Hi friends, happy Wednesday! I hope you all are well.
It’s been a couple days since I’ve been here to write a blog post – I missed Sunday’s post because it was my sister’s birthday and I was away traveling with her for the weekend, and, well, bloggers are allowed little breaks, I guess. At least I know I am, otherwise I will burn out for sure. This little break in my schedule naturally got me thinking about this blogging routine I got going on for a couple months now and that seems to be working…So without further ado, let’s dive into our next – and very predictable now that I said it – topic of today’s Blogging Ways…
When I first started blogging, I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, aside from the obvious which is, writing blog posts. Let’s be honest, after two years, I still have no idea what I’m doing, at times. If there’s something I worked out by now, though, is that, in order for this whole blogging thing to work, for me, I have to have some kind of system. Some kind of schedule. I need to be organized in order to know what I have to do next and just, in order well, not to lose my mind.
As my blog changed, as new features like this one took up time and space, and some others just like Top Ten Tuesdays progressively disappeared, my schedule had to be constantly changed and thought again and again, to adapt both to what I wanted my blog to become and how much time my life allows me to fit in blogging. From student life to working full time, I went to posting 4 to 3 times a week, changing my focus from features and tags and reviews to discussions and discussions and reviews (and a couple tags because well, they are loads of fun, despite taking a hell lot of the time). For now, I’m actually content with my schedule and having one, for many reasons:
- I know what I’m supposed to write next, and I know when it’s supposed to be published.
- I have a post schedule – and I can thank the wonderful Reg for sharing her template with me for that.
- I know where I’m going next and I REALLY LIKE THIS FEELING.
- It helps me, in loads of ways. It helps me in knowing where I am going next, for sure, but it also helps me stop panicking because I almost don’t panic thinking about what to publish next. Well. I do. But at least I know I need to panic because I’m into reviewing or I have no discussion subject or something.
I’m preaching how much I love having a blogging schedule right now, but I know that this is not everyone’s blogging ways. Just like in writing, some people are pansters, or plotters. Some people go with the flow, some others need to have everything planned out, or at least a couple of bullet points to see where they are going next with this story. Much like a story, a blog is something you imagine and re-think about every single day.
There’s also the question of spontaneity. Does having a blogging schedule limits you – in the way that, on particular days, you need to have a discussion idea, you need to write this review, you have to talk about this or that in particular ? Does it take away all the spontaneity or love of blogging by putting every single thing into cases on an Excel Post Schedule document ?
If you ask me, I don’t think it does – because I don’t plan out every single thing and blog posts, just like this one, can be thought and changed before “due date”. Because blogging and scheduling, despite it taking a whole lot of time, is not homework, duties, things you have to do otherwise you’ll lose everything, won’t have food on the table or something. Having a schedule helps me being organized and feeling like “I’ve got this”, but there’s no obligation in this. If you’re feeling obligated, that’s the way straight to blogging burn-out for sure.
Be organized. Be spontaneous. Think ahead, but blogging certainly does not fit in particular cases. It grows, expand and changes with YOU after all, so does a blogging schedule, with everything you want your blog to be and how comfortable you are with it.
Do you have a blogging schedule? How much posts do you publish a week? If you’ve been blogging for long, did your schedule change overtime? Do you think scheduling takes away a bit of the spontaneity?
If you’re not into scheduling, how do you blog? Share your thoughts in comments!
Loonyloonyvish says
I haven’t followed a schedule as yet but the thing is, I haven’t even planned exactly what I will write about ever. That’s good in a way given that I don’t need to stick to just a certain kind of posts and can draw inspiration from anywhere without having to bother about moulding it into the kind of posts I am supposed to write. Still it’s not a real good thing to ‘not’ follow a schedule or a specific pattern. I had planned on posting at least thrice a week or even more than that, and I did stick to the plan as long as my preparatory leaves and later the exams lasted. And when I finally had all day long to write posts, I was at my wit’s end. So right now, I post about once or twice a week. I do have plan B in mind which includes writing as much as I can when inspiration strikes me and reserving it for one of those frequently occurring slumps.
Anyways, nice post. I did wander of while commenting. Hope you didn’t mind ?.
Marie says
Thank you so much for commenting, and of course I don’t mind if you wander, on the contrary, I love it! 🙂
Drawing inspiration from everything is really a great way to go, and having a plan of writing just whenever inspiration strikes definitely is a great way to blog and capture the moment for sure 🙂
Angelica (TheBookCoverGirls) says
This is a great post! I like the idea of a blogging schedule and even have one written down. Still I usually end up deviating from it or end up changing things. I still think it’s good to have though. It keeps me on track and stops me from being overwhelmed.
