While I was on furlough, I had the time to write a whole bunch of posts – reviews, memes, these discussion pieces, and more – and schedule them ahead of time. While doing this, I realized that my blog calendar is a bit… regimented. Furthermore, although I’m back at my job again, I will be retiring soon, and I’ll once again have more time for this blog (as well as hopefully, writing my novel). That made me wonder:
Do you tend to stick to a schedule for your blog posts, or do you just publish them as you write them?
Disclaimer:
This is post is for discussion only. I am telling you what I do on my blog (for now) and asking you what you do on your blog. I ask because I wonder if I should keep doing things as I have done until now, or if there might be some benefit from doing things differently in the future. One way or another, I want your feedback. I am NOT asking you to do things my way. As always, You Do You!
Right now, my blogging calendar looks like this…
Sundays: I am now reserving this day for these types of posts (Discussion Sunday) or for posting reviews of novellas or short story collections (Short Story Sunday). However, I might also put up a full length book review on a Sunday, if I have lots of books to review!
Mondays: I almost never post on this day of the week! In fact, I don’t recall the last time I posted on a Monday, to be honest…
Tuesdays: This day is reserved first and foremost for my Countdown Questions, but if I don’t have one of those (and it is getting harder to get authors I’ve read to participate), I try to put up a Top Ten Tuesday or Teaser Tuesday post. If none of these appeal, I try to put up a Blogger Hop post or a Trash or Treasure Tuesday post. If all else fails, I can always just find some other random list or meme to fill in (one of those Book Tag lists). In addition, like with Sundays, I might put up a full length book review on a Tuesday as well, especially if that month has an inordinate number of book releases.
Wednesdays: I almost never post this day of the week, but if I do, it is usually only some kind of announcement. However, I have been known to post a Waiting on Wednesday post if I’ve just gotten approval for an ARC of a book I really want to read!
Thursdays: I recently stared posting on the Thursday before the first Saturday of the new month, with my monthly link party called #ThrowbackThursday.
Fridays: This day is reserved for full length book reviews. However, on the week I publish a #6Degrees post, I try not to publish a book review the Friday before that. This is why I started the Thursdays link party.
Saturdays: I only publish a #6Degrees of Separation post on this day of the week, and that only happens on the first Saturday of every month.
Essentially…
This schedule means I now post an average of three times a week (an increase over 2019 when I published only two posts a week), and never more than one post a day. Furthermore, I try to make sure that I don’t post two days in a row, but sometimes that doesn’t totally work out. However, I have noticed blogs that will have more than one post, sometimes three or four posts in a day, many of those are blogs which seem to post something, each and every day of the week.
The advantages for me with this is that I know in advance when I want to publish a new post and I work my reviews and articles around that schedule. Also, I’m hoping that not posting every day means I’m giving my subscribers a break from my posts. I’m not sure if that encourages people to read my blog more, or not.
Another advantage is that I can use all the various memes and tags and lists out there to help get my creative juices flowing, and push me to write something, especially when it involves posting on a specific day.
But…
This is starting to feel a bit… er… restrictive. I mean, because of the pandemic and my furlough, I’ve been reading more than before – simply because when I’m at the office, I don’t take my book with me! However, that means having a backlog of reviews. Maybe if I’m less strict about what I post and on which days I post them, I’ll be publishing more reviews, and fewer fillers. (Remember too that I will be retiring soon, plus I’ve been told at work that – contrary to their previous preferences – they are now encouraging people to work from home and only come into the office on days when they have meetings. That means I can read my books when I take a break.)
For instance, I don’t HAVE to post these on Sundays, I just decided that I would only post these on Sundays after I found the hashtag #DiscussionSunday existed. Also, is it really horrible to post on consecutive days? For example, even if I continue trying to reserve Fridays for full length book reviews, there’s nothing stopping me from posting a review on the Friday before a #6Degrees post, right? Also, I don’t HAVE to post something on a Tuesday; I could post on a Monday or a Wednesday (or both) instead.
Furthermore, if I post reviews of books on days other than Fridays, that might also look better with my Goodreads profile. At one time during this pandemic, I had about five books marked as “read” for which I hadn’t yet added any reviews! It also means I can give feedback to NetGalley sooner (with Edelweiss, as soon as I’ve written the review, I put it on the site, regardless of when I publish that review on my blog).
Finally, I wonder if I was less locked into my schedule, would I be open to participating in more blog tours or cover reveals (if they’ll have me)?
I just don’t know… so I’m asking all my fellow bloggers…
What do you do?
Do you try to schedule your posts for only certain days of the week, or do you just post whenever the mood strikes you (or when you have a post ready)?
Do you try to publish at least one post every day of the week, or do you like to space them out?
Do you try to publish only one post a day, or do you like to put up more than one post?
Do you like to reserve certain days of the week (or month) for certain types of posts?
Most importantly: do you think I should keep doing things as I have been, or should I start to post whatever and whenever the muse or fancy strikes me (I could post some of my poetry, too)?
This post is my 8th entry in the 2020 Discussion Challenge, hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight!
