How far out do you schedule your posts? How do you plan ahead for future posts? What advice do you have for writers who are struggling to plan out their posts? Or, if you struggle, what questions do you have for other writers related to planning and scheduling your work for your audience?
I have 19 drafts sitting in my inbox as we speak but I don’t even know if I will publish them. I don’t typically schedule out. The nature of my Substack is very reactive to the events that have occurred that week.
I can see how that would make it difficult to schedule too far out! Do you find that you have occasional "evergreen" content that make it possible to schedule things out?
I currently have half a dozen draft substack columns and only one scheduled--for tomorrow. Some of the drafts were actually scheduled but I changed their status based on a bunch of factors like timeliness. I like to have at least 2-3 scheduled, but I go with the flow of each week and don't stress about being only a week "ahead."
I had to change the scheduling for a few over the last week, but I'm concerned I won't get my current post done for Friday and I'm going to have to do some last minute changes. We'll see.
Since November, I increased it to 1 per week. For December, I am already 2 posts in and I overachieved but if I could go back in time to last week, I would have scheduled my Dec 1st post to next week. That was bad planning :) and I burdened myself in a way. When you said editing, you mean you spend a lot of time editing your post or you help edit other posts?
I have something scheduled for every week in December BUT I have three posts that I "need" to finish for the month. With papers getting turned in left and right, it's going to be a challenge.
OMG, I remember the end of the semester. And years ago, when I had my first full-time teaching job, I had 90 students three times a year. The workload was beyond heavy. I quite after two years to write full-time. It took two more years before I published my first book.
Try 150 students, 100 of whom are dual credit comp students and their big argument paper is due in less than a week, with one week to grade them and get those grades submitted!
I'm an author who's taught creative writing and I left Michigan State to start my own editing, mentoring, and coaching website: https://www.writewithoutborders.com. I work with writers at all levels in multiple genres.
Like all businesses, it ebbs and flows. I have people working with me on a regular basis, some come and go. I've had as many as ten at a time and as few as one or two. I had a great mentor in college and wonderful editors when I reviewed for The Detroit Free Press and other papers, and great book editors all the way through my career till now, plus I did a lot of independent studies with students at MSU, so I was prepared to break free of academia, where I was really just a guest. :-)
I start on Friday drafting stories and planning for next week. But i will tell you it doesn't always work out. A new story might pop in my head that i feel is more important to get out. But the important thing to me is keep a planner and do the best you can. You can organize better. If you do not, you get lost.
Yeah, I try really hard to keep a paper planner so that I can write stuff out FAR in advance but I do it in pencil so that I can change as I go. Then I cross things off as I finish them, with the understanding that I might need to 1) revise and 2) change the dates if things come up and I need to post something more timely.
I like and need the accomplishment of being able to cross items off of a list. When I don't have a list or I'm too busy to even make a list, I fall apart!
Yes, I have to see what I am writing. I have lots of journals. Sometimes, I do not write short articles. I go with the flow. My mom taught me this. She writes everything down, including what she is cooking that day. If we want to help, we look at her planner.
I can't write out most of my work by hand because I want to be able to write as fast as I can think. But the paper planner is important to me now because it is so satisfying to have it written down and checked off. Plus, it holds me more accountable.
I write and post almost every day, no drafts, just wing it! Sometimes I go back and edit after I publish, but most of the time it's pretty straightforward, as I write about where I ride my bike. Just reporting the facts and a few observations. I write about wherever my bike takes me. 😀
That is an impressive amount of work! I can't do that, but I love that you are writing about riding your bike. We need more people talking about riding, not driving.
I have 19 drafts sitting in my inbox as we speak but I don’t even know if I will publish them. I don’t typically schedule out. The nature of my Substack is very reactive to the events that have occurred that week.
I have about 20 odd half baked posts in mine too. I typically don't have any completed that I schedule in advance of more than a day.
Life is too busy for me to do that 😂
I can see how that would make it difficult to schedule too far out! Do you find that you have occasional "evergreen" content that make it possible to schedule things out?
