I read about it. I laughed about it. How hard could it really be to find time to regularly post to your blog(s)?  But having experienced dry spells myself over the last two years, I know first-hand some of the issues that can arise and smash your best-intentioned schedule to pieces.

So what happens? I would call it everyday happenings. Maybe your spouse’s schedule gets busy with work or community volunteer events. Your own work schedule can get extremely busy as you push out your latest product launch. The kids’ baseball/softball/football/soccer schedules can be extremely unfriendly to your night-time work schedule.  Between all the driving, working and parenting, it is very easy to spend little (no?) attention on our blogs, whether it be online research, promotion or writing.

So as I am now committed to building an income from my online blogging & affiliate sites, I spent a little time this weekend  trying to figure out what I could do to resolve this issue to a) either have it not happen, or b) if it does happen, to keep the “down-time” as short as possible. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Determine what my “Regular” posting schedule is for each of my blogs
   Not every blog needs to have daily postings, let alone multiple daily postings. I am still trying to determine what a proper schedule will be for each of my blogs, trying to be realistic with what I can actually achieve. As I add new blogs to my schedule, I try to set realistic weekly goals. This gives me some flexibility in when I post, and lets me feel good about meeting my goals. With new blogs, I usually shoot for a two to three post per week schedule, and then adjust my schedule accordingly after a 4-5 week starting period.
2. Spend dedicated chunks of time writing
   Unless you are a professional copywriter (and even then), writing can be a bit of a chore. Writing good content can be even more difficult. I’ve found two things to help me with my writing – spending dedicated chunks of time writing content, and writing about related subjects during this time. This is especially handy if you have a number of blogs that have varied content. Don’t forget to get everything setup prior to starting and try to avoid all distractions during this.
3. Write for posts 3 days from now
   Don’t feel pressured to get posts up “right now”, unless it is related to a breaking news story. Many of your blog posts can probably be considered “evergreen”, and as such would be as effective 3 days from now as it would be today. If you aim to have daily posts, write five posts in one day (See #2 above) and then use your blogging platform to schedule the publishing of these posts over the course of a week.
4. Write shorter posts, followup later if needed
   Not every one of your posts needs to be a literary tome. Quick updates, 50-word tips, a short review and link to a site of interest can all be ways to shorten your required “posting time” when you find yourself in a time-crunch. If a post warrants a follow-up, you can always write it and reference your original post at a future date.
5. Use Article sites to combat writer’s block
   If you’re stuck for what to write about, take a look at one of the many e-zine article repositories to serve as inspiration when your idea tank has run empty.
6. Review Press Releases for latest company information
   Press Release websites exist for many paid release services that companies use when launching new products or when they have news or information to reach the public. You can review these press releases and search for terms relevant to your blog for ideas or to find news relevant to your readers. PRNewswire, PRWeb and BusinessWire three of my regular stops.