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A 5-Step Plan for Writing Fresh Content Every Week (Even If You Don’t Have Time)

by Henneke | 100 enchanting opinions, add yours? :)

How to Create Fresh Content Every Week
Ever look back at your week, and wonder what happened?

You started the week with good intentions. In your mind, you’d already written an epic blog post.

But then you sat at your desk. You stared at a blank sheet; and the words wouldn’t come.

Your friend Procrastination peeked her head around the door, distracting you with little tasks that seemed more appealing than writing that blog post.

Does blogging feel like an enormous task?

You’re not alone.

Yet, the secret to a regular blogging schedule is simpler than you might think: Chop up the writing process.

Want to feel good about your weekly writing?

Here’s how …

How to chop up the writing process

Imagine cooking a festive meal for friends and family …

Chicken saté. Prawns in yellow curry. Beef rendang. Stirfried veggies. Pickled cucumber with pineapple and tomato. Prawn crackers. Rice. Mango sorbet.

Makes your head spin, doesn’t it?

To prepare the whole meal, you consider which dishes you can prepare beforehand. A curry can be cooked the day before, while veggies have to be stirfried just before your meal.

You also think about the different processes involved. You can chop all the vegetables and grind all the spices before you start grilling, frying, and cooking.

With writing blog content it’s the same. You don’t have to do everything all at once. Consider the different parts of the post: The headline, opening, main body, and final paragraph.

And cut the process into steps: idea generation, outlining, writing a first draft, editing, and formatting.

When you cut the big task of writing into smaller tasks, writing a blog post becomes more doable—even if you have only small gaps in your busy schedule.

So, here’s how you could create a weekly schedule …

Day 1. Start your blog post

Do you keep a notebook or folder with blog post ideas?

If you don’t, then schedule 30 minutes for a brainstorming session first. Think about your ideal reader, and consider what problems you can solve for them. How can you help them be more productive, happier, healthier, or wealthier?

Write down at least 30 ideas in 30 minutes. Keep all your ideas on a list, and add ideas whenever people ask questions or provide useful comments. If you keep your eyes and ears open, you probably need to do a brainstorming session only once a year. You’ll hardly ever run out of ideas.

Now it’s time to start your next blog post:

  • Browse through your notebook, and pick an idea.
  • Write a working title (a how-to works best). Make sure your working title explains how your reader will benefit from reading your post. Which problem will it solve? What will they learn?
  • Outline your post by jotting down preliminary subheads; think about the examples you can use or the mini-stories you can tell.
  • If you’d like to add quotes or stats, or need to do other research, do this on day 1, too. When you write a first draft, you don’t want to get distracted by research because it slows your writing down too much.

Need to do a lot of research? Plan this first in your calendar and review what publishing schedule is feasible. You may prefer to publish every other week rather than weekly.

Day 2. Use a timer to beat procrastination

Some people say writing gets easier over time.

But in my experience, writing is like cycling uphill. When your fitness improves, you get faster to the top, but your legs still hurt as much.

I hate writing a first draft. I have to overcome so much resistance, that I try writing first drafts when I feel groggy—before breakfast. At that time my inner critic is still half-asleep and doesn’t have enough energy to rebel.

Here’s how I write a first draft:

  • The opening paragraph can feel tricky to write, so I leave it for later.
  • I set a timer and write my first draft as quickly as possible—usually in two sessions of 25 minutes with a short break in between.
  • I also skip the final paragraph, because it’s better to write it when I feel fresh and enthusiastic.

If you’re struggling to get a first draft done, give yourself permission to write badly. Just write as fast as you can. Revision is for later.

Day 3. Write the 3 most important parts

Focus today on the most important parts of your blog post. Think about your ideal reader and how your post is going to help them:

  • Your headline must grab attention; it can make the difference between so-so social sharing and a popular post. Write half a dozen headline options—the first option is rarely the best.

  • Nobody reads a post with a drab opening, so your opening must tempt visitors to read on. The best format for blog openings is to empathize with your reader and promise them you’ll help them solve a specific problem they’re facing.

  • Your closing paragraph must inspire your reader to take action. Don’t let your post fizzle out. Take away an obstacle to implementing your advice or give your reader a pep talk.

