In an ideal world, all writers would have peace and quiet descend the moment they sat down to type. However in the less than ideal world we live in blogging is often done in chaos. We sit in front of a computer full of distracting temptations surrounded by the twittering of cell phones, the lure of the radio and the constant demands from the people around us. From hungry pets to annoying neighbors to the police sirens down the street, it is no wonder that we have such a hard time getting anything real accomplished with our blogs. However, there are ways to stay productive even among’st this chaos. Here are some tips you might find helpful in your quest for blogging nirvana:
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1. Set Aside Writing Time
The very first thing you should do is set strict limits for yourself. Make sure that writing is a part of your routine, as necessary as eating or bathing. If you do not make time to write you will never find time to write. There is always some emergency that will come up. In the same way that you always have time to eat a snack you should also have time to write even when you have a lot on your plate. It does not have to be a long time and it does not even have to be at the same time. Even thirty minutes of strict writing time can get a lot done if you stop fooling around and actually write.
2. Make a Space of Your Own
The second thing you should do when you have to blog in chaos is find a space of your own. Make this space untouchable for everyone else. This is your space and your space only. Take out anything that could distract you or get in the way of your writing and keep the space clean and neat. That way you will have no excuses when you sit down to write.
3. Pick a Quiet Corner
Do not set up your writing space in the middle of the kitchen or living room or next to the water cooler. There is no way that you will avoid distractions if you are in the main flow of the room. Instead, pick a far off room or corner to work in. Try to find a space where you can shut the door to block noise and get some privacy. If that can’t work then at least find a space that is as quiet and secluded as possible. This way you are not setting yourself up for distraction.
4. Stop the Noise
I know we live in a noisy world and oftentimes there is nothing we can do about it. Barking dogs, screaming kids, the coworker’s chatting on the phone all add up to a distracting cacophony. If you can’t get away from the noise then drown it out. Music works well for this but I want to add a word of warning. If you listen to music with lyrics then you are just as likely to get distracted and start listening to the lyrics instead of what you are typing. You can even do what I have done and start typing the lyrics! For an alternative try to listen to instrumental music or nature sounds.
Rain and ocean sounds are my favorites as they are both calming and constant without being distracting. You can find hours of that sort of thing for free on YouTube or other music programs online.
5. Skip Social Media
I know when you get online there is always the temptation to check your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Well, do not give in. Writing time should be writing only. You can have fun and waste time after you finish. I know it only seems like a second or two, but you can easily get sucked into wasting your whole writing time on social media. I like to think of it this way: if I can do it in front of the television then it is not something I need to be doing during writing time.
6. Stay Organized
Another big frustration and time waster is disorganization. I have the bad habit of procrastination and piling up papers that I will ‘get to later’. Well, later ends up being an emergency and then I am stuck out. Instead, use five minutes (outside of writing time) every day to get organized. It is much easier to keep it up rather than put it off and have to redo it. This will save you time and frustration in the long run and will make you a more productive blogger.
7. Take Notes Wherever You Go
A lot of my best writing ideas do not come to me when I am sitting in front of my computer at writing time. Instead, I have learned to carry around a pen and small notebook to jot down my ideas on the go. This helps me to not get frustrated when I know I had a great idea yesterday but can’t remember it today. Make sure you do not just write down a word or two but write enough so you can remember the entire idea later. You can even list out points you want to make if you come up with a complex one.
8. Make a List
Speaking of making a list, a list is a great way to make sure you stay on topic and productive as you write. Even when you get interrupted a lot you can still get back to the point you were making if you make a list. I use lists all the time in my blog because not only is it easy for me to write with interruptions but it is also favored by readers. For some reason readers love lists and that makes it an even better way for you to blog.
9. Take a Break
Sometimes the chaos is just too much. You get frustrated and angry and do not know what you are even writing about. Instead of finishing up your blog post in a slap dash way, take a break and come back to it later. Like I said, you can break up your writing time into small chunks. No, it is not always a bad idea to do so. Sometimes you only have a few minutes to write but a few minutes is still better than nothing. Go away, deal with the issue, and then come back refreshed and ready to tackle blogging with a good attitude.
10. Keep it Short
Another good idea for distracted bloggers is to go for short blog posts instead of long ones. This works well for two reasons. Reason one, you get to complete a blog post and feel like you have accomplished something, even in just a few minutes. Reason two, readers like short blog posts better than long ones! Really, they do. No one has time to read a lot so most people just skim blogs anyway. If you break a big post up into smaller posts it is easier on you and on the readers to read. Plus it helps you to update more often and regularly, which are both signs of a good, healthy blog.
Remember that it is just not the size of the blog post itself that you need to keep small but the paragraph size too. No one wants to read a big chunk of text. Break it up into smaller paragraphs and use headers or bullet points to make it easier for the readers to skim.
While there is little you can often do to stop chaos, there is a lot you can do to work despite it. Blogging is hard work that requires concentration, but even that can be done if you work a little at a time, keep good notes, and always remember to be firm with others and yourself when it is writing time.
Author Bio: Jason Miner plays a vital role for www.blogcarnival.com. He is an expert in writing topics of different categories. He is helping the carnival team to grow & working on making this an even better place for bloggers.You can also Contribute to OSH by “Write for US”.
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