Marie says
Oh thank you so much, Angelica, so happy you enjoyed it 🙂 I guess if you’re anything like me, it feels good to have things planned out a little bit, like, a sort of schedule, but not a too-tight and serious one so that you can change things up a bit whenever inspiration strikes 🙂
Angelica (TheBookCoverGirls) says
You’re welcome! And yeah sometimes it’s best to at least ha r a mild of how you want things to play out. I work best with a tentative schedule
Marie says
We all either work best with scheduling, or…without ahah, we all are different after all 😀
Eva@Brilliantly Bookish says
I don’t have a shedule. It puts way to much pressure on me that I can’t handle. I do try to post every other day. This is how it works best for me ?
Marie says
Haha I get it, scheduling definitely isn’t for everyone, and it does put a bit of pressure on ourselves. I find that I like having this pressure though, but it doesn’t work for everyone ahah 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by, Eva! <3
Eva@Brilliantly Bookish says
I agree! It was my pleasure to stop by?
Jirah Merizz says
I looove this post!! ❤ Anyway since it is my summer break, I try to post daily at evening. I guess that’s my schedule. And if I have school, I post in my spare time but I do plan posts ahead! ?
Marie says
Ohh summer break, so lucky ahah 🙂 It’s so great you’re able to post daily and can plan ahead – I feel SO good whenever I plan things ahead ahah. Planner for life I guess 😛 Thank you so much for stopping by! <3
Jirah Merizz says
Haha yay! And no problem with that ?❤
mikaela says
Yeah, I definitely have a blog schedule! I need it to know what I’m posting next and such; I just don’t know what I’d do without one, personally. I publish four posts a week: a review on Monday, and anything from a tag to a recommendation post to a list to a Let’s Chat on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. It’s been working out really well so far! I’ve changed my schedule probably a lot since when I started blogging I was more spontaneous, but then I ended up making a schedule for myself because I just needed to organize something! XD
Marie says
You’re just like me, Mikaela! I need to have a blogging schedule and I like to know where I am headed next just as well, being organized feels GOOD, right? Haha 😛
Angela says
I actually just wrote a post similar to this, on how I create my blogging schedule. I’m a relatively new blogger, but I’m definitely a scheduler. I like knowing what I’m going to be posting next week, next month, etc. I’m not big on spontaneity in my non-blogging life, so that trickles over into my blogging life. I would rather have everything planned out than have to scramble to put something together. There are times when I can just drop a post in if I feel like I’m light one week, though.
Marie says
Ohh really, great minds think alike, I guess! 😀 and…well, we are definitely alike ahah, I really like to know what I’m posting next just as well, even if it’s just in the next week. I don’t go as far ahead as next month though 🙂 Thank you so much for commenting, Angela! <3
Nicole says
Well, I just got mine up and running last week. For now the only schedule I’m keeping to is posting stories every Friday for flash fiction challenges I participate in over at terribleminds.com.
Eventually I’d like to develop it my site into a community for student writers, hold online workshops, and that sort of thing.
I’m also big on planning and organization, but I agree with you about a hard set schedule taking some of the fun out of it. For me, there’s no point in even doing it if it isn’t fun.
Marie says
Oh wow, that’s such a lovely project you have there, Nicole, I hope you’ll be able to develop it 🙂
It’s good to plan, but also good to cut ourselves some slack and allow time for spontaneity and things to change up a bit 🙂 We need to keep it fun after all, I agree 😀
Thank you so much! <3
Amber says
I personally connect to a blogging schedule. I’ve tried but it makes me unmotivated. I like to write when I have something to say, not force it. Then I get all stressed out if say I need to post on Friday but miss that day. It would upset me to no end. I do think scheduling posts is a good thing though. Especially if you become busy and such, it’s nice to have preschedule posts. I sure wish I could do it! Awesome discussion 😀
Amber @ Escape Life in the Pages
Marie says
Oh I understand – if you’re feeling pressured with a schedule, then there shouldn’t be any schedule at all. Blogging had to stay fun! 🙂 Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts about this, Amber! <3
readbooksanddrinkcoffee says
thank you for this post! the only reason why I am able to write up posts (which aren’t ready to be posted) is because I’m on a two week break from school. I need to schedule everything and get organised!
– Yasmin
Marie says
Oh you’re welcome, thank you for your comment, Yasmin! And best of luck for organizing everything, you can do this! <3
readbooksanddrinkcoffee says
youre welcome and thank you for the motivation!