The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog 
The only posts I put up on a regular schedule are my Sunday Posts and my month-end/beginning posts (the wrap-up round-up goes up a few days before the end of the month, the Discussion Challenge link-up goes up on the 1st and my own month recap goes up at the very end of the month or beginning of the next month).
But I think everyone has to do what works for them. If you work well with structure, go with it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
True! Thanks!
LikeLike
I think that there is scope for both routine, and for spontaneity. I don’t think that there is an issue with posting two or three days in a row. I am not a big fan of multiple posts on the same day though. Routine gives you structure but if you have a great idea for a post on another day then why not post it!
I tend to post on Mondays when I post about the previous week, sometimes I participate in Top 10 Tuesday, very occasionally on Wednesdays I post Library Loot, and I have my own Alphabet 2020 which I am doing on Thursdays or Fridays. Really, my only non negotiable day for posting is Weekend Cooking on a Saturday. As a result of that I always post Six Degrees of Separation on a Sunday instead of the Saturday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I noticed you do the #6Degrees a bit late! Thanks.
LikeLike
I follow my blog tours calendar first and foremost, especially at the moment, with a lot of commitments. For reviews of books I read without a specific date to publish a post, I like to post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; Never on a Tuesday because of the Tuesday Top 5 flooding the reader. My Fridays are for my Positivity Waves, and Saturdays for small reviews. Sundays are for tags when I feel like it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah… true, Tuesdays do seem to have lots of posts! (And lots of hashtags for that day.) I can’t seem to do blog tours, though. I read pretty slowly, and I can only do eARCs so that means unless someone asks well in advance, can I know if I can participate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, tours are tricky. I know I need to cut back! x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve had to say no so many times, that I don’t get asked anymore – at least, not by organizers. I only get asked if the author’s publicist contacts me directly. (Plus, I had a run-in with one organizer who has blocked me on Facebook and Twitter!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, we do have short-notice tours but also some coming one month or more later, so if you feel like it, you can go to Love Books Tours 🙂 No need to say no if you don’t want to, just ignore! x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Signed, but no promises!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely! 🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that you have to do what you are comfortable with, but being open to change is also good.
I post 5-7 days a week, depending on how many reviews I have from myself or my review team members. Having blog content from others is very helpful.
I always try to post a review of a good book on a Tuesday as I take advantage of the popular #TuesdayBookBlog hashtag. Friends who use it regularly say they double the number of views when they use it.
Another day where traffic is high to my blog is a Monday, although much of my blog is about book reviews, I do sprinkle it with other posts and I’ll take advantage of the #MondayBlogs hashtag when I do a post about writing, blogging etc basically #MondayBlogs is for any post which ISN’T a book review or book promo.
I find weekends to be lower traffic days, but since lock down everyone’s schedules have changed so I just keep my eyes open and try to keep my content fresh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good advice. Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind!
LikeLike
I try not to post on successive days, because I don’t want to overdo it, but it depends what I’ve read/watched and what I’ve had time to write about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are you in my mind?! 😂 I experience many of the same mental gymnastics! The only thing I’m rigid about is posting a book review once a week on Fridays. On rare occasions if I’ve posted a review earlier inthe week, I might post some sort of a book list on a Friday. I hold rigidly to one book review per week….usually on Fridays. In addition I like to post on Tuesdays for TTT on the weeks When I’m inspired by the topic and that day is also set aside for pub day review posts. I reserve Thursday’s for throw back Thursday! 🙌 (which I’ve been doing weekly to Update my older review posts). If I have another review to do, I post that on Wednesdays or Mondays. The only time I post on sat or Sunday is for #6degrees or for a monthly wrap up. Honestly, I don’t enjoy reading memes that just show covers and I tend to click like but I don’t usually read the post unless a title catches my eye. So my Rigid minimum is one Review post per week and then I am flexible about filling in the rest of the week. 3 posts a week feels good…4 posts feels great! I rarely post 5 days per week and I don’t think I’ve ever posted twice in one day. I feel that a balance of rigid and flexible is good! For me, one post a week is my rigid schedule and everything else is flexible. I think flexibility prevents burnout! Once I have my review post written for the week, I can ease up if I’m feeling stressed. It’s always interesting to hear what others do!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, we already knew we were in sync on many things so… Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a schedule but once in a while post something on impulse. Or something new comes along (a reading challenge) and I schedule that in too. I’d love to read your poetry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, that’s two for wanting to read my poetry… Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
On my dream schedule, I have book reviews written at least two weeks in advance, my weekly Friday Finds newsletter post one full week ahead. Lol!
In real life, I have the reviews scheduled at least two weeks in advance in my planner, but usually only written a day in advance. I have consistently published my Friday Finds every Friday for well over a year. I shocked myself with that one!
I try to keep a nice mix of genres throughout the week. I only post twice in a day if I messed up my calendar and have two due at the same time. That has only happened a few times and always involved book blog tours where I wrote down the wrong date.
I try to post 5 days a week. The off days vary depending on what’s happening in my life.
I think you should publish more often, less structured, more reviews, and definitely include your poetry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really? Well… thanks! I’ll put you down for this (I’m going to keep track of people’s answers.)
LikeLike