When you write a post does it take you forever, doing research, editing maybe several times, choosing images and possibly processing them? Or are you the just whip it out type, picking your favorite photos to go along with some quick and witty text? Or no photos?
It takes me hours to put together what I deem a good post. Actually days, and occasionally weeks on many occasions. I have way more ideas than time. Plus I’m a perfectionist and was taught way back when in college journalism to “write, re-write and rewrite.”
Then there’s the distraction of a notification on Facebook, or new email. (I love to get mail, do you?) Plus a constantly growing number of blogs to read and comment on.
Picking way more photos than needed out of the hundreds taken and then have to whittle them out so I don’t crash with an overload. Plus processing which I do with more than one software program, and all I have is freebies.
I create posts first on LiveWriter, another freebie, which I’ve learned and liked over the last almost five years of blogging. I definitely prefer loading images in this over straight to WordPress which is where I send my draft for final formatting and SEO before I publish.
Well no wonder I’m not posting every day. Yet I used to, and know many bloggers that do. How do you make time to get out a post and how long does it take you?
I post when I have news, since I am still in the process of buying a trailer, selling cars, trucks and “stuff” before I hit the road. Before I post I do check it but then re-write, rewrite and REwrite a few more times.
I see you learned like I did with all the re-writes.
Hi Gaelyn,
As you know I take blogcations occasionally but otherwise post only 1-2 times a week. I edit and watermark all the photos I use on the blogs and that takes time – more and more people are using my photos on pinterest, so I like them marked. When I settle on an idea, I can usually get the words down in an hour or so – I like brevity, so my editing is normally cutting text or finding a better word.
I respect your blogcations because you always return with great stories and images. Plus love your simplicity in choosing just the right words. I too watermark all photos.
I sort of write fast most of the time. I let the pictures set the narrative and then I fill in the info. If I’m working on something more academic, it takes a bit longer! I’ve been trying to get the Grand Canyon story told as soon as I can because the school year has begun and I will have a lot more demands on my time.
I find it difficult to post about a long journey with a quick series. You really do have that together. I’m only about half way through my last South Africa trip and already planning for the next one. But I understand how work cuts into blogging time.
It takes me several hours to do a post. I like to include pics, so that takes a while as well. I strive to take care of editing my photos daily so I don’t have an overwhelming number to deal with. I try to post about four times a week. It used to be more often, but between volunteering, life, and taking care of Emma, posting has been slowing down for me. I don’t want it to become a drag. I write it, go through it once for corrections/changes, and that’s it. I don’t have time to keep rewriting. I sit down after dinner to write my posts, unlike some people who work on them throughout the day.
Good topic. It’s interesting to see what other blogger do.
I can’t even keep up with labeling my photos daily, still working on July. Processing comes as I’m ready to use them.
Thanks for sharing as it is interesting to read what other bloggers do.
I spend WAY too much time on my blogs and I know they are WAY too long with WAY too many pictures but I don’t seem to be able to cut it all down. I often think I spend more time writing about what I did than doing it. Well not really but it often feels that way. I go through the pictures and there far too many of those as well as I sometimes take 4 or 5 of the same thing trying to get one I’ll like. Then I pick them out, polish the pictures and have too many. Then I put them in Live Writer and try to cut them down as I add the narrative. The narrative is easy since it’s guided by the pictures but I’m trying to do the narrative separately and first to see if it will enable me to use fewer pictures. I don’t see why I can’t just have 8 or 10 pictures and that’s it but I never seem to be able to. As you, one of my most faithful commenters, (THANK YOU SOO MUCH) will know from experience. At least a couple times a week I am saying I’m not going to do it anymore especially when the comments are down as they are my real motivation. I love to hear what people think.
I love your posts with such detail and many photos as it makes me feel like I’m there with you. But yes, it does take a lot of time. Plus I know what you mean about comments. They pat my ego.
Its not QUANTITY that counts but QUALITY.
And yours does it well…
Thanks Rick.
It’s usually a slow process with all the photo editing, research, and composition. Though I just posted a “quickie” in order to stay somewhat current in our travels. Plus it was a fun one!
I loved your ‘quickie’ and it is fun. Just put together a quickie for my other website/blog, which I haven’t posted on since June.
What bugs me is that I’m not a perfectionist in anything much in my life. But writing posts perfectionism comes out in me and I will edit a million times and then publish and then AFTER it’s on for the world to see is where I find grammatical mistakes, typos, and run on sentences to get it PERFECT. So I revert to draft and fix everything which entails new re-edits. Then you have stupid computer things. I had a whole paragraph on the dog post of what she did when I kneeled down by her at the animal shelter. And only just a few minutes ago, and ONLY THEN having read and re-read re-read re-read re-read and editededitededited that post, did I find that that paragraph was not there. Disappeared into the wherever things go from posts. People pfoo-pfoo other people who write blogs saying it’s a waste of time. But it’s not. It takes challenge to a diffent scope. You learn a million things while blogging. I never thought I was a writer until I started this blogging stuff. Only we as bloggers know what goes into this little hobby. Six years steady now and I still love it.
Glad to know I’m not the only perfectionist out here. Sometimes I think my computer has a mind of its own and changes spellings when I’m not looking. Blogging is a lot of gratifying work.
I start with the photos. All of my pics are on flickr so I just copy and paste the links onto the post and then fill in with words. That part doesn’t take very long. Before I ever start the post I formulate what I want in my head and that can take days sometimes until I have the basic theme.
I’ve learned that if I don’t have an idea just don’t post that day. I’ve also learned about tempo and spacing with posts so I’m not too OCD about posting every day.
