2010, I gave up the post schedule. Instead I committed to myself that I would aim for two posts per week. This allows my post schedule to fit much better around my personal schedule. If we feel like going to the park or taking a bike ride one evening, then I’m free to do that and I can blog another day.
Finding Time to Write
In the early days of scheduled posts, I’d usually write posts anywhere from a week in advance to the same evening it was going live. Now, I usually write and then post that same day or the next day. I have allowed myself the freedom to post as many or as few posts as fits into my schedule in any given week. On weeks where I spend more time on a post, creating longer or more in depth posts, I’ll only do a single post.
I do most of my writing in the evening, right after I get home from work. Sometimes I do some writing on the weekends in the morning, before our family activities get started. And sometimes I write on Sunday evening as the weekend is winding down.
Some weeks it’s hard to make time to write, especially when the weather is nice. My family likes to spend a lot of time outside, and being in Florida, we have a lot of nice weather. Weekends are usually booked solid with trips to the beach, trips to Disney, trips to local parks and playgrounds, and a variety of other outdoor activities. Evenings can similarly be busy with long walks, playtime in the yard, and more recently long bike rides. Most times blog posting must fit within the times when we aren’t doing other things. My family and home life take priority over everything else. Occasionally we may postpone an evening activity to the next day so I can get a post finish up, but most times I try to work around my family activities.
The cutting room floor
I have a number of posts that have gotten started, but felt forced when I tried to get the words from my head to the computer screen. Some other posts started strong and then I ran out of gas. Usually when either of these situations occur, I simply let them sit. Then when the time is right I go back to them and look at them with a fresh set of eyes. Sometimes I put them back and let them sit longer. Other times I can write with a new or different perspective, and sometimes the time is right and the words finally begin to flow.
The Idea Machine
I have this fancy machine in my home office that looks like one of those old timey ticker tape machines. Every time I’m ready to write a post I push a button on the machine. Gears whirl, funny sounds come out, and then out pops an idea for a blog post. HAHA, if only that were the case.
I actually have several notebooks that I keep ideas and notes in. I keep one notebook at home by the computer, and I keep one in my backpack that I carry to work. The one in my backpack gets more use since I often think of things while driving to and from work, and sometimes while I’m at work. Everytime I have an idea I jot it down in my notebook. It could be an idea for a post, a change in my blog, an eBook idea, monetization ideas, or anything else that seems interesting.
I gather ideas from conversations, reading other blogs, reading Yahoo news, from the radio, and sometimes things just pop into my head. I have to write down these ideas or they will float away as quickly as they entered.
Then, when it’s time for me to write, I pick a topic. I’ll usually spend between 20 minutes and an hour on a typical post. One thing that is important when I write, is that it has to flow. What I mean by that is that it has to come easily. If the words aren’t flowing easily I usually set it aside and try a different topic. Once the topic is chosen, I write in a very stream of consciousness style. I don’t typically outline and I don’t typically start with a title. I usually just jump into writing and let my intuition guide me. I try to remain open and trust that the Universe, God, or my higher self will give me ready access to all the thoughts needed to craft a blog post.
The thing I find fascinating about this style of writing is that I often end up with a completely different topic than what I start with. It’s as if the topic morphs itself into something I am “meant” to write about and I’m just the fingers at the keyboard. I really like it when that happens, I get excited to see where the words are headed.
Ebook Reviews
Earlier this year I started reviewing eBooks. I noticed that many of the personal development bloggers were releasing ebooks. The problem I had when looking for good ebooks was the lack of reviews. These things are like print books where I can just head to Amazon to read the latest reviews. So, I decided to take on the task of reviewing these ebooks myself. Reading these eBooks is time consuming, but I enjoy the reading, and I like being able to offer my reviews.
The side benefit for me is that I’ve also been developing relationships with these authors. In a few cases I was able to receive prerelease copies to review. It’s always fun to get a copy of a book before it goes public. For a couple of these I was able to proof read the ebooks, thereby giving my contribution to some great products. It’s through these relationships that I am able to offer four ebooks to giveaway through my Blogiversary Ebook Contest. (Be sure to enter if you haven’t already!)
That wraps up our look at my style of writing. Do you have any questions about anything that goes on behind the scenes here? You can ask questions in the comments section. Be sure to come back tomorrow for Postapalooza, where we’ll take a look at my favorite posts on my blog, my favorite posts on other blogs, and I’ll give you a peek at the blogs I follow in my RSS reader.
This post was written by...
Eric Watermolen – who has written 187 posts on Eden Journal.
Eric is the founder of Eden Journal. He loves blogging about personal growth and desires to make a small difference in the world by providing a platform for bloggers to share ideas on a wide range of topics from personal development to spiritual and philosophical awakenings.
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