I get comments all the time from students and friends about the frequency of my blog posts. I usually just shrug and giggle and say that it’s part of my job! I know some people struggle with keeping up with their blogs and ask me how I do it.

Here are 10 tricks I use to keep blogging:

1. LOVE What You are Writing About

I love knitting. I love teaching knitting. I love writing patterns and planning classes and talking to other people who love knitting. It is easy for me to sit down every day and write about something I love so much. But if you aren’t passionate about your blog theme you won’t keep up with it. Find something to write about that you love and that permeates your every day life.

2. Take Pictures

When I have pictures on my camera I instantly have blog posts. Write about your pictures! I take pictures of my projects, my food, my kitties. Pictures are great catalysts for writing.

3. Read More

Other blogs, books, magazines, news online. People are always saying ridiculous things, taking ridiculous studies, publishing ridiculous books, wearing ridiculous things; all of which can be turned into fun blog posts. Like my Jersey Shore post, and my Ode to  Joseph Gordon Levitt.

4. Don’t Write Yourself Out

I have an unhealthy love for Ernest Hemingway and would do absolutely anything he told me to do. One of this biggest writing techniques was to not write himself out. Always stop writing knowing what happens next. This helps motivate you to both make time to write again soon and to think about your writing when you aren’t writing. It’s easy to translate this tip into the knitting world – I try to make my project posts extend over the course of many blog posts. I knit more and write about that project again.

5. Sit and Do It

I went to school for writing and had to do a ton of it for multiple writing classes. I would think I had absolutely nothing to write about until I made myself sit down in front of my computer and start typing. Sometimes I would type nonsense until words formed, then sentences, and before I knew it I’d have fully flushed out stories. Some days I sit down with a blank blog page in front of me with no idea where it’s going, but I start typing anyway and usually funny, publishable nonsense comes out. Win!

6. Take Risks and Do Things

I’m not a naturally just-do-it kind of person. I have to force myself to leave my house, to do things, to take risks, and find people to play with. I do it because it’s good for my life and good for my blog. If you don’t do anything you won’t have anything to write about! If you don’t do anything you won’t have anything to talk about with strangers and you will be boring. I run around acting crazy to make my life better and make my blog better.

7. Carry a Notebook/Keep a Google Doc Open

This is another left over writing school tip. Sometimes sentences just pop into my head that can be turned into great blog posts when I have a chance. I keep a Google Doc at the ready for these sentences and blog ideas so that when I have time to come back to that idea I don’t have to rack my brain trying to remember it. In writing school we called this a ‘notebook’. The idea was to carry said ‘notebook’ around with you, along with a ‘pen’ so you can write these ideas or observances into the ‘notebook’ and look back on them later. You know, like a Google Doc!

8. Establish Relationships with Your Readers

I like you guys. I like talking to you! I like your comments. I get sad when blogs I like don’t update. Like Eat Me Daily. What the hell, Eat Me Daily? I like to think that we have a pretty good thing here. I would hate to let you down. I like being a part of your life! We’ve got a good thing going! Holla!

I make it sound pretty easy, don’t I? Because it is for me. And when it isn’t easy I come back to these tricks.

No need to go get that writing degree now! I just saved you $100,000.

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