To grow your influence online you must get people to read, share, and act on your advice. That’s why the headline, opening, and closing are critical.

Day 4. Edit your post

Editing your post is like carving a pretty flower from an ugly carrot.

You cut away the waste to reveal a smooth and gripping story. These are your main editing tasks:

  • Pick your favorite headline.
  • Polish your subheads to entice scanners to start reading.
  • Cut flabby adverbs and weak phrases to make your writing stronger.
  • Add questions to make your content more conversational.
  • Make the transitions between sentences smooth so readers effortlessly glide through your content.
  • Check for grammar and spelling mistakes.
  • Read your post aloud to find the right rhythm.

Want readers to enjoy your posts? Editing is where the magic happens.

Day 5. Format, publish and promote your post

Yay! You’re nearly done.

On the last day, publish your post:

  • Find or draw a picture.
  • Format your post in WordPress.
  • Add links from a few old blog posts to your new blog post (and from your new blog post to a few old blog posts).
  • Write an email to promote the post to your email subscribers.
  • Promote the post on social media.

Don’t forget to pat yourself on your back for publishing your post!

Work that isn’t scheduled doesn’t get done

Each blog post you write is an opportunity to engage your fans. To get more shares. To gain more traffic. To grow your authority. To find new readers. To win more business.

But when you don’t block time in your calendar, tasks don’t get done.

So, don’t let blogging slip to the bottom of your to-do list.

Stick to a schedule that works—whether that’s once a week or every other week or even once a month.

Grow your audience. Build your business. And be proud of your work.

Recommended course:

Enchanting Blog Writing

Learn how to engage, educate, and inspire your readers

“I had been trying to master writing blog posts for nearly three years. I was at the point of giving up. Then, I signed up for Henneke’s blog writing course. It was what the doctor ordered. The course was easy to follow and understand. I finally got it. I am now confident writing blog posts.”
~ Robert Malone

5 stars

“Even though I’m a published writer, I found the course super helpful and my blog posts contain more meat and substance than ever before.”
~ Stacy S. Cohen

5 stars

Further reading on pain-free blog writing:

17 blogging prompts to spark a wave of creativity
Hemingway Bridges: How to maintain writing momentum
How to train your brain to write more

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Comments

  1. Nick says

    March 29, 2024 at 11:14 am

    Good article! This doesn’t only apply to writing articles for your website, but almost anything in living; if tasks seem to big and daunting, chop it up into different activities and tasks to make it more managable. It’s easier to do a little every day than to do everything all at once.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      March 29, 2024 at 11:16 am

      Yes, that’s so true. I chop every task up. It’s magic.

      Reply
  2. Michael says

    October 9, 2023 at 6:53 pm

    Excellent. Will have to give this process a try. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 9, 2023 at 8:39 pm

      Great! Let me know how you get on?

      Reply
  3. Shyam Bhardwaj says

    April 21, 2023 at 2:23 am

    Excellent plan, Henneke. In my personal opinion – the opening paragraph is the most challenging part to draft. This segment makes readers read further or skip the entire post.

    What do you think works better?

    1) Some bloggers take so many words and time to elaborate on the post’s context and then jump to the solution part.
    2) And the bloggers who directly shift to the main content…

    What’s your suggestion?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      April 21, 2023 at 9:39 am

      As you can see, I like keeping my opening paragraphs relatively short but I never skip it. I wrote more about how to open a blog post here: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-write-opening-paragraphs/

      Reply
  4. Alexis Rusty says

    November 27, 2021 at 3:17 am

    Now that Google pays more attention to quality article, thank you for sharing these tips. There are times, when words won’t come out of my mouth (or my fingertips), even though I know what subject I want to write on a particular day.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      November 27, 2021 at 12:36 pm

      Taking it step by step can make it a lot easier to write! Thank you for stopping by, Alexis.

      Reply
  5. Sue Brettell says

    June 18, 2021 at 11:08 am

    All hail Henneke, Queen of Sensory Writing! Visual, kinesthetic, gustatory …a tasty concoction of learning styles, with hints of auditory and the rare olfactory by magicking us into an exotic kitchen as you feed us with your compelling messages. Your writing looks, sounds, feels, tastes and smells absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 18, 2021 at 7:19 pm

      What a wonderful title … The Queen of Sensory Writing 🙂

      Thank you, thank you, Sue.