I currently have half a dozen draft substack columns and only one scheduled--for tomorrow. Some of the drafts were actually scheduled but I changed their status based on a bunch of factors like timeliness. I like to have at least 2-3 scheduled, but I go with the flow of each week and don't stress about being only a week "ahead."
I had to change the scheduling for a few over the last week, but I'm concerned I won't get my current post done for Friday and I'm going to have to do some last minute changes. We'll see.
Good luck!
I can relate to that. As I been increasing my writing cadence I think I will get to your state of 2-3 posts. Fingers crossed!
How often do you post? I've been posting weekly but that also means reviewing less on my blog, since I also do a lot of editing.
Since November, I increased it to 1 per week. For December, I am already 2 posts in and I overachieved but if I could go back in time to last week, I would have scheduled my Dec 1st post to next week. That was bad planning :) and I burdened myself in a way. When you said editing, you mean you spend a lot of time editing your post or you help edit other posts?
I have something scheduled for every week in December BUT I have three posts that I "need" to finish for the month. With papers getting turned in left and right, it's going to be a challenge.
OMG, I remember the end of the semester. And years ago, when I had my first full-time teaching job, I had 90 students three times a year. The workload was beyond heavy. I quite after two years to write full-time. It took two more years before I published my first book.
Try 150 students, 100 of whom are dual credit comp students and their big argument paper is due in less than a week, with one week to grade them and get those grades submitted!
I'm an author who's taught creative writing and I left Michigan State to start my own editing, mentoring, and coaching website: https://www.writewithoutborders.com. I work with writers at all levels in multiple genres.
Someday I may have to ask how that goes, you know, when I have enough in retirement to consider not teaching full time anymore ;-)
Like all businesses, it ebbs and flows. I have people working with me on a regular basis, some come and go. I've had as many as ten at a time and as few as one or two. I had a great mentor in college and wonderful editors when I reviewed for The Detroit Free Press and other papers, and great book editors all the way through my career till now, plus I did a lot of independent studies with students at MSU, so I was prepared to break free of academia, where I was really just a guest. :-)
I start on Friday drafting stories and planning for next week. But i will tell you it doesn't always work out. A new story might pop in my head that i feel is more important to get out. But the important thing to me is keep a planner and do the best you can. You can organize better. If you do not, you get lost.
Yeah, I try really hard to keep a paper planner so that I can write stuff out FAR in advance but I do it in pencil so that I can change as I go. Then I cross things off as I finish them, with the understanding that I might need to 1) revise and 2) change the dates if things come up and I need to post something more timely.
Yes me too
The discipline to keep a paper planner is impressive. I can’t seem to get back to pen and paper.
I like and need the accomplishment of being able to cross items off of a list. When I don't have a list or I'm too busy to even make a list, I fall apart!
I do too. I have to visualize
Yes, I have to see what I am writing. I have lots of journals. Sometimes, I do not write short articles. I go with the flow. My mom taught me this. She writes everything down, including what she is cooking that day. If we want to help, we look at her planner.
I can't write out most of my work by hand because I want to be able to write as fast as I can think. But the paper planner is important to me now because it is so satisfying to have it written down and checked off. Plus, it holds me more accountable.
Yes being accountable is important. I like that my granddaughter is keeping journals.
I am intrigued to know more about your planning process. Do you use a digital one to organize or manual?
If I try to use a digital one, I always forget. It is better that I see it on the table.
And that’s the best way really, social media and apps have made many of us less handson and more distracted.
Yes. I see a few younger people writing just for the art of it.
I write and post almost every day, no drafts, just wing it! Sometimes I go back and edit after I publish, but most of the time it's pretty straightforward, as I write about where I ride my bike. Just reporting the facts and a few observations. I write about wherever my bike takes me. 😀
That is an impressive amount of work! I can't do that, but I love that you are writing about riding your bike. We need more people talking about riding, not driving.
Thanks, and indeed! Austin is so bike friendly, too, which helps in a huge way.
It is. We loved Austin on our few visits there when we lived in Houston. And my new professional goal is to someday get to SXSW Education.
I worked with the Texas Community Colleges for awhile and SXSW Education was always eagerly anticipated. Good stuff!