The Boy Scouts really know what they are talking about – you should always be prepared even with your blog. This Blogging Basics post is about being prepared. I know you should do it, even though I have gotten behind. 
This Blogging Basics post is about me speaking from experience. LOL!
Choose a day of the week or a time each day to work on upcoming blog posts so that you stay ahead of the game. Unfortunately, I did not follow my own advice. So, I am still out of town and trying to get a post written this morning so that my blog doesn’t appear dead.
One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to get ahead. I am a couple posts that get done a weekly basis and I plan to start the year writing as many as I can and getting this scheduled soon. I also plan to get some “filler” posts written and saved as drafts that way I can easily select one and put it on any day I need it. Every blogger who considers blogging their business should set their time up for this.
My best Blogging Basics ideas for getting ahead and staying ahead:
Always write more than one! If you have specific posts that go on each week (Examples for 3 Boys and a Dog): Monday is Menu Plan Monday, Wednesday is Blogging Basics, and Saturday is Web Wide Weekend Wrap Up) you can begin crafting them weeks in advance and start scheduling them in! Pull out your calendar (I use BusyBodyBooks) and pencil in each time you schedule a post. Hopefully within a few short weeks you will be a month ahead on several days.
Save some random posts! Write posts that aren’t for specific days and save them for a rainy day. I did this for quite some time and actually have a few that can be typed up for the future, but I haven’t had time. I would have been nice to have had them ready now!
Keep a few quick guest posters on hand! You know (or should know… try My Blog Guest) a couple people who like to guest post on your site and can turn a post around in a couple hours. They are great for vacation situations!
Plan ahead! As you are writing your regular weekly posts and random posts, go ahead and look ahead in your calendar. Do you have a busy time coming up? A vacation coming? Instead of slotting that weekly post into next week, slot it into 3 weeks from now when you will be out of town. Then, when you do more slot it into 2 months from now when the kids will be getting out of school.
I am curious, what do you do to keep your blog ahead of yourself?
About Kelli
Sounds like we have the same basic plan for our blog writing. I was hoping to get further ahead during my winter break, but hasn’t happened yet (I had a crazy goal of 30 extra posts written, edited and ready to roll – I’ve achieved 5).
I like the idea of writing ahead because we never know quite what life will bring. I also like to be less hurried in the morning before work, and if I have a blog post ready to roll out, it’s easier.
Tonight my kiddos are spending the night with their grandparents and won’t be home until tomorrow afternoon. I’m hoping to have a marathon writing session. Even if I just get first drafts written, it would be great!
I do keep a list of blog post ideas on my computer (numbered) and use a number randomizer (random.org) to select the next one to write. Sometimes forces me to get past my indecision about a topic.
Kimberly´s last [type] ..Have a Good Cry
@Kimberly, I love the number randomizer idea! I always have so many things that have to be written and I really don’t like to have a review and/or giveaway posted every day because I don’t actually consider my blog a review blog. ROTFL!
I have a blogging notebook and at the start of the week I plan the next weeks posts.
If I didn’t do this, I’d be all over the place as I’m not a very organised person lol
@Cass@frugalfamily, If you have a notebook that you plan into, you are actually organized! It takes an organized person to find the right item that works for them! Good job!
Good ideas! I try to have some blog posts written in advance, but not usually that far ahead. And every so often, I wake up on Monday morning and realize I have nothing scheduled!
Melissa´s last [type] ..Snowed In!
@Melissa, I hate that feeling! When I look ahead in my BusyBodyBook and have nothing highlighted and nothing even scribbled in it, I panic! Then, I sit in front of this computer for hours trying to get some stuff put there. My goal is to be better about that in the future. That way, if something comes up, I don’t have to stress that my posts aren’t done.
Good idea. Unfortunately the kinda blog we run is mostly commercial. Promotions reach our mailbox just arrive at the eleventh hours. And think of the loads just before holidays when you have to read and take actions on hundreds of emails. But we take up this challenge. So for us, it is next to impossible to plan for any particular post in advance. We just focus on the upcoming events and wait for new promotions to reach out mailbox.
Thanks anyway for nice suggestion,
Best Regards,
couponboa
@couponboa, I, too, get tons of commercial promotions in my inbox, but I don’t feel that they all have to be written that day. I can write them and schedule them a day or two in the future.
I would NEVER want to run one of those coupon sites, I would be so stressed!
@Kelli, sorry for responding late. We took a break for a week. I absolutely agree with you. Running a coupon website is not that easy. Still we enjoy it a lot because it helps everyone associated – the shoppers, the merchants, and we, standing in between the two. Thanks.
*sorry for the typos*. We are yet to get rid of holiday hangover…
Best regards,
couponboa
What I do is, while I’m surfing the net, reading other blogs, I get inspired by what others are writting and write down a topic. Then when I’m looking for something to write about I pull out the topic list and scratch one off. It helps to keep away writers block.