      Reply
  6. Liliek says

    February 19, 2021 at 3:28 am

    Hi Henneke,

    Chicken sate from Madura East Java and beef rendang from Padang in West Sumatra, they all Indonesian food, my country. Thanks, you have presented them here.

    As always, your articles motivate me to write better. The 5 steps you mentioned are very useful.

    Henneke, I’d like to know what you think about keyword research. Are you researching keywords before you write your blog posts? Or have you written about the topic before?

    I have spent a lot of time doing keyword research and have hardly had good results.

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 19, 2021 at 10:16 am

      Yes, I love Indonesian food!

      I do some keyword research but not a lot as I have very little time. I mostly focus on writing for my audience and writing about topics that fascinate me. You can read more about my approach here: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/seo-writing/ It may be that you’re not getting good results because you don’t get enough links. Without links, it’s hard to get ranked. Even before I started with my own blog, I wrote guest posts. I mainly did this to raise my profile but it also helped build links to my site.

      Reply
  7. Abhishek Munian says

    February 18, 2021 at 3:15 pm

    Aweosme! Loved it

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 19, 2021 at 10:17 am

      Thank you, Abishek.

      Reply
  8. Marwa says

    March 19, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    Thank you for your doable plan! It certainly makes blogging more achievable. Do you have any tips for breaking up the research process before writing? 🙂

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      March 20, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      If you do research for a specific blog post, then the most important thing is to be clear about the question you want to answer in your blog post, so you can keep your research focused. Otherwise, it’s too easy to follow myriad interesting ideas and you risk feeling overwhelmed by too much information.

      Reply
      • Marwa says

        August 27, 2020 at 6:34 pm

        Your reply stuck with me, Henneke! Is it okay to include it as a quote in a blog I’m writing?

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          August 28, 2020 at 10:25 am

          Yes, sure. Thanks for asking.

          Reply
  9. Stacia says

    August 1, 2019 at 3:17 am

    Thanks for the valuable tips, as always. I’m working on my email marketing skills and have been trying to write an email a day. It’s been overwhelming to write and edit within a short period of time. I think the 5 day plan is better for me at this stage. Ultimately, I’d like to crank out several emails/day, but for now I gotta crawl before I walk.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      August 1, 2019 at 1:44 pm

      Depending on how long your emails are, you may also want to test a two or three day plan. On day one, you could plan your emails for the next few days (or weeks), then on day two, write a first draft of an email, on day three edit the email + write a draft of the next, and so on. Such a plan works well for me if I have to write a lot of emails.

      Reply
  10. Sharon Zayac says

    June 8, 2019 at 1:54 pm

    Hi Henneke, This post is gold, I am new to blogging and I am glad that I found this post on my early stages of blogging. I like the idea of using a timer, will follow everything.

    Thanks a lot for such a great post

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 10, 2019 at 5:58 pm

      I’m so glad you found this useful, Sharon. Happy blogging! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Patricia Berka says

    November 8, 2018 at 6:28 pm

    This is wonderful.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      November 8, 2018 at 7:31 pm

      Thank you, Patricia. Happy writing!

      Reply
  12. Daniela says

    September 16, 2018 at 11:40 am

    Great post, thanks. Very clear. I started a every other day video blog but I hate videos and I would like to switch to a weekly written blog. So I will try to stick to this and see if I can put together good content for a higher level of followers. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      September 16, 2018 at 1:22 pm

      I am not keen on videos either. I prefer writing 🙂 Happy blogging!

      Reply
  13. Katharine says

    June 7, 2018 at 6:58 pm

    So clear. And so easy to read. I wonder if I can finally just do it. 🙂
    Thanks for this input, Henneke. <3

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      June 7, 2018 at 8:40 pm

      Yes, you can do it 🙂

      Reply
  14. Matthew says

    March 29, 2018 at 11:35 am

    Hey Henneke,

    I swear you were writing to me. I flake out of writing all the time; much to my frustration. This is just the motivation and plan of action that I need to do this properly.

    thanks, Matt

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      March 29, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      Yes, I was writing to you, Matt 😉

      I hope the plan works for you, too. Let me know?

