Publishing a blog is almost as simple as pushing the magic button of my dreams. There are no spatial limits, and the only editing eye I need to satisfy is my own—which isn’t exactly objective.
You, however, will quickly tire of blog posts that don’t either inspire, educate, or entertain. So how do I make both quality and quantity consistent enough over the long haul that you will keep reading, subscribing, and commenting?
1. Something to be enthusiastic about
There’s an Albert Einstein quote that lives under the clear blotter on my desk: “We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” Enthusiasm for the topic will always shine through. Writing about what excites me will also keep blogging fun, which is the only consistent reward.
2. Stick to a schedule
I’ve been attending a 9am yoga class on Tuesdays, so I try hard to get my weekly post written before I go to class. That forces me to write during my most creative time (early morning), and it also imposes a 2-3 hour time frame that keeps me from wandering too far off track.
3. Explore a new idea
If I only write about what I already understand I will quickly run out of topics, so I use this blog as a way to explore new ideas. Often I’ll start writing about something and realize by the end of the post that I’ve reached a different conclusion. Then I’ll go back and edit the post to make it flow more smoothly, so that you can quickly absorb the point I’m trying to make.
Which brings me to my most important tip.
4. Enthusiasm + Clarity = Quality
Blogging may be casual, but I proofread and edit carefully before posting anything. Besides checking for spelling and grammatical errors, I try to make the primary idea of a post clear so that you don’t have to take too much of your valuable time to absorb it. It’s a sign of respect to you, and it also makes rereading old posts a lot more enjoyable.
As far as I know, there’s no magic button that will produce a weekly blog that’s worth the effort (both yours and mine). As long as I’m excited about sitting down at my desk every Tuesday morning, I’ll keep up with my weekly posts—and hopefully some will continue to resonate with you all. Because isn’t that what this blogging thing is all about?
