In both blogging and running, I've learned a lot through trial and error. After a hiatus during a technical medical writing gig, I'm doing right by my writing. I'm in the habit of writing something every day, and I'm making sure to balance that work with physical exertion. Here are some tips for setting up an editorial calendar of your own.
- Choose your blog's focus. Unless your blog goes viral or you have thousands of followers, your devoted readers will most likely be people you know. Pick a subject that you want to read about, and write posts that would education and challenge you.
- Set a schedule and put it on your calendar. If you're only posting once a week, do it like clockwork. It's easier for your readers to catch your posts if they have a general idea of when they'll go live.
- Practice regularly. Find the time to write every day. Developing a voice and skill set requires regular practice, and with time, it will take less time to sculpt each word of a post.
- Write in advance. If you're always scrambling to meet self-imposed due dates, come up with a list of posts for the week or month and write them all. That way, you have posts in reserve if a current event or other topic strikes your fancy.
- Schedule posts. Most blogging platforms allow users to schedule posts. This function can take the guesswork and variability out of an editorial calendar once it's set.
- Link up social media. Want your posts to go up in the morning without waking you up? Link your social media accounts to your blog. Every time a post is published, so will a tweet or Facebook status with a link to the entry.
- Ask a friend to be your accountability buddy. Have them call you out if you miss a post. In any craft, having a support system can make all the difference, especially when you're starting out.
Personally, I've still got some work to do. My non-negotiable editorial calendar goes into effect next week, and the order of my posts will change. Though I still need to ask someone to be my accountability buddy, I've been doing better with every other part of this list. For here forward, expect Cocktail of the Week posts to go live on Mondays, running updates on Wednesdays and writing on Fridays.