Marie says
You’re welcome! 🙂
Shoto says
For the longest time I just posted whenever I felt like whether it was twice a month or twice a day but in the last few months, my blogging style has completely changed. I don’t really have a set schedule BUT I try to ensure that I have 3 or 4 posts up every week, even if not on fixed days. Something weird that I think only I do to help me stay on track is that I write a bit of a post but instead of saving it as a draft, I schedule it for sometime in the week so that’s kind of my way of giving myself a deadline and ensuring I complete it on time! 😛
This was such an interesting discussion – I love this feature 😀
Marie says
Ohhh that’s actually a good trick! I think I’d be too afraid to forget about it and like, let it get published before I have time to go back to it and actually write it hahaha. But it’s such a good way to motivate yourself to write at times, having deadlines 🙂
Thank you so, so much, I’m so happy you like this feature! <3 <3
Kat Impossible says
You know me, I couldn’t keep my blog organised for the life of me. I neither post at the same time and rarely always on the same day. I like having features for a certain day but I’ve skipped on Currently Watching more than once. Also reviews, mostly I write them right away instead of knowing which days are for reviews. I think i would go crazy if I had to follow a plan ?
Marie says
Hahaha, I know, and I guess that’s just how you roll – and you’re doing it great, even if you don’t have a schedule or anything planned out, it’s working perfectly for your blog and it’s, well…it’s YOU, ahah 😀
Kat Impossible says
Yeah, planless and chaotic, that’s my life haha
Kelly says
What an interesting post! When I started blogging two years ago, I had posts scheduled out for weeks in advance, kept a schedule, and pretty much stuck with it. These days I don’t really have a schedule as much (aside from blog tours, etc.). I more or less just post when I feel like it (which I try to do at least 5 times a week), otherwise I get really fed up with the restrictions of the schedule and fall into a blogging slump.
Sometimes blogging can feel like a full time job (albeit a very enjoyable one)!
Marie says
Oh thank you, Kelly, so happy you enjoyed reading this 🙂 and posting 5 times a week is SO GOOD, like, HOW do you do it ahah, I am so in awe of your blogging talent ahah 🙂 Schedules can be restrictive and put some kind of pressure on ourselves for sure, I guess it’s not for everyone. And blogging definitely IS a full-time job at times….but one we love, right? 😀
kirstychronicles says
I definitely has some kind of schedule, but it changes all the time. I try to post 3 times a week, I’ve recently come back from a little hiatus and I’m thinking of changing to 2 posts a week, at least for the minute. I just have a lot of university work to do but I don’t want to stop blogging. So in my head I’ll be like ‘right, next week I’ll post a review, and a discussion post, and then the week after I’ll do a meme’ or something like that. It just constantly changes, I don’t want to limit myself to only posting certain things. But I do like to have some idea of whats happening so I don’t get panicked and overwhelmed! Really great post!
Marie says
Thank you so, so much, I’m so happy you enjoyed reading this 🙂 I’m wih you on having a schedule but letting it change a bit overtime, changing the kind of posts you want to do, and so on. I think it’s a good way to always be motivated to write and do things differently 🙂
bookwonderlandweb says
My blog is relatively new and I’m still trying to get into the flow of it. I can totally relate to the stress and panic because no matter how far ahead I’m scheduled for I always feel like more can be done. Figuring out what to post can be such a stressful thing especially with other obligations popping up which take away reading time.
Marie says
MORE can always be done in blogging, ahah, but if you try and do it all, you’ll drown – I think, ahah, or you’re a superhero of some kind. Also, it’s so important to remember to take our time and just love it, not pressure ourselves to schedule too much. I find it good to have some things planned out, like, what I want to write next, what kind of posts I want to develop and so on, but not try and plan too far ahead to stress out. One idea at a time, one post at a time is good too 😀
bookwonderlandweb says
I’ll try haha but it’s easier said then done. I find myself stressing too much on planning things and forget to actually enjoy myself.
Marie says
I get it. It happens to me A LOT just as well, I look at the upcoming week and panic because well, I need to do so many things and I feel like time’s running out ahah. Taking it one blog post at a time makes it a bit more manageable, instead of looking at the big picture 🙂
ravenblake99 says
I don’t keep a blogging schedule because I always fail at it. I blog whenever I’m free and I blog three times per week. Yeah, Blogging definitely takes lots of time and I also stopped doing weekly memes for a while but I’m hoping to start them again. Great Post! 🙂
Marie says
Weekly memes can be a bit overwhelming at times, and they take a LOT of time to write – or is it just me? I remember spending HOURS on them ahah 🙂
Thank you so, so much, Raven! <3 <3
Beth (Reading Every Night) says
At the moment I feel like my blogging schedule is quite spontaneous. I know what I want to post but other than the weekly features I take part in there’s no set date for anything else like my reviews or book tags. At the moment this works for me, and maybe one day it won’t and I’ll need to come up with a proper schedule but until then I kind of feel like why question it too much you know? To be honest sometimes I’m still amazing that I’ve even been posting this long. 😀
Great post Marie, as always! <3
Marie says
That’s the best way to think about this: not question it too much and goes with whatever works and makes you feel happy without feeling too pressured to write. Thank you so, so much Beth <3 <3
May @ Forever and Everly says
Agh, this is the PERFECT discussion! I myself had a schedule where EVERYTHING was set and could not be moved around. Now, I just have post ideas for the month, instead of just THIS POST ON THIS DAY AND THIS POST ON THIS DAY. I think that what I did didn’t leave room at all for spontaneity, hence why I changed by schedule up a bit. However, I do have a posting schedule, which helps me have a “deadline” (that’s how I function) to write a post.
