How to write and schedule a week’s worth of blog posts
Saving for a rainy day applies to blogging too. Every now and then, you might be away on vacation, or you have no inspiration at all, or you just want to take a break from blogging. However, you don’t want to disappoint your diligent readers who are used to your daily, weekly, or however your blogging schedule might be. So how can you continue to blog without blogging?
Image credit: Carlos Porto/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
1. Plan
Have an exact plan laid out with what you will be writing. It’s easy if you follow some pattern like the one below. By having a clear plan like this you are less likely to wander away on the Internet trying to find good ideas and then getting lost into doing something else.
- Sun: Inspirational quotes
- Mon: How to tips
- Tue: Tool review
- Wed: Wordless video sharing
- Thu: Thankful thoughts
- Fri: Fun post
- Sat: Weekly wrap-up
2. Write
Sit down and write all your posts for when you will not be writing. Do not try to make them perfect. At least not this time 
Remember, your goal is to have these posts written down as quickly as possible. Set the alarm for 30 minutes and start writing. Consider it done when 30 min have passed.
3. Schedule
Schedule your posts so they get published automatically on the day and at the time that you want. Before scheduling, you can give a final proofread, but resist the temptation to rewrite.
Here are some applications that you can use to schedule blog posts: PostLater or SocialOomph.
Your turn!
What tips to you have to bank blog posts for when you are away, you have no inspiration, or you simply want to take some time off from blogging? Please share by leaving a comment.
I find that sometimes it is the inspiration alone is a problem. I use
evernote and when I get an email that is inspiring or if it sparks my attention I can send it to evernote and put it in my blog idea notebook and go there first for inspiration. I can also work on my ideas from my smart phone where ever I get inspired using the app
In the past I have started blog posts in my WordPress site and when I leave them there unfinished I don’t go back and finish them, so I leave unfinished ones in evernote and only put the finished ones in WordPress, but the schedule function in Worpress is certainly an important asset, and I use it often!
Angela recently posted…It’s a New Year!!
Hey Angela, I agree that finding inspiration is a problem. But I’ve noticed that since I started trying to keep a more consistent pattern for the subject to write about, it became easier. I’ve heard of evernote before, I should definitely give it a try.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your ideas!
eosgrafx recently posted…How to create a portfolio on your Facebook business page
I absolutely love the writing plan you provide. What a great idea (especially for the ultimate blog challenge) when inspiration is slow in coming. =) Thanks.
Glad that you found it useful, Gwen. I struggled a bit with the October UBC because I wasn’t very organized. I am doing better this time around
Thanks so much Gwen for commenting and hope to see you again here!
eosgrafx recently posted…How to create a portfolio on your Facebook business page
Very useful post, thank you. I had the same problem when I went away last year. In the end I managed to get a couple of guest blogs to keep the site ticking over. I’m finding that the more I blog the easier it is becoming to think up new content
Rob Scott recently posted…5 Ways To Let Your Family Know That Your Are Working
I notice the same thing, Rob! Practice makes it perfect, I guess
Thanks for your comment!
eosgrafx recently posted…Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s of your Twitter profile
These are great tips.
What I often do if I come across something that would make good content is save the idea as a draft in WordPress so I can come back to it later.
I also bookmark pages with ideas I would like to use.
However your tip of having a particular type of post scheduled for each day of the week is a great idea.
Thanks for sharing!
Valerie Cuell recently posted…Do I Really Want To Be Known As An Olderpreneur?
Thanks, Valerie! I recently started to save drafts in WordPress and it really helps to have something almost ready to go. Before I had them in different applications and always had to go and copy from there. I’m glad that you found a new tip today! Happy blogging
eosgrafx recently posted…Facebook timeline cover… Are you covered?
During the planning stage, you might also want to consider keeping everything organized on an editorial calendar. Having a couple of those (a master editorial calendar and one just for ideas I’ve been knocking around in the draft stage) has helped my writing immensely.
Angie Hottentots-Laurel recently posted…When Was the Last Time You Thanked God for Anything?
Using a calendar is a great idea, Angie. Thanks for your comment on the blog!
Delia recently posted…Infographic: Obsessed with Facebook?
Your post made me realize that I’ve got some major time challenges approaching next month when I return to school, so I had to quickly go and check out the scheduler feature in Windows Live Writer. I’m glad to report that it was as simple as it seemed it would be.
I like the idea of daily topic patterns, though that may be too structured for me day in and day out. But I think it could be helpful to at least have a good idea of the type of topic two or three days a week. I do follow a meme from another blog of 5 Question Friday, and that’s always a pretty easy day (though can’t be planned very far in advance, since questions don’t come out until Thursday.)
Also, in terms of idea inspiration, I’ve also been taking part in a daily photo challenge for the past couple of months, and it’s rare that the photographs don’t give me some idea of where to start writing, so that’s been handy.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheri recently posted…This is Only a Test
Very interesting idea with the daily photo challenge. Would not have thought of it, until you mentioned it, Cheri. Thanks for your comment on the blog!
Delia recently posted…Infographic: Obsessed with Facebook?
Cheri, being able to schedule blog posts make life much easier for you. Last week I had 3 or 4 ideas flowing around my head at the first time. I wrote them all at the same time and scheduled them, which freed up some time for me on an evening to get on with work
Rob Scott recently posted…How Does a Touch Screen Phone Work?
Thanks for replying to Cheri, Rob!
) Yes, it’s a good point that you have to put your ideas down but also acting upon them pretty quickly so that you do not lose the momentum to actually write those posts. It’s something that I struggle with currently and need to get more organized 
Thank you so much for your comment!
Delia recently posted…Infographic: Obsessed with Facebook?