If you have been following me for any length of time, you should know by now that I always have a large queue of posts for my sites. This is the only way that I can be successful at blogging. Many of you wonder how I do it – I wonder how you don’t do it. What would happen if you got sick or got in a car accident or something far worse? Well, I guess your blog would have to get along with out you. While that may be okay for some, that just isn’t acceptable to me. I’m in it to be successful and not let me readers down. It’s amazing how much momentum your blog can lose if you stop posting on it for 2-3 weeks. Why let this happen to you? Here are some of the benefits of having a large queue of posts, with one that I don’t think that you will expect (I know I didn’t…)
Benefits of a Large Queue of Posts
No Last Minute B.S. – Many of you will hate to admit it, but in reality, we all know that life gets in the way of blogging from time to time. Sometime inevitably will come up and prevent you from doing all the tasks that are necessary to keep a blog going. When this happens, most bloggers that I know are forced to stay up late so that they can write a post. If you are someone who works well under pressure, this may be good for you. A sharp deadline forces you to produce something. Yet, if you are like me, staying up late and trying to pump out material that is also high quality isn’t the easiest thing to do. Why should you be forced to sacrifice quality?
More Money – You may not believe me, but I have had several advertisers comment that I am one of the fastest publishers out there. 99% I can get an advertisement posted for someone within the same day, and most of the time, within a couple hours of time. Keeping a large queue in posts allows me to focus on the other day to day things that come up, like working with advertisers or your representative, replying to comments, cleaning out spam, hate mail, etc.
Proof of Authorship – Whether you realize it or not, writing something the night before can put you in an awkward position. I recently received an email from a fellow blogger. Yet, it wasn’t the typical email. She accused me of stealing her material because my post wrote about the same popular store. Coincidence? I think so… she didn’t. Here are some of her kind words:
“I cannot ignore that it seems quite clear that you have stolen the idea which I have written on and not given due credit to [blog's name] or myself.”
What’s a blogger to do when faced with this kind of accusation? This is a serious accusation and not everyone can prove their innocence. Luckily, my strong commitment to keeping a large queue came in handy. I informed her that I write all of my articles 3-4 weeks in advance. I was able to view the revisions in wordpress for that post and send her a printscreen, showing that my original and final revision were well before the date of her article that she thought I stole the idea from. Score another point for me! It also helped that the posts were completely different and that I hadn’t visited the site since she posted the material, but without the proof that I had written the post 5-6 weeks prior to her article being published, it would have been much more difficult to prove.
What other benefits are there for having a large queue? What’s holding you back?
One of the first things I did when I started writing on Money Infant again was to create a huge list of post ideas and then start cranking out posts so I would have a stable of posts already written. I’m not as far ahead as you, but I’ve gotten about a weeks worth already written, plenty to save my butt if an emergency should present itself (I hope…please don’t test me Mr. Murphy).
It doesn’t surprise me if people get to the same ideas at about the same time in the same blog genre. We all respond to things we see in the culture as a whole. That store could well have had an advertisement or something that caught your attention as well as the other blogger.
I agree that having a big queue of posts is helpful. I have a full week’s written and am developing ideas for 3 weeks out now. I would like to double all of that.
When do you do work on the “mechanics” of blogging, including advertiser development/response?
I don’t ever really have a large queue, but I would like to. I usually blog for a couple days ahead, and it is nice to not feel rushed at the last second.
I do not have a large queue of posts, although I know I should. I recently had about a week of posts written, but after they all went up I didn’t have anything scheduled, or any time to write. Pretty unbelievable that you got accused of stealing. I haven’t seen the two posts in question but the fact that you say they are very different makes it seem ridiculous.
Wow! Very interesting and unexpected. I wish that I was better at having a large queue of posts. This has always been something that I have struggled with for years and never have figured it out.
You can’t have a monopoly on an idea. Yes it is bad if someone blatantly rips off an article, but if the article is different then I don’t see a problem. I don’t have a queue, but I do have loads of half written articles on my hard drive!
Seriously? Everything under the sun had been written about thousands of time. I don’t think she has a case.
I seriously need to do the same and write up at least a week or two of posts. I’ve just about used all the material I wrote before I launched the blog.
It is a great idea to have posts written well ahead of time. You just never know when life will intervene. And…if you are suddenly inspired on a timely subject, you can always write it and rearrange the scheduled posts.
I’d like to have a large queue of posts. I usually can only write a couple at a time before being burnt out for the day but I’m trying to change that. I’d like them to be more of my “backup” posts so I can still write daily about things that come up in the news/my life/etc but for days where I don’t write, I have a post I can use.
Haha, maybe she was trolling?
My queue is 12 deep, Cameron has another 5 or so. Bryan is a total wild-card and I never know what that guy is doing…
I usually write about a week out, but it is ridiculous that someone would accuse you of this. I found another post on the same topic I wrote last week. I figured it was just a really good idea for a post.
My queue is 4 deep right now. It’s the only way I think I could do it. I try to write an article every time I get inspiration and put it in the queue. I also think there are very few topics that haven’t been discussed. The key is whether a blogger can bring a new personal spin to a topic the spurs thought.
