There are two types of bloggers out there: the ones that plan ahead and the ones that spontaneously combust into sparkles hoping plans will form.
Seriously, though, if you’re a planner already into December or next year, what is this sorcery? I think a lot of us could use some of your magical powers; we’re in great envy here. Tell us your secrets?
Let me tell you about my love/hate relationship with planning.
AKA I frequently have a crisis with my blog and life and no one notices it because I look put together? My outfit doesn’t count – I’m always hoodie/jeans because of Comfort™. I’m sure some of you feel the same – YOU’VE TRIED EVERYTHINGGG.
You start off STRONG, ONLY TO ABANDON IT WEEKS LATER
Your pocket has a planner, your room has a planner, your bedside table has a planner… everywhere you go there’s a planner of sorts sitting around, staring at you and judging.
Maybe, maybe it’s not a big deal. I don’t have a problem.
You’ve resorted to digital methods… only to abandon them
You’ve done all the research, read all the posts, downloaded all the apps.
But… it’s not working either.
And you probably forgot about it on your phone, too.
What is space.
You want to have a plan, but don’t want to either
You sit down at your blogging area and think, “Wow, I should really get my dragons together and have a game plan!” Then you realize everything you’ve done has been moot.
Sometimes, you’re just not interested in it, you feel?
You take a break from planning and go with the flow for a few months
Sometimes you put too much pressure on yourself to do things and it doesn’t go well, so you put some distance between. Distance is good, right?
If it works with writing and everything else, it’s got to work with planning.
Sometimes planning to plan is an endless cycle.
You’ve read all things, tried all the things, read all the things. You’ve given yourself a break from forming a plan, only to find yourself doing the same thing once (or twice) more.
You’ve decided your best course of action is to spontaneously combust into sparkles until the occasional plan forms.
And that’s perfectly fine! Not everyone is meant to be a planner, at least when it comes to blogging.
Let’s talk, bookwyrms! Do you like to plan? Have you tried planning? Do you have a love/hate relationship with it?
Sophia started blogging in February 2012 for the hell of it and is surprisingly still around. She has a GIF for nearly everything, probably listens to too much K-Pop and is generally in an existential crisis of sorts (she's trying her best). More of her bookish reviews and K-Pop Roundups can be found at The Arts STL.
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Let all combust into sparkles haha 😀 That is definitely my plan! (can we plan not to plan?) Great post 😀 Very fun to read!
We should, haha. I wish we could plan not to plan!
I have MANY planners, which I do actually write everything down in, and then usually barely look at them. Especially when it comes to blogging – I am very much a ‘you know what, I fancy posting something today’ kind of writer!! Mind you, I definitely couldn’t live without my planner when it comes to balancing university and my part time job. I’d miss everything.
(Also, writing in a pretty planner is just fun isn’t it. Planning is so much more fun than doing.)
I love to plan. I use a paper calendar to plan out my blog posts (I know, so old-fashioned), but it helps me to see everything laid out. For me, I have to do things ahead of time because I sit and think things to death before I post. I can’t just write something and post it right away. And knowing I have a month’s worth of blog posts already done makes me feel like I at least have control of one area of my life. But everyone is different! At this point in my life, I have a lot free time to devote large chunks to blogging. I try to devote a specific time to it each day or week, but when inspiration strikes, go with it! Whatever works for you is the way you should be doing things.
Nah, paper calendar doesn’t sound very old-fashioned – I think there are a few bloggers who use a paper calendar as well (though they may put it in their bullet journal if they don’t feel like drawing it), so you’re perfectly fine! Despite having a love/hate relationship with planning, I can’t write something and post it write away. I like writing it right away, but I let it sit there for a period of time before looking it over (usually by that time I would have forgotten about it completely and HAVE to read it again), editing it and then scheduling it or posting it.
Well I plan some things (like use my google agenda to note when I have to post a review an dwhen I have to begin to read the book. Also when I have to publish a promo post). But the other posts are completely last minutes like the memes I am doing LOL
I never would have guessed with the memes, Sophie, you do such an amazing job with them despite it being last minute! <3
I've tried Google Calendar, but I abandoned it eventually.
I am a planner. I need to have a framework in place for me to be comfortable. I use Google Calendar, so I can synch with my phone, and I like to do things on the same days at the same time. I am quite regimented. Sometimes I veer from the plan, but I do try to stick with my goals.
I LOVE the thought of Google Calendar (for the same purpose of syncing to my phone and other devices – I always have my phone with me), but ahhh, it didn’t work after all. I do use it for budgeting purposes and calculating if I have enough to move to my card and still be able to pay the bills though… but that’s not really planning (I mean, it is… but not for blogging, lol).
This sounds exactly like me. I am so obsessed with planning but I never have – or can- implement them successfully. Sigh. In fact this is the first ever week in a year that I scheduled post for the week ahead.
OMG SAME. I’m obsessed with it, but I’m BAD at implementing. I’ve been trying though… as one can tell from my posts being scheduled all the way until the end of the semester back in October (wow, I did that?). But now all of that is catching up and I’m watching my post count dwindle down.