      Reply
      • Matthew says

        March 29, 2018 at 6:50 pm

        Shall do

        Reply
  15. Ida Darmawan says

    February 1, 2018 at 1:41 pm

    Just came across this post today and I’m so glad I did 🙂 It’s so true that spreading it over several days make for a better post. I guess writing is more like beef rendang or curry and not stir-fry 🙂 I love your food examples, btw, remind me of my home country 😉

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      February 1, 2018 at 4:52 pm

      Yep, that’s it: “I guess writing is more like beef rendang or curry and not stir-fry”

      Thank you for stopping by, Ida. I’m glad you’re enjoying my food metaphors! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Andia says

    October 28, 2017 at 11:53 pm

    This is an eye opener. Just wow starting next week. This looks achievable

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 31, 2017 at 6:28 pm

      Let me know how you get on?

      Happy writing!

      Reply
  17. Mark says

    November 11, 2015 at 11:45 pm

    What an awesome post Henneke!

    Although this is my very first visit to your blog.

    I came here by way of Elna Cain’s awesome blog. I really
    like your extremely unique approach t consistently creating some,
    extremely fresh, “how to” problem solving content.

    And I really like your process and strategies in tip # 4.

    It’s extremely detailed orientated!Thanks so much for sharing your process.

    Reply
  18. Lynne Wilson says

    October 25, 2015 at 3:33 pm

    Yes, that does help clarify the approach I should take. Being simply : “what inspired you and how it inspired you”

    Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
  19. Lynne Wilson says

    October 21, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    Hi Henneke,
    I have a fundamental question about blogging that’s been bugging, and holding me back for a while. If I want to write about something creative I’ve been inspired by, for example, an art exhibition, or an interesting new material, that I think will be of interest to my contacts (the design community) then what ‘angle’ should I put on it if it’s not solving any problem?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 22, 2015 at 8:49 pm

      Hi Lynne – That’s a different type of blog post than what I usually write (I always write tutorial-type posts where I solve a problem so people can learn something). In your case, it’s less about solving a specific problem. By sharing what inspired you and how it inspired you, you look to inspire your audience, too. Does that feel better?

      Reply
  20. Iris Buenconsejo says

    October 17, 2015 at 9:09 pm

    Hi Henneke! I just came cause I saw your newsletter from my inbox (which I am subscribed to using my personal email address for months now), and I wanted to come here to say thank you so much for being one of my marketing inspirations. I think I stumbled upon you after researching on how to write content.

    I laughed at this line: Editing your post is like carving a pretty flower from an ugly carrot.

    Which feels very true. Thanks for writing this post. I’ve bookmarked it and it’s 4AM here in Philippines but reading this is like having breakfast. 🙂 You’ve put a smile to my face.

    Also, I enjoy your mini email snacks. I really love how digestible they are. Not a lot of writers/marketers can have that effect on me. Your writing is very enjoyable.

    Cheers,
    Iris of Earth Love Skin

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 18, 2015 at 10:49 am

      Hi Iris, Nice to “meet” you” 🙂

      Thank you for your lovely comment. Happy writing!

      Reply
  21. Eric van Hall says

    October 17, 2015 at 3:25 pm

    Great content! I’ve been publishing a blogpost a week for over two years and I recognize a lot of what you’re writing. But I think we all find our own ways to get the job done. Most important is to keep to the schedule over time. That builds trust and thus an audience.

    Just one remark. I found a grammar error that’s actually quite funny:

    “Want to readers to enjoy your posts? Editing is where the magic happens.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 17, 2015 at 3:31 pm

      Yes, sure. This is not a strict process that everyone must follow to the letter. It simply provides one way of chopping up the process and tackling the writing process when you feel overwhelmed. Steps can be combined, the order can be changed, etc.

      Thanks for letting me know about the typo. I appreciate it.

      Reply
  22. Simran Killawal says

    October 17, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    Thank you for your amazing tips. These are pretty concise and clear tips on blogging unlike those highly complex and exhaustively long articles. Will try to make a schedule for blogging. Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 17, 2015 at 2:58 pm

      You’re welcome 🙂

      Reply
  23. Bree says

    October 17, 2015 at 3:24 am

    And now I know how to keep moving ahead on my blog the end of this month. Win! Dankuwel, Henneke!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 17, 2015 at 2:36 pm

      Yay! I’m so glad to hear that, Bree. 🙂

      (And, of course, this approach works for guest posting, too!)