I’ve actually been meaning to do some TTT posts (except not on Tuesdays because #rebel and posting schedule). But I don’t think I’d do it every week. I think that can get overwhelming and limit coming up with your own content (although it’s hard to think of post ideas XD ).
Marie says
Thank you May, I’m SO happy you enjoyed this! <3 < 3 I get it, and I enjoy having some kind of deadline just as well to work better with my posts 🙂 Coming up with new content everytime is soooo hard ahah, but well, also a lot of fun :p
Katharine_Ann says
This was such an interesting post, and I enjoyed reading all the previous comments. I used to have a schedule, posting twice a week. But real life kept getting in the way. I work full time and have a lot of other hobbies. Somehow I’d go a week without posting, and then two, and then three… I ended up getting so stressed and anxious that I hadn’t posted that I would be miserable. I actually took a 3 month break from blogging (and reading!) last summer to figure out what I wanted to do.
I had to be honest with myself: no one notices if I don’t post. (And I never notice if someone else doesn’t post either…) So what’s the point of getting all stressed out when the only person it bothers is me? Now there’s no schedule. When I have time, I do it. And if I don’t post, I don’t worry. While I genuinely admire people who can work out a schedule and stick to it, it’s not for me. And now, I’m happy when I’m blogging… and happy when I’m not. 🙂
Great post 🙂
Marie says
Thank you so much for your comment and for sharing your thoughts about this. I find it SO good that you’re in that place where you can be happy whether you are blogging or not, and feel comfortable enough not to stress out and just, do your thing, which is blogging whenever you feel like it. I’m a very anxious and stressed person myself haha but I really wish to think that way just as well. Blogging should be fun after all 😀
agnesmack says
I have been struggling with this very thing. I do have a schedule but I never, ever make it. And then I get frustrated by it and I think it probably keeps me from blogging as much as I would if I’d give myself a break. This post and the comments have been helpful and I just remember that very simple thing that this is supposed to be FUN!
Marie says
This makes me so happy to hear that this has been helpful to you. Thank you so much. I get it, it’s so frustrating when you can’t make something you planned out so carefully before – but scheduling doesn’t work for everyone, and we all need to cut ourselves some slack once in a while. Blogging is supposed to be fun, so if we don’t feel like writing a post on a particular day or want to change things up completely, we are allowed to, as long as it makes us happy 😀
Ceillie Simkiss says
Without my blog schedule, I would literally get nothing done. I do what I can for a while and try to stay like 2 weeks ahead of what’s posting. I love my Google Calendar – it makes life 100000x easier for me. I actually wrote a post about how I keep myself organized, if anyone’s interested!
http://candidceillie.com/coffee-shop-talk-organization/
Marie says
2 weeks ahead?! Wow, that’s so awesome, I want all of your secrets ahah. Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
Ceillie Simkiss says
*Try* being the key word there. I’m like a week ahead right now, but barely.
Marie says
Well…You’re still ahead ahah, that’s already so good 😀
Anna @MyBookishDream says
I used to have no schedule when I first started blogging. I just posted whenever I felt like it, or whenever I had a post ready. These past few months I have decided to post at least 2 times a week, so that I’m consistent. But I don’t have certain days that I need to post on or anything like that. For me that would be to restricting and it would feel more like a chore than blogging – which I consider to be a lot of fun. 😀 So I’m sticking with this system for now. Great post! 🙂
Marie says
I think that’s such a good system, and it’s great you manage to stick with it 😀 I have particular days for everything, but what I do like best about scheduling is knowing that I need to write a certain amount of posts for the next week, without restricting myself on the subjects – they come whenever inspiration strikes 🙂 Thank you so, so much Anna 🙂
Greg says
I’m sort of in the middle between being super organized and pantsing it, or staying spontaneous, if that makes any sense. I definitely have to have some organization though since I post quite a bit, and yes I do think frequency and types of posts definitely change over time as my blogging needs change. I do things SO differently now from when I started, it’s kinda funny to think about! I do seem to have fallen into a rhythm or system though that works, and it will be interesting to see how that changes going forward.