The idea of combusting into sparkles makes me so anxious, haha! I am definitely of the planning type, planning makes me feel much calmer, but I know for some people the opposite is true. Fun post, Soph!
Hahaha, but combusting into sparkles is more fun than Edward sparkling, right? Also yes… you are the data and spreadsheet queen. I would expect nothing less from your majesty.
DEFINITELY better than Edward sparkles. I definitely lack a commitment to his brand of Sparkle Motion
*Seriously, though, if you’re a planner already into December or next year, what is this sorcery? I think a lot of us could use some of your magical powers; we’re in great envy here. Tell us your secrets?*
WELL I’m in Jan 2019 and have nearly written all the content for it and basically the secret is productively procrastinating on the present stufff….at least that’s my secret cause it makes me feel like I’m in control :joy:
Wow. the level of mood here is strong. I feel this to the depths of my core. It resonated with me Soph. What a time. But no matter what, you will always catch me planning–cause ya girl here is a Type A trash. lololol
Interesting question. In 7 years of blogging I have tried it all! For me, a blend of structure and spontaneity is what works. I like having at least one pre-planned post a week. Like TTT etc. And then I like to leave the other 1-2 posts I do that week up to whatever I’m feeling at the time. Depending on how my reading goes, I’ll decide to do mini-reviews or a discussion post based on something that I thought of. But everyone has to figure out what works for them!
Jen Ryland Reviews
Structure and spontaneity – sounds like me! I can’t do pre-planned posts and then spontaneity though, but it shows up in different ways. And like you said, everyone has to figure out their own style and ways. 😀
I love this!! 🙂
Thanks, Erica!
I’m a planner! Every month I print out a calendar and plan my blog posts. I try to binge-write posts on weekends and schedule them, but I’ve had a few last-minute frantic scrambles this year. When life gets busy, no amount of planning will give me the motivation to blog. Then I run out of scheduled posts and have to scramble.
“When life gets busy, no amount of planning will give me the motivation to blog.” That is one big mood, AJ. I feel the same way and I think I’m currently in that scramble phase or about to go into the scramble phase. (But that’s okay, because winter break!)
I use to plan ahead when my schedule was busier, now I just go with the flow. I write things in the planner using colored pens that sparkles and add stickers and such. But I never follow through with what I add in there, I just go with how I’m feeling. I do enjoying the actually ‘planning’ process.. or should I say writing it down. I also like spreadsheets and making lists. Great post Sophia 🙂
Same with going with how I feel sometimes! I think that applies more when I’m writing posts or blogging in general rather than scheduling the posts itself, haha. I love adding stickers to my planner and Washi Tape to make it look pretty, but while I carry colored pens, I don’t necessarily write in colored pens.
I…. I’m a scheduling kind of person, but I don’t know if I am a really really organized and ahead kind of planner haha. I can plan as far as the upcoming week, but not further ahead, just because I don’t have time to do more of it all haha and even if I did, I don’t know if I would. I like seeing what’s coming next, but not too far, because I like to leave some space for spontaneous ideas to come for the upcoming week, too 🙂
Lovely post!! 🙂
Why does it sounds like you are talking about me? 😀 I am this seriously. I have a love/hate relationship with planning. I love creating lists and every time I am determined to follow it. But each time I go on a totally different path 😛
Because we must be planning twins, Sim! I’ve learned to try and accept some spontaneity, though, but the struggle is so very real.
So we’re both planners now? Ah, I’m the queen of complicated, but I understand it’s not…super-healthy LOL. So…it’s good for you that you’ve eased into scheduling, but in a softer manner. I also noticed you’re bringing Novel Newcomers back, which is a good sign!
Quote: “I get to invade your blog with my lovely presence more often and brighten your morning.”
Haha, you do! And thank you for the good morning joke, because I SO needed a smile on my face at the end of this shitty week.
Lovely post! I have a love/hate relationship with planning as well. The idea of it appeals so much to me, but I usually am never able to go through it for more than a few weeks. Hahaha! The few times I have managed to maintain a consistent blogging schedule, my life felt incredibly less stressful, so I’m hoping to try to schedule more in 2019! New year, new me! ❤
I’ve found my life less stressful as well during the months that I scheduled through the end of the semester and hope to continue doing so in 2019. Good luck with scheduling, Kelly! It’s hard to find that balance, but I’m sure you’ll get there eventually. <3
I think we got around the same when we took it (Mine was like 264?? i think?) so I’m just smack the gavel and say we are C babies. We can float back and forth between A and B as we please 😀
MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I wish I could say I’m organized with my life, but nope! I go with the flow 95% of the time with everything in my life but blogging (except sometimes).
OMG, SAME. I have a 64GB phone as well so it’s even easier because nothing screams at me like it did in the past and I just keep installing and abandoning it all, LOL. I love looking at all the pretty planners and stationary that I could keep, all with the excuse of, “I’M GOING TO USE THIS.” I don’t use them, of course. They sit in my room all pretty.