Wednesday, December 5, 2012

IWSG: Do I Need a Weekly Schedule?




I missed posting last month, and I mean MISSED as in wow, it was amazing the support and encouragement that I received from you bloggers during my first foray into this wonderful group, and I want more. Thank you. You took me seriously and you answered my questions honestly.  


This week what plagues me is my blog's format. A lot of bloggers follow a schedule, so I know that Mondays I'll get musings from the weekend, Wednesday a haiku, and Fridays something random. I like that. I've tried giving myself a schedule, but can't decide what it would be.

I used to have a meme schedule, where the only day I wasn't involved in something with a linky list was Mondays. That got exhausting because there was so much visiting it took away from writing and visiting my regular buddies and responding to comments on my own posts.

I started my blog to practice writing, so I can “legally” write about anything. I'm finding that topic too wide. I get paralyzed staring at the blank page wondering what in the world will make someone come read. (And I know readership is down because my blogging is down, but it's a cycle...) I want honest feedback, real opinions, I'm not afraid to start a controversial debate, either.

Do you think it would draw more readers if they knew that on Mondays they'd get a Swedish childhood story, Wednesday a poem with the good folks at dVerse (if you're a poet, gotta check 'em out – awesomely welcoming group), and then Fridays an embarrassing story. (This is an example. Not saying I could keep up with this schedule...)

Do you have a schedule? Do you tend to read more blogs that do? What is your opinion of what would be best for me at this time? Honestly, please tell me.

Alex J. Cavanaugh with the help of some friends host this hop the first Wednesday of the month.  Come join us!  Click on the picture for the link to the linky (the one in the sidebar).

13 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I don't think it matters. I don't have a set schedule outside of the IWSG post and a movie preview post at some point near the end of the month. The only consistency is the Ninja News. I read blogs no matter what their schedule. (Although it is nice knowing when they will post. Content doesn't matter though.)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tina .. I don't follow a schedule and I don't have a theme ... I try and get to post with bloggers I relate to ...

Some blogs I definitely will read - I like to learn ...

I had to find my own way .. and it really ended up being my voice - thankfully people come and I can turn my blogging fingers whichever way they feel like going .. I like to learn, so include something in that direction too.

I hope other writers (bloggers) will be more helpful than I am here .. I'll be here regardless .. cheers Hilary

JoJo said...

I try to publish every other day but having a set schedule is too much pressure. The most I ever do is Wordless Wednesday a couple times a month. I would love to read stories about your childhood in Sweden. I'm not much into poems though, although I know lots of people are. I just don't 'get' them at all. Unless they are set to music as lyrics.

Brian Miller said...

i think a schedule is more for you than the reader honestly...i think consistency is huge as well...if you goal is to write....write..

Annalisa Crawford said...

I tried a schedule, but after a couple of months or so I decided it wasn't for me - I almost felt more pressure than when I make it up as I go along. But if you don't try it, you won't know if it would work for you.

M.J. Fifield said...

I've done both the set schedule and the free for all. I don't think it matters too much which path you choose. What's important is that it works for you.

Unknown said...

I don't have a schedule, but I do believe that I need one. It would help me be far more organized than I am and get a lot more done. I think if you choose to put yourself on a schedule it can only help. :)

Shannon Lawrence said...

It helps me to have a semi-set schedule. Mondays are open to whatever I want to post about, while Wednesdays are [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday and Links. It simplifies things for me. Even then, though, there are days where I'm staring at the blank page wondering what to post on a Monday.

I think it really depends what will help YOU. Maybe try out a schedule briefly and see if you like it. Do what makes you happy and helps you post, and people will enjoy what you're enjoying.

Shannon at The Warrior Muse

T said...

I have to agree with what Brian said above... I also think blogging schedules are more for the writer than the readers. I planned to try a M,W,F schedule myself a few months back, but it was just too intimidating and it restricted my freedom to just... write. I tend to post when I have the time and there are no distractions at home, which has been less frequent in recent months. I think what it comes down to is questioning the purpose of your blog. Are you wanting to create a large following and make a name for yourself or extra cash through advertising? Or are you going to blog strictly for yourself regardless of whether or not anyone reads it? Thinking about the audience you want to reach should help you decide what to write and how often to write it...

loverofwords said...

T's comments are good -- what is the purpose of your blog? And remember, I think if you try and please others, not yourself, it won't work. What posts make you happy? I could tell that writing about the Swedish language and your memories about Sweden made you happy. I enjoyed reading them (Haj) Schedules work for some. And of course you have to feel you have made a connection. And don't feel it is a contest, it isn't.

Hart Johnson said...

I can't stick to one. I get bored, or have the wrong kind of inspiration on the wrong day. It stresses me out to have too many parameters. And I guess there are one or two themes I try to hit--a couple blogs have fun fridays and I like to hit those ON Friday (funnies) and a couple I am NOT so keen on (I have a few friends who post poetry on certain days and I'm just not a conneseur), but mostly I don't pay any attention to WHAT on which day.

Anonymous said...

I've tried working to a schedule before, but abandoned it fairly quickly.

I think it depends on what sort of effect it has on you. Writing on a regular theme on a regular basis is restricting, for good and bad. If having the need to get something down on a particular subject focuses your mind, then it's helpful, but if it makes you more anxious then it's counterproductive.

Depends on you as an individual, really!

Linda King said...

I don't really see the point of a schedule except for your own use. I imagine we all dip in and out of blog reading, depending on how much time we have. An interesting title and first few lines will hook most people, I reckon. Don't change anything unless you want to1 :-)