By guest contributor PJ Feinstein. Photography by Jessica Swift.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be a full-time blogger, having all day to plan, write, and edit your blog posts? Most of us, however, fit blogging in among our other responsibilities—attending classes, going to work, being a mommy, and so on. Here are five ways to become a more efficient blogger, when you have a limited amount of time each day:
1) Carve out some quiet time on a Saturday or Sunday, then write as many posts as possible during that time. If writing a week’s worth of posts in a couple of hours seems like an impossible goal, aim for completing just two or three. While you’re at it, outline the week’s remaining posts, so you have less work later on. This will put you ahead of your blog, rather than trying to keep up with it.
2) Keep an ongoing list of post ideas in a small notebook or on your phone. When you’re in a creative slump and can’t think of a topic for the day, refer to your list so you don’t waste time brainstorming. How many times have you fallen down an internet rabbit hole looking for ideas, and still not come up with anything?
3) Start in the middle of your blog post. If you’re struggling to write the perfect intro, jump ahead to the middle. Inspiration will often hit when you’re a little bit distracted. It can also happen that, after you complete the bulk of your post, you may have a better idea of how you’d like it to start. This is especially helpful if you’re working on a DIY or how-to post.
4) Determine when you do your best writing. I used to be my most creative late at night, but now that I’m a mom, my brain shuts off at 7:30pm. I now do most of my writing during my son’s midday nap, when my mind is still buzzing from my morning cup of coffee. I save the more mindless blogging tasks, like editing photos, for the evening.
5) Sleep on it. If you only have time to blog in the evening, pound out a post without worrying about your grammar or spelling. Just get your ideas out of your head. Then, set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier than usual, and edit your post with a fresh pair of eyes. Bonus: it’s likely you’ll also wake up with something brilliant to add.