Margaret´s last [type] ..Rockin Green ROCKS
@Margaret, I hate when I have several topics and don’t want to write about any of them.
While at Kraft Kitchens, one thing they said was that they wanted to help us have content… I think the 14 of us collectively laughed. One lady was even brave enough to say, “Oh honey! You aren’t doing us any favors… we are doing them for you. Finding content is not a problem, it finds us!” She hit the nail on the head with that one. I get over 100 emails a day of people wanting to “give me content”
I have never been able to plan ahead.
What I write about that day is what is on my mind, my heart or what is going on in my life at that moment.
There are rare instances where I start a post and then come back to it a few days/weeks later, but that is rare.
For me, I feel like if I sat down and tried to write 2-3 posts in one day, it would not produce the best content.
Great topic, Kelle.
@Crystal & Co., So, what do you do when you go on vacation or to a conference? Just not post? I hate not posting, it always makes me feel like no one will have anything to read, so they won’t come. LOL!
I try to do this too.. I love the feeling of knowing my blog is still happening even when life gets busy… then I get lazy and find myself with big “holes” in my blog… and write write write to get all caught up again. LOL!
Good thinking on the guest bloggers, I hadn’t really thought of that.. I’m sure I have a friend or two who could write a blog post in a pinch!
Blessings!,
Shannon
Shannon´s last [type] ..Plans for 2011 – and a little introduction!
@Shannon, I love knowing I can relax when out of town and not have to schedule work into it.
I am working on getting ahead, right now I have 3 posts scheduled for Monday. Plus one each for Tuesday and Wednesday, plus I already know what else I am writing for those days. 
I also have a few guest posts that have been submitted, so I am hoping to slot those in to my week come tomorrow. 
I try to stay on top but something always happens and it gets me behind. I’m thankful when I am caught up though. Esp when something happens bc I know I have nothing to worry about!
Amy @ Marvelous Mommy´s last [type] ..I’m a Purex Insider!!! Check out the New Purex® Complete Crystals Softener!!
@Amy @ Marvelous Mommy, caught up!? What does that feel like exactly? I think I might slightly panic if I had everything done… then, what would I do? LOL!
@Kelli, Haha I’ve done that. What now!?!? Of course there is always something!
Amy @ Marvelous Mommy´s last [type] ..Free Ad Space!
I kinda wing it. Its nice when I do have topics in mind ahead of time and can belt out a few posts. This past year I did two series- ideally one post a week.
I have one series going now that reflects our Sunday Morning church messages because we have such great bible teaching at church and they offer the messages and study notes online for free. I call this one my SMR or Sunday Morning Review. I usually post about it Sunday or Monday but this past week I didn’t.
Tracy @ Hall of Fame Moms´s last [type] ..A Love like this – and a little Il Divo
OH- those series are not the ONLY posts I did/do. I post about local things, product reviews and giveaways too and I was busier with the reviews and giveaways than I had originally expected. All that has slowed down now, thankfully. I can enjoy a quieter pace for a little bit, maybe
Tracy @ Hall of Fame Moms´s last [type] ..A Love like this – and a little Il Divo
@Tracy @ Hall of Fame Moms, LOL! I have also decided to do less events so I have more time for the day-to-day blogging.
We will see if I stick to that, though. LOL! My events seem to bring the most traffic.
I don’t have a plan yet, but I like your suggestion and plan to implement something. I haven’t written anything since the beginning of the month, so I feel your pain. 2011 needs to be my year of organization.
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@Cookie, The year of organization.. hmm, wish I had thought of that first. LOL!
This should be one of my blogging goals for the year. I have to admit, I fall behind sometimes. I’m hoping for my blog to be my business. Right now it’s my little seed that’s growing. This post made me think a little.
Angie B´s last [type] ..Purex Complete Crystals Softener Review and giveaway 1-11-11 3 winners!
@Angie B, The one thing I have been doing (and really seen a difference in my numbers) is to think that it is a business.
This really helps me to treat it as one. My kids even say, “when you get off work can we do x or go x?” 
Hi all! I’m very new to blogging (set my Christian blog up with its first post on 01/01/11). I need to be organised because there are always so many projects and goals to achieve (each with their own set of sequential steps to follow). I printed out a monthly calendar from the internet, chose a couple of days to post on regularly and scheduled what I should be writing about on those days.
It is a system that has worked 100% (4 out of 4 times
), we’ll see if it needs changing if it gets broken.
Neil@Looking Towards Home´s last [type] ..What should I do when I am worried
This is a great idea! I’m just beginning my blog and was so excited to find that I could save a post and schedule it to post at a later time of my choosin! I am easily excited! LoL
Allison´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday
This post and comments are full of good ideas! I’m just getting into blogging. I’ll have to try some of them. Thanks everyone!