      Reply
  24. Jennee R says

    October 16, 2015 at 12:29 am

    Interesting approach! I sometimes do this, but not spread over an entire week, maybe 3 days instead of 5. The more I read about how important headlines and the first sentence are, the more I look at my old posts and cringe….lol

    I agree that breaking it up in smaller chunks makes writing a blog post less daunting, especially if you’re pressed for time. I really like the idea about brainstorming 30 ideas in 30 minutes!

    Great tips! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 17, 2015 at 2:35 pm

      Yes, 3 days can work well, too. I think we all have to find the schedule that works best for us. We all have different demands on our time.

      Let me know how you get on with your brainstorming session? Have fun!

      Reply
  25. Mercy says

    October 15, 2015 at 12:06 pm

    Hi Henneke, thanks for sharing. I follow the above when writing but my biggest problem is that I take a lot of time to edit my posts. I hope to work much faster.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 15, 2015 at 10:36 pm

      I spend a lot of time editing, too. It used to upset me (and sometimes still irritates me), but I’ve also found that it’s the part of writing I enjoy most. So I’ve decided the editing takes as long as it takes.

      What has helped me in reducing editing time is starting with a good outline and a clear idea of the purpose of the blog post, so I don’t need to spend any time re-arranging paragraphs and can focus on making each sentence sound right.

      Reply
  26. Lucy Chen says

    October 15, 2015 at 3:00 am

    Thank you, Henneke. If I don’t paint, I think I’ll have more time for blogging. But maybe that’s still an excuse 🙂

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 15, 2015 at 10:34 pm

      I’d never suggest you should stop painting!

      Find a schedule that works for you. You don’t have to blog every week if that feels too much. Try every other week instead. A regular schedule really helps.

      Only you can decide how much time you want to spend blogging and painting 🙂

      Reply
  27. Christy says

    October 15, 2015 at 1:58 am

    Thanks Henneke, I’m going to try this. I’m a newbie at writing. I’ve been trying to get my ideas for putting together a website. The core pages are taking me forever… but I feel like blogging may be easier because it will be focused on one subject, rather than selling our services and products.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 15, 2015 at 10:32 pm

      You can use a similar principle for writing your core pages, too. On the first day, make a list of features and benefits you need to cover, plus objections you need to take away. On the second day, create a rough draft. On the third day, edit your draft. Whatever writing I do, I always spread it out over a number of days. When you allow ideas to percolate, your ideas become clearer and your content gets better. Good luck!

      Reply
  28. Chelsea Baldwin says

    October 14, 2015 at 4:42 pm

    I really like this process of breaking up blog posts… it makes things way more manageable and less daunting, and it’s the process I’ve adopted for writing blog posts for my clients that require blogging.

    For example, I take one day to do research, one day to write the first draft, and one day to polish and put on a good conclusion. It’s much less intimidating, and by breaking it up, my mind is much fresher and the content turns out better.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 14, 2015 at 5:37 pm

      Great to hear it’s working for you, too. Like you, I’ve also found that the content turns out better when I spread the work over several days.

      Thank you for stopping by, Chelsea!

      Reply
  29. Alison Beere says

    October 14, 2015 at 10:54 am

    Thank you as always for actionable material! Your step by steps are really amazing, so doable, so clear.

    Do you ever do the entire process in one day? Most weeks devoting 5 (or even 3) days to writing is not possible for me.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 14, 2015 at 5:35 pm

      I’ve tried writing posts in one day when I was just starting out. But in my experience, it took up a lot more time than when I spread the process over more days.

      The first day (choosing an idea and outlining) probably only takes 10 minutes, or so, so it’s quite easy to fit in. You can then combine for instance day 2 + 3, and day 4 + 5. Or if you struggle with first drafts, then you might want to do only day 2, and then combine 3 + 4 + 5. Try it and see what works for you. I don’t want to present it as a rigid schedule, but more as an overview of smaller steps that you can use to find the ideal schedule for you. It also depends on how long your articles are.

