Beauty And The Blog Beast

On By MarquessaIn On Writing

Having a blogging or posting schedule is both a beauty and a beast.

As part of my 52/52, I planned to take one day each month to map out a blog schedule for four weeks at a time in order to better organize my fiction writing time. It’s worked out really, really well.

With my decision to post previously published posts (with edits and updated gifs) and sticking to my weekly features that focus on “less words”, I’ve managed to plan further than four weeks and even have a number of rough drafts saved that I can easily revisit and finalize (the reason why some of the links on my 52/52 page appear but are not yet functional).

The beauty of having a blogging/writing schedule is that it takes the guess work out of what to write and when to post. You can sit down, look at your schedule and simply write towards it.

It’s also helped me realize that I want to “simplify” so I will no longer be posting:

  • #SuperSoulSundays (Twitter trend) after March 2017;
  • #MusicMondays (Twitter trend) after May 2017; and
  •  more than one post per day after March 2017 (unless I really, really feel it’s exceptional).

My writing is already deeply rooted in music so I don’t need to share what is inspiring me in stand-alone posts. And posting more than once a day in order to participate in certain Twitter trends is time consuming.

But there is also a beast of a problem when it comes to a having a schedule, that is, if you are an “endless editor” like me.

When I’m “blogged up” in advance, I often find myself re-editing posts that are already “scheduled”. While waiting in a check-out line or waiting for an appointment, there I am, “tweaking” a scheduled post that I should not be touching again. I’m working on breaking that habit.

If I had to offer blogging advice, I would definitely encourage you to:

  • have a blogging schedule; but
  • not to plan far too advance.

If you participate in the WordPress daily writing prompts, my advice will not work for you.

But if your blog posts are “planable”, you can save lots of time and energy by jotting your ideas down on a calendar, drafting posts towards them, all the while leaving you the flexibility and spontaneity to post about current events, if you like.

Do you have a blogging schedule? How far in advance do you plan? Do you stick to your schedule?

All Rights Reserved ©2017 Marquessa Matthews.

Disclaimer: I have no copyrights to the song and/or video and/or hyperlinks to songs and/or videos and/or gifs above. No copyright infringement intended.

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24 thoughts on “Beauty And The Blog Beast”

  2. I’ve been better in 2017, but only a few days ahead of myself in terms of writing. I do a long post on Monday that I write on the weekend m, a poem on Wednesday that I was four weeks ahead of myself with at one point but sadly no more and Friday I participate in a blogging ‘event’ run by a fellow blogger, which involves a short post and a doodle. Harder to plan for that and She usually posts the prompt on Wednesday so I have two days. Definitely getting more traffic since I started sticking to a schedule but hats off to you posting everyday- three a week is challenging enough for me…

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  3. I want to do this so bad! Lol I’ve been dreaming of setting up posts ahead of time, I just haven’t been able to pin down a day to dedicate to even start on it. Maybe once I’ve finished with the deadlines I already have *fingers crossed*

    Great post & very good ideas! Can’t wait to put them into practice. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. I dont have a plan but I would love to have one. But I do draft a post and let it simmer for a while before actually posting it – so that i can edit it over and over again. Very rarely do I not have anything to change.

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  5. I was planning two weeks ahead until the beginning of this year. I’ve started planning a month in advance for blogging, and even have organized events on the calendar through summer.

    Let’s see how long this lasts, shall we? 😏😏😏

    Good luck to you – SUPPRESS your inner editor, or give her a cocktail. It’s Happy Hour time ‘somewhere’ – 😝

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      1. mandibelle16

        I’m planned for what date I’ll be out of the house doing errands, appts, seeing friends etc. And I make a list a couple times a week of what things and prompts need doing. Interviews I’ve had to learn how to schedule, just to keep trap and not lose anyone else’s responses in my email. The other prompts I have ones I always do and ones I do if I can fit them in or are particularly inspired. Yes it definitely works. But doesn’t always go smoothly 🙂 Have a lovely weekend 🙂

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  9. boujeeratchademic

    TBH, I plan because I know at some point I’m bound to fall behind. Just, no one will know thatif I was ahead of the game prior to. I just haven’t gotten to the place where I have posts ready that far in advance. A week tops.

    Liked by 1 person

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