Great post, thought provoking!
Marie says
It does make sense ahah, in fact I think the best thing is to be able to be spontaneous while also having some kind of organization.That’s what I aspire, really, to be able to do both ahah 🙂
Thank you so much, Greg! It’s so funny thinking back to how we started and how now we all have a little routine! 🙂
Melissa @ BookNerdMomo says
Great post, Marie! Funny enough I’ve been thinking about the whole scheduling thing a lot lately. I think I’m somewhere in between scheduling and being spontaneous (if that’s possible lol). I’ve gotten back into posting 2-3 times a week but what I post and what days I post it on each week tends to vary. I actually schedule things for the week on Sundays and never know what I’m going to schedule until that day ?. I think I’m just not all that great at thinking way ahead in posting. But honestly I don’t think scheduling takes away from being spontaneous and I’m a tad envious of those who have so much planned ahead because I wish I could master that, especially where reviews are concerned. I say to each their own and I love that we all have different ways that we blog. ?
Marie says
It’s totally possible, Melissa, this is my goal ahah, being organized yet spontaneous haha. I want to be all the things, it’s hard hahaha.
I do my scheduling on Sundays just as well, yay! 😀 I can’t plan so far ahead either, I only plan the week because I don’t have time and / or crazy ideas flowing to plan out a whole month ahah. It’s so great though how different everyone is about blogging 😀
Melissa @ BookNerdMomo says
Same, when I see people say they have posts scheduled for months I’m just like “How? Show me your ways!” ?. I wish I had all the ideas and could write posts faster sometimes lol.
I really is. ?
Marie says
Hahaha yes, me too, but even if I had all the ideas, I wouldn’t have the time. Either bloggers that have their content planned out for months are MAGICAL, or they are doing it full-time. I don’t get how it’s possible otherwise haha.
SERIESous Book Reviews says
I schedule EVERYTHING! A lot of the posts that are appearing on my blog now were written before the end of 2016 (with the exception of the blog tours and review copies–they’re written a little closer to). I find it a huge relief not to have to worry whether or not I posted this week. I like posting a variety of things so keeping a schedule allows me to mix it up AND helps me know how many review copies I can take on in a month.
I will admit, I do miss the spontaneity sometimes of writing a post and getting the response immediately. Which is why I will often move my schedule around and change posting dates 😛
Marie says
2016? Just, HOW?! You are magical, like, the hero of scheduling ahah, this is crazy. It feels good to know what’s ahead when you’re scheduling, I agree with you on that for sure 😀
SERIESous Book Reviews says
Let’s just say I used my school holidays to their full advantage 😛 But it also helps that I only post certain review types on certain days 😉
Marie says
Haha, well you are SO productive, it’s so awesome 🙂
shar says
I kind of have a schedule– I blog twice every second week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, in general. On tuesdays I normally try to post a review and on Fridas a tag/ discussion. But sometimes I shake it up, or don’t post, and that’s okay too. Great post!
Marie says
Thank you so, so much, Shar! It’s good to change things up once in a while, I guess – I need to learn to do that ahah 🙂
lry93 says
I tend to write posts in advance and schedule them for when I need them – Sunday evening is the time I write my Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday posts and then I write a review usually the same evening of finishing a book so that I can get all my thoughts down without forgetting something and I schedule it for when I want it – that way I don’t have to worry about it not going out etc.
SumitOfficial says
I write when I feel like Writing. Be it a day or night. ?
Marie says
That’s so good to do this, whenever inspiration strikes 😀
mypaperinfinity says
This is another great blogging-related post, Marie! I’m still relatively new to blogging so I haven’t figured out “my way” of doings things yet, but right now I’m using Google sheets for my schedule. It’s very simple and basic but I like it because it gives a nice overview of what you’ve done and what’s to come. But I’m not strict with it at all. If I’m not feeling a post or if inspiration strikes and I want to write another one I’ll go with the flow 🙂
Marie says
Oh thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Figuring out our way of doing it is sooo complicated and it takes so much time just as well – I don’t even know if I figured it out yet haha. I’m using Google sheets just as well, it’s so useful and easy this way 🙂 Thank you! <3 <3
mypaperinfinity says
It’s definitely not easy but we’ll get there someday ?
