Thursday, May 13, 2010

Time for a Little Blogging Common Sense

Posting to my blog every single day is crazy. I'm not getting any work done on my book.

I'm going to cut back on several things for a while. I'm thinking three days a week will be enough blogging while I'm trying to finish book revisions. I want to submit my manuscript to agents this summer and fall (depending on agent submission vacations and other guideline rules).

I'll post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and see how that goes. It's possible I'll run a few older posts when I'm out of town. I'll also be posting at The Blood-Red Pencil twice a month. And I plan to feature author interviews on specific topics as I have time.

How about the rest of you bloggers who post six or seven days a week? Is it interfering with other projects and responsibilities? Have you considered cutting back?

16 comments:

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

No Patricia, I am retired and when the weather is bad and all the chores are done I find it very interesting, I am learning about other cultures and their life styles and I see pictures of places I would never visit,
I do travel every now and then that's when I cut back,I do also go out walking but don't walk for hours on end and I also do some excerises but with out my blogging I would become a zombie.

Hope you manage to complete your book
and look forward to hear it's been published.

Yvonne.

Mason Canyon said...

Posting every day is something else. The thing that I hate is the fact that I can't visit all the blogs I'd like to each day due to my work. Some days I can get by most and others days I do good to get by just a few.

Your writing comes first, it's understandable you need to focus on that. Best of luck and see you when you post.

Jan Morrison said...

As you may know, that's what I decided a few weeks ago. I've been blogging and commenting a bit more in the last week as I get close to my goal of first draft done but I really am making the writing my first priority. It is the tending of all one's new friends which takes the time as Mason says. I have promised my Friday Challenge and I usually make one other blog post in the week about my writing. And that is that...know your heart, dear Patricia!

Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Muses said...

Patricia, I agree - your work should come first! We'll see you here when you're able to be here.

I don't know how those who blog every day do it. I'm super impressed by that!

Mason, I'm with you about hating not being able to visit all the blogs we like due to work. This working for a living stuff is for the birds!

Terry Odell said...

Pat, I included guest posts once a week (although to be honest, they still require time--sometimes more than my own posts), and I also cut back on weekend posts. I found my hit count was always low on the weekends anyway. I started my Friday Field trips and leave photos on my blog over the weekend.

Speaking of which, I have openings both for Tuesday guests AND Friday Field trips -- if anyone's interested, let me know.

Unknown said...

Yes, that's why I cut back for awhile. But now, I've got a great schedule going and I been recycling old post from my old blog and that has helped.

CD

Anonymous said...

I've been posting three blogs a week for quite a while now. Just can't do six or seven anymore. I also try to limit my blogs to six or seven paragraphs max. The shorter, the better. Blogging demands a lot of time. I love the world of Blogdom, but I have to be smart about it so I can get all the other things done I need to do.

Stephen Tremp

Ann Best said...

Yup. Six to seven days a week is too much. I've got to cut down also, probably to M,W,F. Like you, I'm not getting anything done on the book I want to start writing.

And I need to stick to some kind of blogging timeframe. I'm thinking 7 to 9, or 8 to 10 in the evening. Something that works, anyway. I can be very flexible since I don't have a "job" or a husband's schedule to work around - and my daughter does what I tell her to do!! (smiley face - chuckles from Jen)

Elspeth Futcher said...

I can't imagine posting every day - five days is enough for me! I have also thought about cutting back - since I'd like more energy to go into my manuscripts than worrying about my posts. On the other hand, the interaction out here in the blogosphere is fantastic. On the other hand (yes, I have more than two, accept it and move on) I really need to finish some of my writing projects and move onto queries.

Patricia Stoltey said...

It really is difficult to turn our focus away from blogging, isn't it? I love the people who stop here, and I love visiting blogs. I just need to manage my time better. Eliminating four posts a week at about two hours each gives me eight hours of writing and revising time. Gotta do it.

Kerrie said...

Good for you for balancing your time. There is no way I could post everyday and get much of anything else done. I have brought on other NCW members to help with posts, so there is something on the blog each week day, but I only have one of those days. I really like it. It frees us a little time to get out and actually read some other great blogs--like yours. :-)

Linda L. Henk said...

I'm new at blogging and haven't done it every day. I find myself thinking more about blog subjects more than I do revisions. Good for you! I will be looking forward to your writing and to your new book!

Helen Ginger said...

The posting every day is not the hard part. It's visiting all the commenters. I love doing that, but it takes longer than posting. I spread it out over the day and do it during breaks from work.

Helen
Straight From Hel

Simon Hay said...

I aim for three posts per week, but I'm happy to settle for two. I can spend a whole day writing some posts. I think it's worth the effort though, and I like reading what other people have to say. Commenting is like stretching my back, gives me a break when I'm stuck. I also have to write around my appointments. I'm ordering your book today. Yay!

Jemi Fraser said...

I only blog 2 or 3 times a week - and it works out well. I do read other people's blogs daily though. It is a very time consuming project - but I find it a whole lot of fun too :)

Meghan Ward said...

I'm probably averaging three to four posts a week, but this week will only post two. It's great that people are blogging and getting their names out there, but not if it interferes with their writing. Editor Alan Rinzler posts once a week and his posts are fantastic, so he's proof that there's no need to post every day.