Last Updated on May 21, 2021 by ThoughtsStained
I’m back this Friday participating in another Let’s Talk Bookish post, as always hosted by the amazing Rukky @ Eternity Books and awesome Dani @ The Literary Lion! For this week, our topic is:
Creating Bookish Content
This is something that has evolved for me over the years as a bookish creator, and it’s something that I’ve very proud of where I’ve ended up, to be honest! I’m not really sure how I managed it before, so let’s explore the process I use now!
Posting Process: On a Whim, Scheduling or a Mix?
It is 95% scheduling now, thanks to the book blogger spreadsheet I use, created by Kal @ Reader Voracious. I’m not really sure what my thought process was beforehand, but it wasn’t until I stumbled across this spreadsheet that I thought about using a calendar to map out my posts. Now, I’ll schedule my posts for the next month at the end of the each month, e.g., I’m about to schedule all of my posts for the end of June. Then, I’ll spend Sundays writing up the posts for the next week and blog hopping.
Sometimes, I don’t get posts scheduled and that honestly ends up being a day where I miss a post, from my goal schedule of MWF. Other times, I’ll have an inspiration for a “last minute” post that I’ll write up and post, ignoring my pre-planned schedule. I run out of time and I change my mind, so I wouldn’t say that I’m super strict with what I’m posting, either! But, having it scheduled and planning method has been game changing.
How do you decide what to post?
This is honestly what I struggle with the most, especially when I’m looking at the blank calendar for next month’s content and trying to come up with what to write next. I have a few reoccuring series that help, almost serving as bookends, for each month, including:
- Monthly Goal TBR (start)
- Allyship Check-In (end)
- Novels and Narrations (end)
- Monthly Wrap-Up (end)
So, that’s already four posts scheduled every month out of a max of 15 spots. That helps! I usually then think about the content I want to be writing, which is a mix of writing posts, book reviews and bookish content, and personal life musings. I think about those “three” categories and then see if I have any ideas saved in my drafts folder that match, any updates or anything that just on my mind. Plus, I’ve stopped forcing it. Sometimes, if I’m not really feeling anything, I just let it go (or do a tag or something else simpler).
OH. And doing weekly memes like Let’s Talk Bookish has also been fantastic! I used to do Top Ten Tuesday and Waiting on Wednesday, but I lose interested in the list-type format of the former and the repetitiveness of the latter. What I love about Let’s Talk Bookish is it aligns with what I’m more interested in now–discussions!!–and helps come up with topics and does all the planning for me, which is what I struggle with most.
Do you tailor posts (based on reader responses, views) or just write what you want?
I just write what I want. My writing posts always get the least amount of views, but they are my favorite to write. My personal posts often get a lot of traction and engagement, which I’ve always found interesting, since they don’t match the scope of what a book blogger would normally write. I find that if I try to tailor posts based on reader response too much, then I’ll start worrying too much about stats, instead of using this blog as an outlet for me.
What about you? How do you go about creating bookish content? Anything new you’ve learned from me? Or, anything you’d add to what I do? Let me know in the comments!
![Not me needing to repost this announcement because my first post had a typo. I promise I can actually edit! 😅
REPOST of original message below:
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I usually find myself burning out when I schedule posts. Like, I’d write about three posts at once and then post them and then I’ll feel a bit bored to write another one, so I prefer blogging on a whim. And I firmly told myself I wouldn’t start worrying about my stats – and found myself doing exactly that!! And yeah, I usually write what I want too!! Great post💛
I think that is totally fair! Sometimes, I definitely blog on a whim or burn myself out planning, so I can see where you’re coming from! I’m glad you found something that works for you! Thank you so much for reaching, Jan! <3
I’m honestly still just writing whenever. I am hoping that I’ll find out what my rhythm will be for posting and such for the next couple of months and then I can figure out in which direction I will take the blog. But yeah I’m a newbie so I’m definitely learning a lot by reading your blog and others! Thanks for sharing!
