This week, I reached a milestone on Zinc Moon….I hit publish on my 400th post!

That means I have done a post every day…for 400 days….as well as working full time!

I guess you can say I am somewhat addicted to sending my thoughts, ideas, experiences and reviews out into the big wide internet!

Zinc Moon is my space, and I really enjoy hanging out here, which is why I love writing every day

Blogging is not a stress for me….it is more like my therapy. Blogging seems to clear my head, and allows me to further my love of photography…and gadgets!

Now please keep in mind that blogging daily is not for everyone…it will only work if you feel comfortable with it. Some people find once a week works better, others twice a week…its your blog so your rules!

However, I have put together some tips that have helped me to keep up this pace and be a daily blogger….

how-to-be-a-daily-blogger

Make it fun!

Don’t view blogging as a chore…if you do, you will find it more and more difficult to let the words flow.  If it is a task you keep putting off or avoiding, then something is not right…it should be something you can enjoy.

If this is what’s happening with you, it might be time to sit back and examine your blog, and see if you can find out the reason why you and it aren’t friends that like to hang out anymore.

Let it flow

If you are trying to write a post and it’s just not happening, walk away and do something else…I sometimes start the day with absolutely no idea of what I will write about, then I hear about something, read about something…or experience something….and suddenly inspiration will strike!

I have learned the more I stress, the more it ain’t gonna happen…

No distractions

This is something I have only recently discovered…I found that I was able to write better if I used a blank page, such as Notepad, when drafting a post. For some reason, that works better for me, then typing directly into WordPress.

Once I have finished, I copy/paste into a new post and insert any relevant pictures.

And today, I found something even better….Wordpress has an inbuilt feature called “Distraction free Writing”….perfect!

Write it down

Often I will be doing something, and suddenly I have an idea…I have a memory of goldfish and if I don’t write it down immediately, it’s gone.

I may remember later…or most likely, I won’t!

This is why I always keep a notebook with me….this has saved me more then once when I have been stuck for a topic to write about!

Plan ahead

Use a planner, and map out posts for at least a few days ahead, if not weeks. I use a large one month to a page planner, and use sticky notices to plan out my post ideas. Once the post is done, I write it in, along with any stats.

I don’t always stick to the planner though, as many of my posts about something that has happened that particular day, but it means I can shift things around, and make sure I don’t forget about something.

Draft

If I have some time, I will sometimes start a few posts and save them as drafts. These can be handy if you are short of time, or the post you plan to do for the day doesn’t happen for some reason.

I work full time, but if I have a few spare minutes, I will often write a quick draft post in my notebook, or type it in an email to send to myself.

Choose your niche wisely

If you are struggling with blogging, then maybe your niche is too wide…or too narrow.

As you probably have noticed, this blog doesn’t fit neatly into any particular niche…however, I have discovered the term “personality blogger” and I like it….because Zinc Moon is an extension of my personality…I can write about whatever I want.

And I do…you just never know what I might post about next.

That’s what makes blogging every day easier for me…I am not constrained by subject…I can just be me!

Make a Deadline…or not

I always try to post around the same time every day, which means my regular readers will know when new content should appear.

It also gives me the incentive to get the thing done rather then getting distracted with other ideas and posts.

My publish time is usually around 5.30pm- 6pm…this works for me as I have the day to prepare if needed for the evening’s post.

Find the time that suits you and your lifestyle…some bloggers prefer first thing in the morning, others around lunchtime.

If you find that the time you select doesn’t work for you, see if changing the deadline helps.

And hey, feel free to totally ignore the deadline if that is works better for you…remember, your blog…your rules!

Schedule

Embrace scheduling…this can be a life saver too! I post in the evening so if I know we are going to be out, I make sure I have the post done and scheduled, so I don’t have to worry about it…and I don’t forget…yep, memory of a goldfish!

I don’t schedule more then a day ahead as I like to have the freedom to chop and change posts if I want, but the option is there if I ever need it…and that is comforting!

Set a goal

Set an achievable word count…I always aim for at least 300 words per post as that is comfortable for me. Some posts are longer…like this one…others are more image heavy.

The reason I do this is 300 words is not too hard to write…and once I hit that goal, and I don’t have anything more to add, I go back and refine what I have written, rather then rambling on for the sake of it.

And there you have it…

That is what works for me…I am a daily blogger who writes about many things…yet I have no kids, don’t travel much, am not crafty/arty and can’t cook to save myself!

But I do have an enthusiasm for learning and exploring the world around me, and I have a fantastic husband who assists when required!

Blogging is my hobby…my passion…and long may it continue!

Please let me know if you have any questions about being a daily blogger…I am happy to help!