      Most people find it easier to leave 24 hours between writing and editing. It makes it easier to spot opportunities for improvement. We become also a little less precious about cutting irrelevant paragraphs (that perhaps on the day when we wrote it, we were quite attached to).

      Good to see you again!

      Reply
  30. Mark Crosling says

    October 14, 2015 at 5:04 am

    I don’t think anyone would feel overwhelmed after reading your post Henneke.

    Logical bite size and hassle free approach. Loved it!

    PS. When I started reading “Chicken saté. Prawns in yellow curry. Beef rendang. Stirfried veggies” I thought you must be writing from Malaysia 😉

    Enjoy your week
    Mark

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 14, 2015 at 5:28 pm

      Now, there’s an idea! I’d love to be writing this while in Malaysia. But if I’d been in KL, then I would have let you know!

      Malaysian food is my favorite type of food. Makes me hungry thinking of it …

      Reply
  31. Kathy says

    October 14, 2015 at 12:29 am

    Hi Henneke,

    Just discovered you two weeks ago and I am loving your material – working through two of your books as we speak. I wanted to thank you for this post and also for writing so openly about your own struggles with self-doubt and procrastination. I’m definitely going to try this approach. Breaking it down into steps makes it seem not so overwhelming.

    Thanks,
    Kathy

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 14, 2015 at 5:26 pm

      Thank you for your lovely comment, Kathy. Nice to meet you! 🙂

      Reading two books at once? I hope you’ll find them both useful (without feeling overwhelmed!).

      Reply
  32. Renard Moreau says

    October 13, 2015 at 10:28 pm

    [ Smiles ] Great points, Sherman.

    However, the part about using a timer is a bit daunting!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 10:31 pm

      I think you’re on the wrong blog. Sherman didn’t write this 😉

      I now find using a timer less daunting than trying to write without a timer!

      Reply
  33. aida suarez says

    October 13, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    Wao! “An Enchanting Evening….” Nice song! And 5 Enchanting suggestions to follow. You had done it again lady, teaching us how to not procrastinate and be organize when starting to writing blogs. Thanks again for the free lesson!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 9:54 pm

      As a poet, you’re allowed to procrastinate, aren’t you?

      🙂

      Reply
  34. Tom Southern says

    October 13, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    Hi Henneke,

    Oh yes, I’ve had many a week like that. Sometimes, I think I’m a time-traveller! Only in one direction – future. Well, they do say “Never go back.”

    Notebooks are handy. I’ve always kept one. Ideas don’t keep appointments! They just crash in whenever they feel like it.

    Good tips for getting content started, done and edited. I really have to get tough with myself sometimes. For instance, I’ve had to get a desk and actually sit down at it. Yup, who knew! 🙂 Usually, I’m sitting down on the settee with laptop warming my lap. Sometimes, this works for getting content done. Sometimes not, that’s when the desk comes in handy.

    My other source for getting writing is to read one of Bernadette Jiwa’s short posts (5 minutes reads). She’s like an ideas factory.

    Mango sorbet? Hmm – No, just write, Tom! 🙂

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 9:54 pm

      I think we all have to figure out what distracts us and find ways to stop the distractions – whether it’s moving to a desk or shutting the door or closing our browsers. Once I accepted that I struggled with writing first drafts, I could try out different ideas to get over my resistance.

      I now want to have a mango sorbet, too… 🙂

      Reply
  35. Brent says

    October 13, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    Clever tips. I think I’m going to try this starting today.

    Cheers,
    Brent

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 15, 2015 at 10:29 pm

      Great!

      Reply
  36. Yusuff Busayo says

    October 13, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    Hey, Henneke,

    Yet another crunchy piece worthy of a gazillion tweets (sorry I can only afford one or two).

    I read this to the bottom and made sure to archive it. Why? Because it would be doubly useful from now on.

    I found different writing methods work for different writers. Like I love to write my first draft before bothering with research, headline, and subheads (interestingly though, they sort of always come inbetween).

    And of course, this epic snack isn’t ruling out the fact you should follow a method that works for you, right? But I sure would recommend this for myself and my blog readers. It’s highly relevant.

    Thanks a lot for sharing, Henneke.

    Best regards.

