Dec 31, 2015 / Beginner

Three Thoughts on Sustainable Blogging Resolutions

How to set goals you’ll be more likely to keep.

I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, writing-related or otherwise. Something about the ritual feels contrived and ineffective — possibly because I’m an undisciplined, chronic procrastinator who loves finding loopholes in self-imposed rules. As esteemed behavioral economist Dan Ariely said a few years ago, “If you don’t have resolutions, you can’t break them.”

And yet here we are, mere hours before ringing in 2016. You want your blog to shine next year, you want to feel productive and energized, and you might think to yourself that maybe a little champagne-fueled commitment can’t hurt. And unless you’re one of the writing 1 percent — that group of three self-satisfied people who think that “writer’s block” is an actual block on which you write, prolifically — you’re right. Ceremonial rituals can’t hurt (why would anyone ever get married otherwise?).

So here are three ideas to ponder as you make — or consider making — your blogging resolutions for next year. They’re tailored to the skeptics among you, though true believers are certainly welcome to adopt and adapt them as well.

Make it about process

Every year, there are people who set out to publish a new post every week or even every single day (if that’s you, you deserve a badge!). Some follow our Daily Prompts while others come up with their own ideas. I genuinely admire anyone with that level of commitment to anything, but I also recognize that we can’t all aspire to a goal as lofty as that.

By setting up circumstances so that the good decision is the default, it takes more work to slip back into old habits.
— Scott Huettel, Duke University Psychology Department

Which is why a great resolution to make is not “I will publish every X days,” but rather “I will build an editorial calendar and stick with it.”

How detailed a calendar ends up being depends on your own temperament — for some, a loose statement like “I’ll post a couple of new recipes every month” is already more than enough. Others might need more specifics, and opt for a list or a chart to shape the serial posts they’d like to write (and their frequency), strategize how to balance their blog’s multiple niches, or make plans for contributions from guest bloggers.

The idea, in other words, is to create a framework that helps you succeed, rather than obsess over a number which you might come to see as arbitrary or even counterproductive.

Take pleasure in connections

Most of us live in cultures that valorize things you can quantify. That’s probably why writing events (and writing resolutions) often establish some numerical goal to achieve: write X words in Y days, publish Z posts over the next month, and so on.

It would be nice to change the culture, but it might take us a while. So, why not stick with numbers — but attach them to different, less output-focused goals?

If don’t already have a network of bloggers you care about and aren’t sure where to start, join one of our free Blogging U. courses in 2016 — they’re the perfect setting for finding other bloggers to interact with (while also working on your blogging or writing skills).

Sure, you can commit to three posts a week or 5,000 words a month or any other metric you feel comfortable with. But consider adding other types of goals to your list: find three new blogs to follow every week. Once a day, leave a substantive comment on someone else’s post. Try out a different blogging event every month.

You get the idea — make resolutions that push you to connect with people. These connections and stronger sense of community will only make it more likely that you meet your other, publishing-oriented goals.

Find a penalty you love

Self-flagellation shouldn’t be part of the blogging or writing process — all of us have work, family, and other obligations to attend to. Our lives are complicated, which is why they’re interesting and worth blogging about in the first place. (It’s also why you should never start a post with “Sorry I haven’t posted in so long!” — see #2 here).

Instead of feeling bad for falling behind on your publishing, find a productive way to penalize yourself. I mentioned earlier my knack for finding loopholes within my own rules. These often take the shape of bizarre, convoluted negotiations with myself: “if I don’t finish this post now, I have to spend 30 minutes looking through my photo library for featured images for future posts.” And so on.

Tip: You can start a list of to-do items for your blog, from design elements to general maintenance. That way, whenever the muses are gone for the day, you have a solid plan B.

The idea is to establish penalties that aren’t too severe (but also not too much fun, or you’ll just intentionally skip your initial plans!) and that still serve a purpose in the grand scheme of things. Come up with a couple of “if… then…” scenarios. “If I don’t publish today, then I’ll audit my tags for consistency.” “If I don’t finish creating those custom Image Widgets I’d been working on, then I’ll come up with three post ideas to explore down the line.” Your “penalty” doesn’t even have to be blog-related. A 15-minute stroll through your neighborhood is a perfect way to not write — and might just inspire your next post. Or it might not. And that’s fine, too.

Whatever your blogging resolutions for next year may be, we can’t wait to see you here in 2016! Happy new year!

 

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  4. Thank you for this! How do I get more people to just visit my page? a single comment or like or even just a visit would be amazing! How to I get my blog out there?

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Thanks! All very useful and practical advice that fits with my laizez-faire style! Love the idea of an editorial calender, I tend to start out quite enthusiastic with most of my projects and then fade as I’m prone to nonconstructive self-criticism. Not sure about the penalty system as I’m quite hard on myself as is!

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  6. I am an infrequent blogger and despite the fact I don’t do New Year resolutions – something about the idea does not sit right with me. Despite that I did decide to give myself a goal to improve my blogging experience this year, this post has helped me decided how I want to do that. First off the calendar, then one of the blogging 101 courses.Thanks for the help.

    Liked by 1 person

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  19. Hi Ben,
    I was so inspired by this blog post that I signed up for the Blogging 101 class. I received an email confirmation, but haven’t gotten anything since then. I’m not sure if I missed something, and wanted to know what my next step is. New to the blogging world, so any suggestions are appreciated. My blog is mrsjroche.com. Thanks in advance for your help!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello! By the time this post was published on 12/31, registration for the January courses had already closed (they got full very fast in the run-up to the new year). So what you signed up for is in fact February’s course — I looked you up, and can confirm you’re registered for that one!

      Sorry for the confusion, and for the delay in starting the course. I do hope you enjoy it once you do in February. In the meantime, I hope all the resources here at The Daily Post can keep you busy.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Truly some good stuff here. I’ve heard several times that looking for a story in even the most mundane topic is sound way of ensuring sustainable content, and while content offers some motivation— self-motivation is another animal. Thanks for posting!

    Liked by 2 people