We spoke the other day about the frequency of publishing new blog posts, and how I’ve settled on 2.79 days. Well, rounded up to 3 days.
One thing I like about writing and scheduling blog posts in advance is the freedom and flexibility it gives.
I don’t sit down every three days to write a new post then immediately publish.
Instead I write as and when I feel like it and have some free time, then schedule the post for three days ahead of the last one already scheduled.
However, when I write a new post it’s usually something I’m very interested in and passionate about at the time of writing.
When I come to schedule it, I can either add to the end of the queue, or make it the next post to publish.
But adding to the end means by the time it’s published – sometimes up to two or three weeks away – I’ve lost a little enthusiasm about the topic, or something has evolved which means it’s not as relevant or accurate anymore.
If I make it the next post to publish, it means I have to shuffle around the publishing dates of one or more of the other scheduled posts, which only takes a few seconds but is just a bit annoying.
Because of this, I have a couple of posts lined up that I wrote weeks ago that keep getting pushed back, poor lambs.
So, to clear the backlog (I currently have six scheduled and 50+ in draft), and as a little experiment (which I like to do here on 35hunter and in life in general), I’m going to publish a new post every day for seven days, starting with this one.
I’m curious to see how this impacts the conversations here, and how it feels, at least fleetingly, to be a daily publisher.
Please let me know how you feel about this as the week unfolds in the comments below, I’d love your feedback.
Thanks for looking. Please share this post with others you feel will enjoy it too. If you’re interested, this is what my photography life looks like right now.
35hunter 
I went through my (few) draft posts just yesterday and had to simply delete some of them as they were no longer relevant. Seemed lime great topics when I started them but quite obsolete by now, some weeks / months later.
So I guess it’s a good idea to post asap, so as not to spend time for nothing.
Looking forward to your daily posta
…..posts of course
Yes, this is something I plan to do too Frank. For example I have a few old drafts that are half finished reviews of film cameras I no longer have!
Mostly though the drafts I start and already have something written for, soon get finished and published. The majority of the older ones are just titles or fragments of ideas, so hopefully I’ll find there are not too many wasted words lurking there.
Hi Dan, Well its different I will grant you that, and I look forward as usual to reading about your thoughts on topics and such like…. however, ( there’s always a “but” …don’t you think ) I hope it’s just to clear the drafts that you have… I say this as I do honestly think that daily posting leads to the readers “skimming” over the posts… why … I’m not sure but I think for me it’s because I have that ” well it’s no big deal if I miss one, as the writer is going to post tomorrow ” mentality….
I think your pattern of posting time wise is just spotted on … it’s regular, I love the “waiting” and anticipation of where’s Dan’s going with this topic… keep up the excellent work..
Rgds Lynd
Thanks Lynd, I appreciating you reading and your comments.
It is just a seven day/post experiment to see what happens, and yes to clear out posts that have been almost finished for a while but not quite there. I’m going to go through my other drafts too and just delete any that aren’t relevant or interesting (to me) anymore.
My plan is to then resume a three day posting schedule, as I agree this seems to work best for me writing and responding to comments and for readers.
I just don’t know what to do with all the ideas sometimes and want to get them out there!
Hi Dan, I like it when you try new things. I guess it depends on the blog, I never skim Jim Grey’s blog thats for sure. It stopped snowing here and I have been busy doing with bikes what you did with cameras, I gave a few away and will try to sell more. You have insired me to simplify all around. Have yet to takle cameras though….
Congrats on making the the Kosmo blog list, I was happy to see that. (The top too)
Hi Jon, thanks for your thoughts as always.
The main reasons I don’t post more often as I said in the 2.79 posts article is I don’t want to overwhelm readers and I don’t want to overwhelm myself with too many comments to keep up with. We’ll see how this pans out in the next seven days!
Sounds like you’re happy having a bit of a clear out. Kind of the same as I’m doing with my non-published posts here!
Thanks re the Kosmo blog. It’s not a blog I read or was aware of, but I noticed in my stats yesterday I was getting referrals. Didn’t know he was aware of me either – I can’t recall ever seeing a comment here from him. I need to pop over and say thanks!
I know what you mean about losing the spark on posts that are way out there on the schedule. But what I’ve learned is that when they go live, they are brand new to the readers — and their comments often respark my interest in the topic.
Jim, that is an excellent point. I just need to weed out a few posts in draft where I’m waxing on about cameras I don’t even have any more! I know the publishing (almost) every day schedule works for you. Do you ever feel you’re struggling to keep up with responding to comments?
Almost never. But I’m seldom inundated. 5-20 comments per post is typical for a standard post. Single Frame posts usually get no more than 5.
I would be very interested to look at the overall number of comments posted within, say, a week, and whether that changes if you publish two posts or seven.
For example Jim if you say you get 5-20 comments per post and post six times a week, that’s 30-120 comments in total.
If you posted just two new articles, could you hope to get 15-60 comments on each? I think it’s very feasible, certainly based on my recent comment counts publishing three times a week.
Think I’ll be looking at my total comments in seven day’s time and seeing if I can see any patterns of interest. Ah that inner maths geek peeping his head out again!
I don’t think that if I posted less often I would get more comments. My theory is that people comment on posts they find to be interesting, and that spark a thought in them. I try to write to create that spark. Posts that are largely just photo dumps get the fewest comments on my blog because they don’t create that spark.
Looking forward to seeing wot ya got!
Thanks, it’s lined up and oncoming!
Dan, I am very much looking forward to this, and not only for the rich variety of topics usually essayed here.
An instant Collegium will sometimes form around a post. The colleagues may then carry a discussion for days, with specific focus and frame altering and shifting as voices speak up, expand, riposte, adding their own notes to the mix.
A newspaper has the help of a daily editorial meeting with all heads and editors. Here, the specifics will often shift, and you will serve as a one-man board, writing an opening article and then engaging with each response: become, in fact, a one-man week-long Internet forum with a new opening punt each day.
Gonna get pretty busy!
Hi William, glad you’re anticipating eagerly.
A major source of ideas for future posts comes from the comments around posts as they’re published.
I do have a slight concern about keeping up with comments, but as I have the seven posts lined up ready to publish, I can spend my “35hunter time” this week purely on comments and not need to write anything new.
[…] seven days ago I wrote about my plans to try publishing a new blog post every day for seven […]
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