Also, I’m not a perfectionist. Sad, but true,
I like the back and forth with blogs. I like people who visit and comment. They don’t have to say something but about once or twice every two or three weeks and I’m happy.
Sounds like a good plan Yogi. I used to post everyday but have now backed off to about 3 a week. I think we all like to get comments to validate our work.
I used to post every day on both my blogs. Although PE Daily Photo is still every day the length depends on how much time I have. Unfortunately The Firefly Photo Files have been badly neglected due to time pressures and is down to two posts a week. Very sad as I would love to post more often.
It really is about time.
I spend several hours on a post. I first make a quick write up, sort out the photos to go with the post and then start working out the post. I at least read and edit 4 times (on different days and I usually make quite some changes each time) before I post. But since I only post on average once a week it’s OK I guess. I could however never post every day.
Sounds like what I do.
I have been posting everyday since Nov 2009. I started out making handwritten notes about things that I wanted to remember about the day and place that I was at. Over the years I have moved away from the handwritten notes and now write directly on my computer which I will tweak as the day goes by. Do a final edit of what I’m going to post and do it. Then discover that I have spelling errors, poor grammar, run on sentences etc. It does not take me very long because I’m doing small pieces of the daily posting throughout the day. I am also not writing for an audience so it does not need to be perfect just something that I can use and IF someone reads it they can understand what I have said.
Yet we all have an audience.
I think it depends on the post. Some just come very quickly to me and others I agonize over. Write, re-write, delete, write again. I also think it depends on my mood, travel schedule and internet connection. 🙂
I used to operate that way. Now with this site it takes me lots of time. That’s why I started the other website for quickies.
I used to post every day then realised that quality was far better than quantity. I now post once a week, or sometime once in two weeks. It takes me ages to sort photos and do research to make an interesting blog. Ed says he is not writing for an audience, guess that is fine for him, but for me, if I am not writing something of interest for for an audience of some sort, then I feel I am wasting my time. My Dad always told me that if you do something, do it well or not at all. I prefer my grammar to be as good as I can get it and hopefully there are no spelling mistakes.
I admit to doing a daily photo post, but that is pretty slapdash with few words mainly for family and friends who just like to know what we are doing. Your blog tops my list of favourites, and I really appreciate the time you spend on your photo quality and the research, or knowledge, that goes in to writing your posts.
I am very busy at home, particularly at present, and my time for me is very important. I do love though following other blogs and I feel I have made many virtual friends through writing some thing of interest.
Thank you Diane. I too feel the time is worth it. And I love reading your marvelous posts as you take me to places I may never see.
Like Garry said above, I also like to let the photos “set” the narrative. And then on the days that I have something really serious on my mind, I research and re-write and preview and re-write. You get the picture. And as another commenter said above too, it’s quality that counts. But I do like to post every day and have two posts on a Sunday (when my young cat, Ambrose gets in before me and does a “kitty” post.) I love your posts, Gaelyn; keep them up please! (((Hugs))) Jo
I like to work the photos into the narrative to help tell the story, like you do. My hat is off to you for getting out a post a day. Don’t remember how I did that in the past, especially when working or traveling. Thanks for the feedback and keep up the great posts.
Oh gosh, my posts take me forever!!! It’s the writing. I edit and post pictures. Then I pick a title about how I felt during the experience. The titles can never repeat:) Then when my other half isn’t home one night(or two), I burn a candle, put on some inspirational music, make a drink and choose a post I want to write on. Once I write, I let it sit for several days and come back to the post and review for grammar and better word choices. Some posts sit in the waiting for months until I collect enough data on my subjects:)
Another interesting bit that I recognize is when a post will be a hit or a miss with my audience. Fascinating stuff. And great topic. I can’t wait to see you at the end of this month! Chris
It is a lot of gratifying work and I can tell you put a lot into your posts, which I dearly love.
So when are you coming? Kathie will be here tomorrow. So excited.
We’ll will be heading up to your place on the 26th. Got the tent all ready and cannot wait for some cooler weather!:)
Such an interesting post and as well the comments . I almost never read every comment but I studied these!! Fascinating to see how good bloggers work … and how they differ. I spend too much time on my posts for what they are…. not so much because I’m a perfectionist, but because I’m old and slow! My blog started out as a travel diary when we were full-time on the road and those posts were easier in a way (I didn’t have as much spare time to work on them, but the new subject matter was right there every time we rolled down the road). Now that we aren’t on the road quite as much, my blog has evolved into more about just appreciating the beauties of every day (the blog is kind of my happy place). Fortunately, we have chosen some very photogenic areas to spend most of our time.
I definitely use memes as a prompt ….those I join are about things I’d be likely to take pictures of and post about anyway, but knowing that the memes run on certain days of the week motivates me to post on a schedule. Thanks for this thought-provoking (and helpful) post. You’re the best!
I too find all the comments informative. I starting blogging with a couple of memes but now rarely go there. But I do think that blogs develop and change over time.
Interesting post. I usually THINK about the photos I want to post and then I write around them, but sometimes I just throw something up. I hate to say it, but I post more on Facebook now than I blog. Now that school has started, I just don’t have the time anymore to really spend on my blogs. In fact, I’ve pretty much let one go (deserts and beyond)…sigh…I always post on my horses’ one and Deep Canyon, but even those are pretty much once a week now.
~~Cheryl Ann~~
How is the new Nikon?
Blogging does take a lot of time. When I’m working they don’t go out every day.
I’m loving the Nikon and, I think, getting better with it all the time.
Have a great school year, and enjoy the weekends.
Hi Gaelyn, I don’t know how to get back onto your Friday Fun post. I think I forgot to give you a number? If I have, I am giving it now: 399. Hugs Jo
Have you down for 399.