    Yusuff Busayo

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 9:49 pm

      Yep, sure. You should find the rhythm that works for you. You don’t have to stick to the 5-day schedule. What’s most important is having a regular schedule, and sticking to it. And most people find it easier to spread the work over at least two days.

      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  37. Sherman Smith says

    October 13, 2015 at 4:30 pm

    Hey Henneke,

    This is a similar process I go through un order to create a blog post. The reason for this is that I’m pressed for time and it’s more convenient for me to divide it up each day. As a result it comes out to be a great, valuable post that my readers can use instantly.

    Thanks for the tips! This shows that I’m doing things right 🙂 Have a good one!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 9:47 pm

      Yep, that’s exactly why I think this is a good way to write for busy people. You don’t have to block half a day, you can block 10 minutes on the first day, an hour on the second day, etc.

      Glad it works for you, too!

      Reply
  38. C A Hall says

    October 13, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    Dear Henneke,
    thanks again for a great article.
    Because of the beauty and creativity you give to this work of yours I have really clarified many things. I always was a writer for the theatre, then film tv and more recently my blog Second Sight on film food culture
    https://spellbreakerstudios.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/words-and-pictures-film-critique-by-c-a-hall/
    What I would like to hear you speak to is focus and choosing. I feel like I can do many things but want to do what really has my name on it. How did you decide on business blogging. You must have considered other possibilities.
    all the best,
    Carol Hall

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 9:46 pm

      Hi Carol

      I started writing about business blogging and copywriting more or less by accident. I was learning how to write, and I found it fascinating.

      Initially, I wanted to start a content marketing consultancy. But I didn’t want to start an agency, and I found that content marketing was too big a topic for me. There was so much to learn that I didn’t feel I could ever become an expert, so I focused on what I was learning about writing. (I also found that working as a consultant didn’t suit me, so I switched to teaching courses, which I like much much better).

      In a way, I’m surprised that after three years, I’m still writing about writing. I haven’t got bored yet. I do sometimes blog about other topics, but probably 3 out of 4 posts is about writing in one form or another.

      I’m not sure how to explain it. I followed my own curiosity. And I’m still learning 🙂

      Reply
  39. Laurie Stone says

    October 13, 2015 at 4:15 pm

    All great reminders, Henneke. As for ideas, I keep notebooks everywhere in my house, including my nightstand. So many times I’ll read or watch TV when things start bubbling up. I jot them down, sometimes just a few lines, sometimes an entire blog post will emerge! I love the security of having an inventory. I never know when I’ll pick one off the shelf.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 9:41 pm

      You sound far more organized than me, Laurie!

      I agree with you, it’s good to have ideas on the shelf. It takes some pressure off 🙂

      Reply
  40. Penny Hall says

    October 13, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    The timing of this post was perfect for me today. I am working toward creating more consistent content to share. This was fabulously helpful. I really appreciate all I have learned from the information you share. Thank you for being so generous and supportive. Bless you.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 3:52 pm

      Lovely to hear that you found the post is helpful, Penny! Thank you for stopping by 🙂

      Reply
  41. Andrew says

    October 13, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    Hey Henneke,

    Really great post here. I love the blogging schedule you shared. I think you mentioned some variation of it before, but I never implemented it. Will try it this way because it seems to really be working for you.

    I know for myself, I spend TOO MUCH time on one post. I need t cut it down drastically.

    Thanks for this.

    – Andrew

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 2:26 pm

      Yeah, I always think I spend too much time on one post, too. But what’s the yardstick? When I try to go faster, then usually I slow myself down.

      In my experience, breaking the process down in chunks and writing over several days, can help write posts quicker.

      Reply
  42. Linda says

    October 13, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Hi,
    Awesome post, that sounds like me. Started on a new blog post yesterday and there it is hanging around the non-published blog posts that will never be published if I don’t start taking control.
    And all those ideas that come up while doing other things in and around the house – gone….can’t even remember what they were.
    I’m going to have to try doing things this way.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 2:24 pm

      When I start writing a post, I always have the intention to finish it in a few days. To leave it for later (without a specific date), doesn’t work for me. I’ve done that a few times in the past, but those posts never get finished.

      Happy writing!

      Reply
  43. Bart Schroeven says

    October 13, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    You know your readers all too well, Henneke 🙂

    Inspiration is never much of a problem for me. It’s the sitting down and actually writing the post where time just seems to slip right through my fingers.

