I try to write something every day. Some days this is impossible. I have times where writing comes easy. And sometimes writing is difficult. Yesterday, I noted that you need to post something everyday but you also need to be able to do that without being a fool. Here are 10 suggestions to help you post something every day even when you cannot necessarily write something every day.
- Take advantage of good writing days. When you have a day where your typewriter cannot seem to keep up with your massive brain and awesome writing powers don’t stop the flow. Keep writing and save those posts for a later date. Currently I have something in my queue for the next week.
- Read and quote. Read good books, find a few lengthy quotes, introduce the quote, publish. Rinse and repeat.
- Write a book review. I tend to post my book reviews on Friday because those are lower traffic days for my writing genre. But book reviews are those articles that always get traffic. Once you finish book write a quick review.
- Link. Aaron Armstrong and Trevin Wax are geniuses when it comes to using Twitter to get traffic to their blog. They will post one article with 4-5 links and then throughout the day direct people back to their blog to check out those other articles. I’m working on copying their wisdom here.
- Have a schedule. I try to write some sort of “Ministry Musing” on Monday. Something interacting with John Newton on Tuesday. A lengthy series like Proverbs for Christian Blogging on Thursday’s and Saturday’s. People You Should Know on Wednesday’s, Book Reviews on Fridays. Archives on Sunday. And then I fill in the gaps with other things. But these are anchors that I can work on whenever I have writer’s block and have several things queued up.
- Break up posts. Nobody likes to read lengthy articles anyways. If you have an article that is longer than 800-1400 words why not break it up, try to lengthen it a little, and make a series out of it? But don’t post them all the same day. Keep your readers waiting a little. I could have easily made this a 10 day series. (Part of me wants to give you the other 4 tomorrow but that would be just mean).
- Keep a journal of writing ideas. I have a little blue book filled with quick reference ideas. That way whenever I get stuck and I do not have much in the queue I can consult this and try to write through an idea I had in the past.
- Try to Write Everyday. Sometimes you simply need to sit down at the computer and just start typing away. If it stinks keep the draft, you may be able to make it salvageable some day. Your queue will dry up quickly. So write every day that you are able. And even on most days when you are not able.
- Archive. If you have been blogging for awhile you pull things out of the archive. You may want to update them a little to make them more relevant or to reflect your growing writing skills but you hopefully have a decent amount of quality stuff that your newer readers will have never read.
- When in Doubt Make a List. People like lists. They are easy to read quickly and somewhat easy to write. Get an idea and try to make a list. If you are really strapped you could turn a list like this into 10 days worth of writing.
Great tips, Mike!
Thank you.
I like number 7 a lot. If you practice journal writing over a period of years, you can see some interesting insights into your own understandings of ideas and themes important to you.
My own special ‘muse’ is the Psalms . . . very fertile ground for contemplation and responsive writing. Also, there are pieces of music that can evoke a response in us that is often unexpected . . . and often spot on.
The ‘quotes’? Best to think about them for a while, and return to them a few times before responding with your own thoughts . . . at least this is something I have learned for myself. It has something to do with allowing the ‘quote’ to be digested a bit into how you connect it up with things in your own life that make it more meaningful to you . . . then, your response is more reflective of who you are.
The best time to write? Very personal, I think.
For me: early morning before the household awakes . . . coffee, candles, scriptures, the vigil psalms and prayers, contemplation, thanksgiving . . . in the silence.
Yes some great tips here for writing in general. BUt can I add one. Not to be the party pooper, or any kind of pooper for that matter, but #11. Have Something To Say! YOu can certainly write when yu have nothing to say in order to help your writing discipline. But when you publish and/or post. Have something to say. Please? If people visit your blog on a day when you wrote more than you had to say, tey may not come back. Trust me on this one. I’m a not a blogger but I played one on TV.
LOL. Absolutely. I actually wrote this after writing this article http://www.mikeleake.net/2012/05/proverbs-for-christian-blogging-how-to_21.html
Not every article will be a home run but we ought to do our best to always post quality stuff.
When I wanted to be a novelist, one of the pieces of advice by established authors was this: write something everyday. And the same could be said of blogging. Blog something everyday, taking care to maintain good sense and purpose of doing it for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I really like 5 and 8. I am learning of the need to write even when I feel like I have nothing to write about. I also am wanting to start a weekly schedule in my posts. I feel like I have already learned quite a bit just by writing the blog for the past few weeks.