Marie says
I’m sure we will 🙂
Resh Susan @ The Book Satchel says
I do not have a strict schedule, but I try to post two or three times a week. It took me a year or so to understand which schedule fits me best, when to post etc. Last year I used to forget to post. Or I would have half written posts that i could have posted had I spent ten or fifteen min to complete them. I am getting a hang of things now and pretty comfortable. The only thing I would love to do is plan ahead for a month or so and plan which kind of post (review, short story etc) would go up on which day. I hope I will figure out a way soon
Marie says
It took me so much time to figure out my schedule just as well! I didn’t know what would work best and had to change things up a lot of the time because of the change from student to working life and everything. Planning ahead for so long is definitely goals, but it takes so much time ahah 🙂
lindseyhabets says
I usually really love and need schedules, and so I also use a schedule somehow for the blog. I try to post 3-4 times a week, with a Top Ten Tuesday, at least one review and a tag or discussion on Thursday.
However, I’ve also gotten a lot more casual with this schedule over the past few months, because I was putting too much pressure on myself and was beginning to feel some blogging burnout. So now I still try to follow the schedule most of the time, but I’m not stressing out about it if I don’t have a review that week, or if I haven’t done any discussions in a month. I’m letting it come more naturally and though part of me still longs for a nice, fixed routine, overall it’s a lot more attainable like this and helps me keep blogging fun 🙂
Marie says
I really love and need schedules as well, or to-do-lists of some kind to be organized and just know where I’m going and what I should be doing next but yes, it can bring tons of pressure at times :/ I’m glad to hear you’re not stressing about everything anymore though, it’s definitely goals to be able to do that ahah 🙂 Thank you so much! <3 <3
Igniting Pages says
I love this post! I have a basic outline of a schedule but that doesn’t;t limit me at all! Just because I have a schedule, doesn’t;t mean I’m not allowed to post other things that aren’t part of the scheduled. I like having a schedule though, as it helps me plan out what can go where and etc. I’m reluctant to do a weekly meme because I’m not very consistent haha so they would stress me out.
Marie says
Oh thank you, I’m so happy you liked this post 🙂 It’s good to have some sort of schedule, I agree, at least I love blogging this way, knowing where I’m going and what to plan.
And if you feel like participating in a weekly meme, well…do it! It’s okay if you don’t do them every week 🙂
primmlife says
Thanks for the post. This gives me motivation to create my own schedule.
Marie says
Oh you’re welcome, so happy to hear it 🙂
da AL says
Marie, you’ve definitely hit a nerve, given the great response here. Am thinking that what’s more important – or maybe better said as ‘1st important’ – is the goal. what is the goal? to get lots of readers? if so, a schedule is better. that said, in my case, there’s much groping trial & error in terms of best days. hence, mine is a loose schedule – haha
Marie says
Haha yeah you’re right, it’s the goal but also how you like to do things. I’m someone that likes to plan things out haha 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment <3
Sue, the YA Author says
Although I have t been as active on WordPress over the past year, I was posting on Monday’s on my Weebly website. I loved using the #mondayblogs hashtag and got huge results with that. As to content, I still struggle as a writer because, well, there are like a bazillion writers who write about writing! I’m back on WordPress and I still plan on posting on Mondays using that hashtag.
Thanks for your post- I’m always curious how others approach blogging. Two years is quite an accomplishment! Wow!
Marie says
Thank you so, so much, Sue <3 I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this post 🙂 I guess tons of writers are writing about, well, writing, but everyone has their own way of doing it after all, and of talking about it just as well 🙂 Thank you so much for your sweet comment <3
theorangutanlibrarian says
Really interesting post!! Like you, I had to change things up as I’ve been doing this longer, getting more to grip with organising my posts. I still don’t have an official schedule, but I do like to plan out my posts in advance- especially the order I do them in and particularly when it comes to reviews (I have so many to get done I try to not leave it longer than a month) But even now, I still do have a fair few moments of spontaneity!
Marie says
Oh thank you so much, happy you liked it! <3 <3 I have soooooooo many reviews to write just as well, without some kind of schedule I would be so lost and probably go crazy ahah 🙂
theorangutanlibrarian says
You’re welcome!! <3 Ahh I know right!!! haha so true!!
Me On Focus says
I have a schedule and I try to follow it… sometimes though I found myself inspired about something and changing completely
Marie says
It’s great to be able to be spontaneous like that 🙂
Me On Focus says
By the way I love reading your blog ?
Marie says
Oh thank you so much, this makes me so happy <3 <3
anne leueen says
I like this post! I love to plan and schedule and I am one of those people that has to schedule or I am in a flap. I started scheduling posts almost as soon as I started blogging just over a year ago. So I always have a plan and if I feel like it I can change the scheduled posts. For example I often do interviews with riders and trainers and sometimes it takes several weeks to actually arrange a time to meet with them and do the interview. So when I get it and write that post I will then just pop in in and keep the scheduled post until later.