    I’ve been telling myself to write down the 3-day process in my diary: outline idea and fill in my post template on day 1, write it on day 2, polish and publish on day 3.

    Your post is a friendly reminder and the gentlest kick up the ol’ backside to go and do just that. And with the weekly repeat button on my calendar app there’s no chance of forgetting too 😉

    I think I’ll give your idea of writing with a timer a go. I just hope I won’t get nervous from seeing the seconds ticking away. Maybe if I turned its screen away from me?

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 2:21 pm

      I know myself too well 😉

      For me, the timer only works when it’s visible. For instance, sometimes I cheat (we all do sometimes, right?) by checking Twitter even though I know I need to write my first draft, and I only have 50 precious minutes to do it. When I see the timer counting down and I notice I’ve already wasted 3 or 4 minutes, I know I can’t fool around anymore. I have to get to work on that draft.

      I also find that my mind starts wandering off after 20 minutes or so, but then I notice that I only have a few minutes left, so I try hard to make the most of those last few minutes and get another paragraph written.

      Try it!

      Reply
  44. Paul says

    October 13, 2015 at 1:17 pm

    And it applies to “normal” book writing too. Thanks for reminding me Henneke!!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 2:18 pm

      Yep, I agree. What I like with book writing, is that when I don’t feel like writing a draft of the next chapter, I can edit a chapter I’ve written already. So, it’s easier to make progress. But it only works if you have a good outline.

      Reply
      • Paul says

        October 13, 2015 at 6:49 pm

        True Henneke – the outline is everything,. It gives you freedom to move elsewhere in the book if you get stuck on a particular chapter.

        Reply
  45. Virginia says

    October 13, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    Hello Henneke,

    This post makes blogging much more easier, thank you 🙂
    I think the most important part of your article is the last point “Day 5. Format, publish and promote your post” The promotion part is the most difficult for me. I think it’s the part where I procastinate the most too.

    Do you have any tips for this part?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 12:19 pm

      I’m not a big social media user. I enjoy creating content more than promoting it. 🙂

      What helps me is using Buffer to schedule a series of tweets. Being present all the time on social media disrupts my schedule too much, so that’s why I schedule posts, so I can interact when it suits me. You can also use Buffer to schedule to other social media platforms. (Or another service that you might want to check is Co-schedule)

      Also, if you write a series of headlines for your post, then you can use a few of these to share your post on Twitter several times (or your favorite soundbites from the post works, too). I also often re-use the opening (or my email text) for Google+ posts, making it less time intensive.

      Reply
      • Virginia says

        October 13, 2015 at 12:31 pm

        I dislike social media too hehe. I tried once sending an email to the people involved in my article (architects, cultural centers…) and it worked quite well. Instead of being me promoting through my social networks, it was them promoting my article through theirs.

        I wonder what other techniques like this one are also effective 🙂

        Reply
        • Henneke says

          October 13, 2015 at 2:16 pm

          Building up an email list has been the best promotional tool for me. More effective than social media.

          One thing to consider is putting your city guides behind an opt-in form. I’m not sure whether you can do that on a wordpress.com blog, but it would be a good way to build an email list and notify people each time you have a new blog post. Copyblogger do something similar with their library of ebooks.

          Reply
          • Virginia says

            October 13, 2015 at 3:56 pm

            That’s a good one. I should learn how to do that because right now I’m giving it completely for free.

            Thanks for the advice 🙂

            Reply
  46. Therese Sibon says

    October 13, 2015 at 11:57 am

    Perfect!! Clear directions, do-ably inspiring !
    Thank you. This enchanting person is enchanted by your post.

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 12:13 pm

      Thank you, Theresa. Always happy to meet enchantresses 🙂

      Reply
  47. Kitty Kilian says

    October 13, 2015 at 11:48 am

    Ha! I should try this 😉

    Reply
    • Henneke says

      October 13, 2015 at 12:12 pm

      Yes, try it. You don’t have to spread it over 5 days. Spreading it over 3 days might work better for you. It can really take the pressure off 🙂

      Reply
      • Kitty Kilian says

        October 13, 2015 at 1:40 pm

        Ga ik doen

        Reply

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