Writing blog posts isn't exactly rocket science. But there is some effort in writing that varies from one blogger to the next. Some bloggers simply write whatever is on their mind. Some bloggers treat it like a business, being very meticulous about SEO and other optimizations. And, perhaps, there are some bloggers who put a lot of effort into their research to write blog posts that are almost academic in style.
Whatever style you have, there is likely a time when writing is easier. I've heard people say that they wake up as early as 4 AM to write because that's the only time they have a quiet home. Some mothers who write use the quiet time after putting their children to bed. According to people who study these things, the morning period before noon is a person's most productive period. And then there are people who are night owls, doing most of their creative work in the twilight hours.
Left to my own devices, I would tend to write between 8 AM and noon. The problem with this is that, if I sit down to write during these hours, then I'll miss out on getting other things done. Like many writers, I need a distraction-free environment to be able to churn out any kind of knowledge work, which includes blogging. It's near impossible to focus when there is activity in the home.
It's after 10 PM as I write this. Everybody has gone to bed. The TV is off. I don't normally write at this hour. As it is, I am feeling sleepy as well. I have not been very good at living on a schedule. I have been thinking, lately, that I shouldn't blog during the daytime. It would be better to write after business hours when I have nothing else competing for my time, which interferes with family time.
The way I figure it, I could wake up extremely early to write something before the sun rises. Or I could write in the evenings after everyone has gone to bed. If I could make a living from writing, then I'd obviously do it during business hours.
What is most confounding is that I don't have a job that requires me to work eight hours. For now, I have the daytime available to use as I choose. But it won't do to burn all those hours when I could be looking for work or doing those things you can only do during business hours.
When it comes down to it, how important is it that we sit down to write blog posts? For some, it's as important as some other lifestyle habit, like going to the gym or going to church. For others, writing may only be something they do when time permits. We all have different motivations for blogging, which translates into how important is it in our lives. Like writing time, the importance of writing is a highly individual decision.
I suppose for some it's not much of a decision. For them, blogging is as natural as breathing. I'm not there. But I can tell you that in my lifetime, blogging has brought me opportunities and relationships that I would have missed otherwise. Part of me wants to continue writing for this very reason. Despite this, I have not been too faithful to the craft lately. It is only recently that I have recommitted to writing more frequently.
I stopped writing because I had gotten into the habit of overthinking it and putting too much emphasis on quality over quantity. In other words, writing was not as enjoyable or freeing as it used to be. If I could earn a living with it, then I suppose I could grind my way through.
If I am going to seriously recommit to writing blog posts, then it makes sense to set aside some writing time. There has to be a time when I know I'll have the computer and no distractions. To be honest, it's easier for me to stay awake longer than it is to wake up before dawn. However, if it's important, I'll make the effort to wake up early. I guess that means I need to think about how important this is to me.
Do you have a dedicated time for writing blog posts? What makes you decide to sit down to write a post? How important is blogging to you? Do you blog too little? Too much?
