5 Tips for blogging consistently.

I decided one day that blogging every day would be pretty awesome.
I don't really know what made me decide. But I really enjoy writing and sharing my life, and I also really enjoyed the relationships that were being developed as a result!

So for the last year and a half, I have blogged every week day with the exception of 2 days.
Both of those days I happened to be in New Jersey. Weird, right?
Anyways.
I have had people ask how I kept it up with everything else I have going on in my life!
Here are 5 tips for blogging consistently.

1. Make a schedule of topics.
I started doing Mommy Mondays, and I found that it made things a little bit easier when my brain would start freezing up. I at least knew what I was going to write about on Monday!
I don't recommend scheduling your topics for every single day of the week, because that can just get stressful. If you have to write about a certain topic every day, it can kind of get you in the habit of writing just to write and I think your readers can sense that.
Get creative! If you love gardening, make one day a week about gardening. Maybe you're into reading and you can post about your favorite book of the week. Your readers are going to start getting to really know you, and the more personal you get, the more real your blog is.
They want to see who you are, what you love and they want to find a way they can relate to you!
I had someone write to me and tell me that she loved diet coke, running and reading her Bible so she felt like we had a connection! Isn't that funny? Who would've thought that diet coke could bring people together? But we are relational people and we like seeing that there are other people we have things in common with!

2. Don't box yourself in.
You don't have to blog every day to still be a consistent blogger!
Maybe you want to do Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Maybe Tuesdays and Thursdays. Maybe only Saturdays!
Just pick what works for you and stick to what you've set. Don't let someone else's schedule become yours.
They don't have your life. 
Only you do, so you know what works for you.

3. Blog ahead.
Sometimes you are just gonna be in a rhythm. Go with it!
Sometimes I will just write some thoughts that come to my mind and save them for later. It makes it so helpful when another day comes along and I am just not feeling it. If I have one already pre-written, it makes things so much easier!
There are also times when I am going to be away and I know it will be harder to stick to my schedule. Blogging a couple posts and scheduling them to post when you want them to is a great option.

4. Be prepared.
Schedule in your writing time. Make every Monday from 11:00-12:00 your writing time. 
Put it right in your calendar and make yourself do it!
Even when you try to be prepared, there are always going to be things that come up that make it impossible to write when you planned. Set yourself up for success!
I have the blogger app on my phone and my iPad because there are times I am away from my computer and it makes it super simple to just write, even use pictures from my phone, and be done!
Setting yourself up for success...this is a great principle for many areas of life!

5. Be confident.
You might be thinking...what does this have to do with anything?
Well, when you decide you are going to put your thoughts and feelings out for the world to read, you just may have people who don't agree with you.
I set my blog up so that I have to moderate every comment that comes in.
I did that because I was getting some negative comments.
It's ok. Not everyone is going to agree with me and you have to be ok with that.
Be confident in what you write and understand that you may have to take some criticism because of it.
Keep your writing real.
Be yourself. Your readers want to see that.
When you are open about you felt when you were hurt, it gives them permission to feel the same way!
I still get surprised when I meet people and they refer to something I said last week...as if I was talking to them! I have had this happen with people I had never even met!
That's what you want to go for. Being so real that people feel like you are just sitting down having a cup of coffee with them and talking.
Be confident.

So there you have it.
I am not a master blogger or anything, but I have been at it for a while.
If you have felt like you wanted to be consistent at blogging and just haven't started, start this week!
I am happy to answer any questions, keep you accountable, be the top commenter of your posts (I love leaving comments on blogs!) or just kick you in the butt and tell you to get moving!

You can do it!
You can be a consistent blogger!
Now go...give me your blog. I want to go read it!