How I Write my Blog Posts
Today I share with you the writing process behind my blog posts, how I keep track of my ideas and how I stay on top of my production and publishing schedule.
I’ll also share with you my free content calendar template, which you can download at the end of this page. This is a template of the calendar I use to stay on top of things with my blog, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram!
The Idea
It all starts with an idea, a thought, like this post, I wanted to find scripts I wrote for my YouTube channel to turn into a blog post. This post was previously written for YouTube and called “How I write my scripts for YouTube”. And it became “How I write my blog posts”. That one was pretty simple.
But what do I do when I don’t recycle old ideas? I brainstorm and focus on what I’m trying to build with my online presence, I try to come up with content ideas that will answer questions for my ideal audience. And, this is very important, as soon as I get an idea, I write it in my content calendar, so I don’t forget about it.
You have to know what the main subjects you want to cover are, so you don’t get side-tracked writing about things that won’t connect with your audience or help your business. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s best if you enjoy what you’re writing about, but it’s even better if it serves you, your audience, and your business all at once.
What’s my personal approach to this?
I write about things I know, things related to the business I am creating, and my own experience of starting an online business from scratch, while having a day job, so that I can help you with your own business.
And to keep it fun for me, and for you, I try to mix writing about my personal experience and bringing you value in each post I write. It’s not a rule, sometimes I like to just ramble, and sometimes I am more focused on sharing insights and actionable steps, but I think it’s more fun for all of us if I manage to do both for each post I create!
So, know what your main topics are, brainstorm ideas, write them down directly in your content calendar if you can, and always be on the lookout for new ideas that might pop up randomly when you’re cleaning your house or out grocery shopping. (This is why I like to have my content calendar in my Google Drive, so I can access it anywhere I want, you can make it available offline as well).
Make sure you focus on being authentic and providing tips to your audience, always think about what you can help them with.
Scheduling and Being Prepared
The best advice I have for writing blog posts or creating any form of content consistently, is to prepare yourself in advance. Without preparation you will most likely end up feeling overwhelmed and freeze. How do you prepare yourself to write content? Well, filling up your content calendar with ideas was the first step, now you have to make sure you plan time for writing.
If you don’t plan for it, you’re at risk to not take the time to do it, not take yourself seriously, and get a feeling that you’re doing it wrong and maybe get discouraged. You have to know when you are going to sit down to write, and make it non-negotiable. You have to commit to your schedule if you really want to start creating content consistently and build your online presence.
I know this sounds overwhelming, but time management and scheduling are going to become your best friends on this journey. Every Sunday, my priority is to sit down behind my desk and write, I have nothing else planned on that day, and if I don’t feel like it, or would rather go to the movies, I still get up, make breakfast, and just dive in. Once I’m started I usually can’t stop myself, but getting started can be the hardest part, this is why making sure you booked writing time in your schedule and stick to it is important.
Writing
But how do I actually write my posts?
Well, I can tell you how it happened this morning as I am writing this. I looked at my content calendar to see what subject was next, opened a new sheet and started writing. For the first draft I just write without thinking about the final form of my post yet, I write whatever comes to mind relating to the subject I am writing about. Often I will get a better idea of what I really want to say as I am writing. And I will most likely change the title of my post about five times before it gets published.
When I’m done with the first draft, I will either work on the second draft right away (which is what I’m doing right now), or I will work on another post and come back to this one later.
Sometimes I can write a whole post in one sitting, but I like to come back to it at a later time, to have a fresh perspective on my thoughts. Also I usually spot mistakes much faster when I come back to it with a fresh outlook.
What happens if I sit down and inspiration doesn’t come for the subject I picked?
I would usually go online and see if I can find something to read on the subject, more often than not, after a few minutes of reading on the topic, I will get ideas for my own post and get to work.
Like I said, I like to come back to my work a few hours or days after I wrote my first or second draft, and this is what I’m doing right now, this is my third editing for this post, and I’m starting to feel like I’m getting somewhere.
I learned my time management and productivity skills during my years of producing and directing for my (other) YouTube channel, freelancing as a photographer, working in cafés and restaurants, and now in my day job as a production assistant for a film company, where part of my job is literally to plan things and make sure they happen.
I’m happy to share that knowledge with you and help you on your writing and content creation journey. My focus is to be here to serve anyone who needs advice and guidance with starting a side project or business while having a day job. Time management and staying on top of things with content creation is a big part of that journey.
You can download my free content calendar template by clicking the link below. I hope it serves you well and helps you move forward on your journey!