Marie says
Thank you!Well you’re just like me then, it feels good to have a schedule and things planned, doesn’t it? :)) Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about this 🙂
Michelle says
I tried so many times to come up with a schedule, but I never came up with one that worked for me. On one hand I really want one, as I love planning and having things organised, but on the other hand I feel like it would pressure me to post on days I don’t have time/am not feeling well. Which is silly because there’s no one there yelling at me for not following the schedule. Maybe once this school year is over I’ll be able to come up with a good schedule that works for me haha. Great post Marie!
Marie says
Haha I get it – having particular days set up can give you some kind of pressure and take away the joy of blogging. But maybe if you decide to post like, a certain amount each week, but not define days, so it gives you a scheedule but still some kind of freedom? 🙂
Thank you so much! 🙂
Michelle says
Ooooh that’s a good idea! 🙂
Marie says
Glad you like it 😀
Lais says
I can say from personal experience that having a blogging schedule was really helpful. At first, I didn’t really planned out my posts and I wrote them when I wanted to. But I ended up procrastinating a lot and didn’t write anything at all, so I wasn’t really consistent with my posts. Having a schedule forces me to find time to write a post during the day, so I can’t really run away from it. However, I find stressful sometimes when I can’t commit to it. There are weeks when I can’t find time to even open my computer to write a post, and I end up frustrated for not being able to stick to my schedule, which is the only down side on it. I do agree it is helpful though, moreover when you have a lot of other responsabilities during the day!
Marie says
I’m glad to hear scheduling is as helpful to you as it is to me! I think it feels good to be consistent ahah, also I love to be able to know what’s coming next. I agree though that it can be a bit stressful when you have nothing planned out or no ideas ahah 🙂
Thank you so much Lais <3 <3
escapemylenseblog says
Blogging is a pastime for some and for many it ultimately ends to passion,following your readers and seeing their world from your eyes, opens and broadens your picture and theirs too
Marie says
Exactly 🙂
Bridget says
I definitely like the idea of having a blogging schedule. I think it would be more likely encourage you to post regularly and consistently rather than not post for a month and then suddenly post everyday for a week. I think I may just create a schedule for myself. 🙂
Marie says
It really is, well at least for me, it encourages me to be consistent and I love having some kind of plan ahah 😀 I hope you’ll like having a schedule 😀
Holly McLean says
This post is awesome… I just started my Blog and having a blogging schedule sounds like a wonderful idea! I think I’m going to give it a whirl and see if it works for me… Love your blog by the way Marie 🙂
Marie says
I hope having a schedule works out well for you! Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Holly! <3
Amanda @Cover2CoverMom says
Very interesting topic Marie! I’ve been blogging just over a year now, and have never had one. I’ve been a “blog as I go” kind of blogger for this entire time. Creating (and sticking to) a blogging schedule has been a goal of mine from the start, but I have never taken the time to sit down and plan it all out. I can see where a blogging schedule would take out a lot of the stress on my part, and the inconsistency of my blog. Ideally I would love to have a schedule and map out my posts a month in advance… scheduling posts is another area of weakness for me. I think I just realized how much of a hot mess blogger I am after reading this post lol
Marie says
Thank you, Amanda! And you’re NOT a mess at ALL, tons of bloggers aren’t scheduling their posts and doing perfectly okay 😀 Also, even with a schedule, I can’t schedule as far ahead as a month ahah, I’m only scheduling for the week ahead haha 🙂 Whether or not you find a schedule, I just hope you’ll keep on blogging amazing things just like you do now 🙂
Jackie B @ Death by Tsundoku says
This is an AMAZING post, Marie! I am constantly thinking about putting together a post schedule, but alas– I have never done so. Why not? I find that having a schedule adds a ton of stress to my life. I don’t even post on regular days. O_o But, that also reflects how I enjoy reading blogs. I like to find one blogger and read all their posts from the last few weeks all at once. I find that reading the same voice really helps me connect more to the blogger, their passions, and their opinions.
Instead, I tell myself I will post twice a week. At least once post MUST be a book review. The other can be another book review, a feature or discussion post, or a wrap-up/readathon post. I’ll try for three posts in a week, but that’s a challenge. To each their own!
