I’m going to step out on a limb here and guessing that you are not a professional blogger. Don’t worry, you are not alone. Like with most bloggers, you probably have a full-time job and a family, leaving you with little time to sit down and put together an 800-word article for your website every night. Here are six helpful tips that might help you keep your blogging goals.
Plan ahead: Even though you are not at your computer doesn’t mean you can’t work on your next article. If you already have a topic in mind, you can structure it and identify your key points in your head. That way, when you finally reach your computer, you are ready to start typing.
Blank canvas: Sometimes the biggest waste of time when it comes to blogging is trying to figure out what to write. I always recommend choosing something that interests you or you are an “expert” in. Writing about what you know or what interests you usually leads to faster typing. There is less to research since you’ve already read about it in the past or it is common knowledge to you. Additionally, your interest and passion on the topic will echo in your writing, leading to the readers to be more interested as they read the article.
Reduce interruptions: This is your biggest hurdle. After a long day at work, you come home to your “second job” as a member of a family. Once you find your time to be alone to work on your writing, turn off your television, log out of your Facebook page, and get to work. This is your time to express yourself without being overwhelmed by the lives and writings of others.
Write a response: Sometimes you don’t have to lay the foundation for a new topic or reframe an existing argument, especially if someone has already done that for you. If you see a news item or a blog article by someone that interests you, post a quote from that article and then write a simple response. Your readers will view the entry as a complete article, even though you didn’t write all of it. SeededBuzz is a perfect reference source for this type of writing.
Focus on the bones: As a human body cannot stand without the skeleton, your website won’t last without a quality articles. If you spend more time trying to add pictures or videos to your new blog post while writing, you will end up with a “body with no bones.” Complete your article first, and if you have time left over, then go back and add in the extra content.
Take a break: What is more important: writing an article every night, or writing two or three quality articles a week? I lean towards the latter. Trying to write every night can lead to blogging fatigue. You end up spending all your free time behind the computer, taking away from time to rest your eyes and recharge your batteries. Additionally, writing fewer articles gives you additional time to work your site while giving your readers a more-finished product in the end.
These are points that help me in my online efforts. What do you use in your own blogging practices?