I bet you’ll definitely find your rhythm! It honestly took me *years* to truly find mine, so you got time! Trial and error. 😀
I’m not one for scheduling in advance – even if I’ve written the post (mainly because I then forget to link it up if it’s a meme!). I do love these discussion type memes most. I find myself visiting all the blogs for this and another discussion one I join in, whereas when I’ve joined in TTT or similar “listing” type posts I don’t enjoy hopping between blogs as much. I also find them time consuming to create what with all the adding book covers and links etc.
Ooh, that is something I didn’t touch on, but I definitely forget to link up to memes often. I’m trying to get better at it! I agree! Discussions are just so much more engaging, even if I do enjoy reading and writing lists from time to time!
My post will go up Sunday morning.
Love this discussion post! All of have different systems of how we blog—which can also change overtime—so I always find it interesting to see how other bloggers do it. Also about the personal posts gaining traction, even I’ve noticed that! It encouraged me to post more personal posts on my old blog. I think people are just nosy and like to know about other people haha
Thank you so much, Sumedha!! I always love reading other’s processes (whether with writing, blogging or reading) so it was fun to write! Haha, as someone who loves reading those posts, I think there is some accuracy to that statement…ha!
The spreadsheets are interesting, though I don’t know if I’d use them. XD
I’m more of a lifestyle blogger who posts about books here and there, though I do want to get back in the habit of blogging regularly in general. I really fell off, ha. I do enjoy reading some bookish discussions much more than I enjoy reading book reviews, though. I love lifestyle blog posts, but it’s hard to find ones about people’s actual lives these days and not just…click-bait-y ish or stuff they’re trying to push me to buy. The people I blogged with for years mostly quit, except those I can count on one hand, and the people I didn’t connect with back then now blog for Pinterest or affiliate programs, so…there is little to no actual connection, which…ugh.
The connection of the book blogger community is amazing, but I don’t feel like I always fit in. Sometimes it is painful awareness of how I don’t fit in (like how I’m white-passing, but both indigenous and white, disabled, and a lesbian — and yet, I don’t always want to highlight that for the sake of encouraging diversity). This played a part in my burnout last year, or the year before — whenever it was.
I used to schedule most all of my posts, but…I spend way more time posting erratically because I get too excited or just…,my system got really screwy.
I adore that book blogger spreadsheet, I don’t personally use it but it is so helpful. I also schedule all my content well in advance, I find it helps me stay calm!! Monthly staples do really help as well.
I am honestly floored on how I blogged without it. It’s so helpful!!
I also use Kal’s spreadsheet to schedule, and it similarily hadn’t occured to me before! If I don’t schedule I plain forget, or end up putting off reviews for ever. I sometimes to a big batch of posts, other times I just check my schedule and do the quicker ones like top ten tuesdays on the day. I’ve also started using templates more and I keep meaning to try for some more visually appealing ones, but haven’t gotten round to it.
Your process sounds very similar to mine!! And yes, after I went self-hosted I discovered I could add a plug-in to allow me to duplicate posts and it has been a GAME CHANGER.
Let’s Talk Bookish does seem like a great idea—I’ve been blogging for so many years that I think I’ve burned out a bit on coming up with discussion topics. Having someone do that for you is quite nice!
I LOVE Let’s Talk Bookish. I’m so shit at coming up with my own topics half of the time, so it’s so refreshing to have new ones each week!
Color me chuffed and honored to find my spreadsheet linked and praised in this post and comments — what a lovely surprise since self-hosted pingbacks don’t work! I am honestly so happy to see the spreadsheet helps you, and your process is pretty much similar to mine (obviously lol). I’ve decreased my posting frequency this year and that’s helped with the burnout I was feeling but I have so many draft posts I will never get to
Ohmygosh, Kal, I recommend your spreadsheet so many bloody times, it’s uncanny! I am *not* joking when I say it’s changed my life as a book blogger and how much I love and appreciate it!! Not surprised at all that others have felt the same! <3 <3
😭😭😭 Thanks so much Nicole, I’m so glad!