I am usually a week ahead, at the least. Keeps me from writing poor quality content. That also gives me more time to revise the posts and make them better.
Is there a PF topic that hasn’t been written about? Don’t think so! I only wish I had a large queue of posts.
I usually write my posts the day (usually in the afternoon) before I publish them and it seems to work out okay. I would LOVE to be able to write them ahead of time, but each time I try, I get blogger’s block and can’t seem to do it. For my new blog, I’m trying to get a month’s worth on content before I launch to reduce stress and allow me ease into it.
I maintain 2-3 weeks of posts too, but I would not consider that a large queue! Sometimes I get up to 4 weeks which is close to my ideal. I would like to have a queue of 4-6 weeks of posts. I need to work on this again, particularly before I go on vacation.
Wow, I can’t believe that one! Crazy! I schedule out my posts for about a month out using the editorial calendar.
Don’t you have to write in same pace when you have to keep that buffer in-tact always? How do you say you save time for other work when you have posts in queue?
I had never thought of that before. Dealing with recipes and food is particularly challenging because some things are pretty universal, but many culinary artists believe they created the egg. I’m going to start scheduling out further in advance.
Right now I have 2 or 3 posts in queue. But, I have a notepad full of subjects to write about.
As much as I would love to have a big queue, I don’t think it’s going to happen.
I really don’t think it’s the end of the world if I miss a few days on the site although that happens infrequently.
The other blogger was out of line. You went out of your way in response to her concern which was kind and I don’t know I would have done so.
I’d love to have a big queue. I need to jump on that ASAP.
Wow! Someone is a really obssesive blogger. Nothing is new in the blogging world. All was discussed million times. It made me laugh when I read what you said. I thought “Really?” Crazy stuff!
I’ve been writing like a maniac for about a month. The threat of 4 weeks of sequestered jury duty forced me to pile up posts, not only for Family Money Values but also for Broke Professionals and Prairie Eco Thrifter. At first it was very difficult coming up with a couple of posts a day, but as I went along, it got a bit easier.
Of course, my queue will evaporate during that jury duty (assuming I get selected). I’ll find out next Monday.
That’s great that you were able to prove you had written the post/idea weeks before. Whew!
I am with you on having weeks of ideas/posts in advance. I must have about 40 word documents started and saved. Some are only a sentence an an idea, and others are full posts that just need a bit of polishing. But they are there for me to pick from, and really make my job easier (especially since I also work full-time).
I have AT LEAST six months worth of topics/posts planned out (not all of them written, yet). But if something more interesting (or current- like the solar flare) comes along, I just move stuff around.
Something I was taught a long time ago is that it’s very important to have your “evergreen” stuff (non-dated material) ready to go each day (for my Radio show), but to be flexible enough to include current events if something happens.
Most of the time I keep four weeks worth of posts scheduled, sometimes more. Right now I’m good through 3/29.
I’ve never been able to build up a queue of posts in the 4+ years that I’ve been blogging. I usually write posts the night before or the day of in the morning. Somehow I’ve been able to keep relatively constant on my site, however, posting M-F for almost that entire time. While I’d love to have a large queue ready to go, I just don’t think my writing style lends itself to that. I tend to write long posts, with a ton of background/etc – which tend to take quite a while to write. Writing more than 1-2 posts a day would lead me to burnout pretty quick.
The only times I was able to build up queue of scheduled posts were a couple of times that I went on vacation and scheduled posts for a week or two out, but mainly with guest posts.
I’ve had other bloggers accuse me of stealing ideas or stealing a post topic before, and even by a relatively large blogger. I thought it was a bit out of line and strange seeing as the post was on some pretty hot news of the day, and just about every topic has been written 100 ways to tuesday.. Go figure. Just let it roll off your back, and keep on writing!
That certainly makes sense. If you are putting in a lot of effort to write your posts, I can see how it would take a lot out of you to do more than a couple. Thanks for the advice – I definitely pushed it aside and am happier for it.
I can understand a person being upset if one blogger copies another blogger’s article word for word, but coming up with the same idea as someone else happens all the time. How can anyone be upset about that?
I know that when I’m even able to get 3-4 posts ahead of the game, I’m a much happier person. Unfortunately, usually I find myself with nothing in my queue.
Never thought about writing that many posts in advance.Maybe it is because I do not have a regular posting schedule. Food for thought.
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I agree with these points. I have averaged a 35 post queue on FS for the past 2 years. The bad thing is, sometimes I forget I wrote something!
The queue on Yakezie.com is about 15. I need to get cracking.
Wow – that’s awesome. It seems that we think alike. I like the security of a large queue. My queue for 20′s is now over a month and I have a few others that are there. I need to work on this one a bit more. It’s sitting about 2-3 weeks.
I haven’t got a 35 day queue, but I have found myself thinking about a new topic, only to look at my editorial calendar and find the idea already there!
I always have a queue of 3-5 posts. They come in very handy on those days I encounter writer’s block, or just don’t have the time to get one done. I feel less pressure to get a post done now. today.
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