Batching Blog Content: How I Write 20+ Blog Posts Every Month

Maybe it’s the time of year or maybe it’s because my list // community // visibility are growing, but it seems I’m getting more and more email requests to write guest posts and make content contributions to other blogs (even more meta: it's usually requesting that I write about my batching blog content system).

What’s your first thought when you receive one of these requests?

Oh crap, I can barely manage getting my own blog posts up and posted each week. Now I have to add another one?! And the pressure of it HAVING to be good – oy!

Or

Sure, when do you need it for and would any of these topics work for you… (list a few options)

This post is to show you a behind-the-scenes of my ongoing blog batching system (my past-present-future routine) so that when you get one of these requests you can go to your bank of unpublished content to tailor and send without the panic and tailspin of having yet another thing on your plate!

Why I do it this way

I recently finished 100 days of blogging and through trial and error came up with the following rhythm that allows me to create a lot of content without getting bored or overwhelmed or lazy (just slapping words on a page for the sake of getting the topic off my editorial calendar!)

I’ve since given this process to a few clients and masterminders and they’ve also found that it allows them to build up a bank of content that they can pull from whenever they need it. So I’m thrilled to share it with you!

What my process looks like // How it works

I write 4-5 blog posts every week. And it isn’t like I’m forcing myself to write them either or that all I do in my business is blog. It takes very little time actually. This process lets you bundle like tasks together in the blogging process and streamline and template other tasks.

Here’s how it works:

1 x Planning Day
(Future – I plan for the posts I’ll write in the future)

1. I choose my next topics from a list of ideas that I add to anytime I get a stroke of inspiration
2. I take 5 minutes for each topic and free write. Basically, I write down anything that pops into my mind when I think about the topic – half-formed ideas, examples and stories to reference. I’ll even sometimes end up basically writing the post in this one sitting – but there’s no pressure, judgment or expectation on myself that what I write will be any good at all.
3. I organize my free writing into an outline

So I end my planning day (usually Sundays) with 5 outlines that capture my own ideas about the subject. Notice how I do absolutely no research. That comes later after I’ve had a chance to form my own thoughts.

5 x Writing Days
(Present – I write my current posts!)

Every day I take 20-30 minutes (or sometimes a bunch of 5-minute blocks depending on the day) to write 1 of my 5 posts.

The writing comes super easily because (a) it’s a habit I’ve formed and (b) I know exactly what I’m going to write from my outline/free writing

1 x Finishing Day
(Past – I prepare the last 5 posts I wrote for publishing)

1. I edit my 5 posts. Hack: I’m not great at editing on a screen and I don’t want to print everything out, so I’ll copy and paste in Grammarly and then after finishing those errors, I’ll have my iMac read my the text*. I always catch lots of contextual errors and improvements this way! (*Might only work on an Apple computer or using Chrome?)
2. I create and design any accompanying content upgrades (Usually a simple worksheet. The one attached to this post is a great example!)
3. A team member or I will create images for the post using our blog image templates.
4. A team member or I will write accompanying email and social media messages. In our case: 3 tweets, 1 longer social media message and a newsletter blurb.
5. I will add the post to my editorial calendar to be scheduled in WordPress or just add it to my unpublished content bank to pull from later

So every post is complete and in a little bundle with all of the supporting pieces too so they're there when I need them.

Want my full Batching Blog Content Process?

Simple right? I’ve created a weekly blog batching worksheet that’ll help you adapt and implement this process into your own content routine.

Click on the image below to download: