If I can pinpoint one of my biggest mistakes as a blogger, it is going to be this problem with inconsistency.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. When it comes to professional blogging (as in, when I am officially hired as a blogger/content person), I am able to keep a content calendar and a working schedule. Even if that simply means: “Must update the blog 2 to 3x week, roughly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”
Even if a blogger’s content schedule is setting that kind of guideline, that sort of structure still helps. I know that professionally, it’s impossible to survive without that kind of consistency in one’s blogging schedule.
But, somehow, I keep missing the boat on consistency when it comes to blogging for this blog – ShaiCoggins.com.
I mean, sure, I have managed to complete two rounds of NaBloPoMo where I managed to blog daily for a full month in 2008 and 2011, thanks to working on some kind of a blogging content calendar.
But, the blogging habit has stopped coming naturally to me ever since I started making a living out of blogs (ie, back in 2004).
Maybe it had something to do with the struggle that I started to face regarding personal/professional boundaries online, having started off as a personal blogger (and staying that way for 5+ years) before turning pro.
Or perhaps, I just got so burnt out creating content on a professional level, that I didn’t have the energy to do that on a personal level too. Choosing to spend my personal time doing something else, other than blogging.
Regardless of the reason, I know I paid (and still paying) for my inconsistent blogging here.
The problem with inconsistent blogging
There are many reasons why inconsistent blogging is a big issue for bloggers. One is discipline. If we don’t make it as part of our habit, it’s way too easy to make excuses NOT to do it. That’s when overthinking can happen, among other things.
Any kind of writing, blogging included, needs some level of consistency and discipline in order to embed it in our system.
In fact, what I find is that the more I blog, the easier it is for me to blog again. And again. And, the longer I have been absent from this blog, the more I find it difficult to get started again.
Then, there is that issue of momentum. When readers and visitors aren’t sure when to expect stuff, or if they can expect stuff from your blog at all… Then, they might lose interest. They might stop commenting. Or worse, they might stop visiting altogether.
Always sad to lose readers just because your blogging has been inconsistent. I know it saddens me to think about how many readers have given up on this blog during the weeks and months when I barely posted anything.
Another issue arising from inconsistent blogging is growth. And, I don’t mean just the numbers game, though that certainly can play a part.
If you wish to be serious about blogging, and you wish to grow your blog and yourself as a blogger, then it’s important to be more consistent. Otherwise, it’s harder to develop skills in blogging better. And yes, the blog statistics will reflect that.
And no, blogging consistency doesn’t mean doing things more. More blog posts don’t always equal a better blog. We’ve all heard that “quality vs quantity” thing.
But, there certainly has to be some kind of rhythm in blogging to make the magic happen.
How to be a more consistent blogger
Two words: Not. Easy.
Especially when blogging isn’t your day job. Or when you do blog for work and you wish to maintain a different blog for yourself or your other projects. And, when you have a million things on your To Do list and blogging just keeps getting pushed off to another day.
In my case, I have decided to work on rough schedules for my most active blogs (ie, this one + my work site, Vervely). Basically, I am looking at updating a minimum of 2-3x a week here at ShaiCoggins.com (Wed, Fri, Sun), and a minimum of 1-2x is my target over at Vervely (Tue, Thu). For my less active sites, I am hoping to update 1-2x/month. I have committed to my active sites’ schedule by adding this in to my day-to-day working calendar. I have also developed some kind of “theme” to try and follow on the days that I am posting.
Sure, I probably won’t meet these targets 100%. But, if I meet at least 70-80% of my targets, then I would have still created much more blog content than I have ever done in a very long time. Just thinking about that makes me feel good.
So yes, if you’re a long-time subscriber to this blog, this is the reason I am blogging more lately. I am attempting to be more consistent. And yes, so far, I am loving it. I hope you’re enjoying it too! 
Apart from creating some kind of guideline or schedule for this blog (again), I am also facing blogging inconsistency with an altogether different mindset. I have finally gotten around to presenting this blog in such a way that inspires me to blog more.
I’m not sure if I can articulate the reasons, but the latest redesign of this blog helped me to think of my approach to this blog in a different way. In fact, I have started working on my strategy here at ShaiCoggins.com in such a way that I have never done in the past (makes you wonder why I waited this long! 
). Definitely looking at this blog less of a personal one, but more professional (but still staying personal, if that makes sense).
How do you deal with inconsistent blogging?
Are you a blogger who also suffers from blog inconsistency? How does this affect you and how do you deal with it?
If you are a consistent blogger, do share some of your tips here too.
And yes, if you are happy just to blog any time you wish, no worries. As long as it is making you happy and it’s fulfilling your goals in personal blogging, then you’re all set. However, if you do want to grow your blog and/or to do more with blogging, then consistency is definitely one of the key things to keep in mind.
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Your timing of this post couldn’t be better! Regarding what you said about inconsistency and personal/professional boundaries is something I was writing about yesterday on my soon to be posted ‘About’ page. For me, feeling the need to be professional on my personal blog really hurt my desire to post at all, so that’s why I’m going back to basics.
I was also sketching out a daily themed content calendar, but am thinking it will function more as a back up when I’m feeling less inspired. In my case, allowing myself to be inconsistent takes the pressure off, which in turn results in more productivity – lol
Hi, Kari! Can definitely empathise with that, as you know.
Hope you find what works for you, when it comes to the right balance between professional and personal. It’s different for everyone. In any case, I look forward to more of your blogging. 
I have 100% completely lost the urge to blog.
Part of it is natural – I have recently come down from an extended manic phase so I’m now in a very sluggish unmotivated place – but I think part of it is also momentum. The less I write the less I feel like writing. The longer I leave between blog entries the less I care about going back to write another one. I’ve decided that this is a natural break from the whole thing for me and when my mood picks up I’ll decide whether I want to start writing in my blog again.
We all have our rhythm with blogging, Mel, and now is just a quiet time for you. Our blog should work for what we need.
You are very creative and driven. Always fun to see what you have to share. Looking forward to your next post! 
Loving this post, cuz several people have recently asked me how I manage to blog so much and consistently.
I was really shocked, because I always thought I am part of the inconsistent blogger crowd. I have neither a schedule nor framework about how I blog, but I understand what works for me – I write as much as I can when I’m inspired and on a roll, and don’t force myself to when I am not. So there are days when I can pump out 8 articles in about 3 hours… and others when I don’t touch my blog. The ‘trick’ is then in scheduling the posts in times of inspiration ‘drought’.
Aw, thanks, Melissa! Glad you enjoyed this post. And, thanks for sharing what works for you.
I could never have enough backlogged entries, waiting to be drip-posted. But, I am finding now that creating a number of initial drafts help. I am definitely working towards the strategy that you have put in place for your blog. 
This post smacks me right on the face. Haha. I didn’t blog for almost 2 weeks due to broadband problems at home. When we finally had it fixed, I was faced with a huge backlog of writing assignments and draft posts. (Still am. Huhuhu.)
Given uninterrupted routine, however, I do try to blog regularly. I post 2-3x/week. I like to make drafts with all the necessary pictures and links. Then when I find my time, I sit down and write furiously. I usually work with an outline or structure so I don’t fumble or suffer from blocks. Also, as it is a personal blog, I don’t strictly adhere to a themed blogging schedule. I post what’s urgent, what’s relevant, or what I’m passionate with at the moment. Of course, those who blog professionally must follow their own editorial calendars, topic outline, etc.
HTH.
Haha, wasn’t trying to smack anyone but myself, Connie!
Like you, though, I find that drafts are helpful. And yes, we all can find what works for us, depending on what we want to get out of our blogs. Looks like you have your rhythm (unless it’s interrupted by no Internet connection — nooooo! 
).
I’m painfully inconsistent when it comes to updating my blog. Weeks go by without any updates, and I think Facebook is partly took blame. I tend to announce things there and on Twitter because it’s quick and easy, then I feel like I’m repeating myself by blogging about it.
Clearly I have it the wrong way round – blog first and then use social media to pull readers in.
Barry Hutchison recently posted..The Darkest Corners
Consistency is very hard, Barry! And yes, the advent of micro-blogging tools and FB, etc definitely contributes to bloggers having less incentive to blog because Twitter, FB, etc are more immediate. Less daunting. I wrote a post on this some time ago – http://www.shaicoggins.com/grappling-with-complete-content-habits-to-blog-tweet-or-fb/
And really, it’s up to you on what works best. If you only blog a few times year, and you’re getting what you want/need from your blog that way, then no need to worry about it. It’s only when we feel frustrated about our lack of progress in developing our blogging life do we need to start figuring our a way to improve by way of consistency, etc.
I wish you well!