Now. Tell me about this template you use for scheduling your blog posts… Perhaps structure is really something I *do* need…
Marie says
Jackie, THANK YOU so much! <3 <3 I get it, sometimes scheduling can add a bit of stress, like "wait, I'm late at writing this post" or like "I have NO idea for my next post and it has to be done NOW" and everything. I get that so much – and I have these thoughts, but scheduling really keeps me grounded and helps me know where I am going next. I like organization haha. I guess everyone has their own blogging ways 😀
I'm using Reg (shelatitude.com)'s Post Schedule template, you can find it here : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rdTrYNApMFuk0zKvksFr8BnlHrsxuwiAd10KM9LiUz0/edit#gid=1180092860 😀
Analee @ Book Snacks says
Ahhhhh I love this post, Marie!! <3 I didn't have a schedule for a very long time, and kind of decided what posts were written and when they were posted as I went, but I did start making a schedule sometime last year! Planning out what dates I wanted to post, a possible post idea and the type of post. Then, I went into a hiatus, so there went the schedule (though even before then the set up I had wasn't working for me). Now, I've gotten back into having a schedule and I do love it! It's not a strict or set-in-stone schedule at all (because life haha) and I push around things if for some reason a post doesn't get written in time, but overall I do like having at least a small idea of what my plan is. You worded everything perfectly ahah. Loved this discussion! <3
Marie says
YAY! I’m so happy you’re just like me, Analee, scheduling – or at least having some kind of plan – is one of the best things ever hahaha, yay for (trying to) being organized 😛 Thank you so much! <3 <3
MetalPhantasmReads says
I’ve been trying to post 3 days a week and so far it’s been working very well. But what do you do when you don’t feel inspired? Been feeling a bit discouraged lately when it comes to making content/feeling like it’s good type thing. Any advice on that? Love the Friends GIFS. Couldn’t be more perfect with those
Marie says
Yay, glad to hear it’s working well for now 🙂 Inspiration comes and goes, the important thing is NOT to pressure yourself to produce content. Read blogs, think about something else for a while, whether it’s hours or a couple days away, and maybe inspiration will come back again 🙂
flowlessbooks says
I don’t have a blogging schedule but I probably should. Because I try to post 3 times per week but lately I’m failing …
Great post !
Marie says
Ohhh, but maybe it’s because life has been busy? I find that keeping a schedule helps me be on track with my blog – or at least try to be, but when life takes over, well… There’s not much you can do ahah. I hope you’ll figure it out 🙂 Thank you! <3
lifewritez says
I enjoyed and learned alot from this post, the biggest thing I learned is I am not alone, on this scheduling, changing my mind and scheduling again subject. Thank God for people who are just as indecisive as I am.
Marie says
Thank you so much! Haha don’t worry, you’re definitely not the only indecisive person here 🙂
Lauren @ Wonderless Reviews says
Great post, Marie! My schedule is not having a schedule ? I sometimes wish I was more organised, but that’s just not me so I try not to let it get to me too much. I did have a bit of schedule when I first started blogging but life would always get in the way and it would make me feel like I was doing a terrible job so I just scrapped it altogether. It definitely has its advantages because I can be a lot more casual about things and it definitely plays into me being a mood reader too, but it obviously has really big disadvantages too – especially when I’m feeling too tired to write up or post or getting a content-block.
Marie says
Thank you so much, Lauren! <3 I get it, and scheduling definitely does not work for everyone! I think if you're not into it, having a schedule just puts more pressure on yourself and is sooo wrong for your blogging ahah 🙂
Donna | Chocolate'n'Waffles says
For now, I’m trying to keep an hour, an hour and a half per day to blog, and I write posts and reviews when inspiration strikes, but if my life changes, I’ll have to go back to my weekend schedule! I have diary in which I keep track of release days, blog tours, reviews and everything, it has one page for the blog and one page for my private life, and it’s perfect for me to balance it all.
I like having a couple of posts scheduled in case I lose my Internet connection (like today!) or if I’m not inspired but want to be active.
Great and inspiring post Sweechie!!
Marie says
Oh that’s such a great way to stay organized, having a journal like that. Maybe I should make one as well ahah 🙂 Thank you so much my sweechie!! <3
morethangeekylove says
Really helpful post!
I personally do not have a schedule as for now, but I really need to make one. I totally agree with you about how having a schedule helps you stay organized and gives you the feeling of control over your blog.
It does not necessarily has to be a seen as a limitation to what and when you can do and post. I am one of those people that are messy and have hard time following a schedule, but this by no means makes you or your blog posts not worthy if you get what I mean. As you mentioned everyone has its own style.
However, I would try out to schedule more and keep my blog/life in order ^.^
Thank you for sharing!!
Marie says
Oh thank you, I’m so happy you like this post 🙂 I hope that scheduling will work out well for you and that you’ll keep on having fun! Thank you!! <3
caviardreamer says
I’ve recently started blogging and I try to stick to once a week until I have more time. I never thought about blogging more than that. I do like a set schedule that way I know I have time to blog
Marie says
Welcome to blogging! I hope you’ll have tons of fun 🙂