My Guide to Blogtober

I’ve (almost) done it! I’ve nearly completed my first Blogtober. 31 posts for 31 days. It’s been an exciting, challenging experience for me. I started this blog with the intention of writing about three things: books, baking and being a student. As my time as a student came to an end, and I was gifted with more time to blog, my ideas of what to write dried up as quick as my lips do in winter (very quick, if you must know!). So, with great reluctance, I decided to give ‘Blogtober’ a go. Since then, I’ve been able to write about everything and anything. It’s only made my desire to write, and continue to blog, stronger.

Not that I’m an expert or anything but, for anyone who needs it (myself included), here’s a guide to Blogtober:

Plan your posts

I’m a person who likes to plan. A lot. Something about structure before I go into something is comfortable. I was one of those people at school who would spend the same amount of time planning an essay as I would writing it, if not more!

I think the nature of my blog being focused on three things has meant I don’t really plan. As long as a post fits into the categories Books, Baking or Being a Student, it didn’t really matter what they were about. Considering during Blogtober bloggers either stick to a series of prompts they’ve devised or found on the internet, it is best to plan each day out before you get to October.

I didn’t do that this year. Doing Blogtober was a spur of the moment thing so, as most ‘spur of the moment things’ go, there was very little planning going on. That has worked out ok as, as I’ve gone on, I’ve found my feet and posts are much easier to write. For peace of mind though, and so you’re not stuck on what to write (or repeating previous posts), I would suggest planning out each day of Blogtober.

Have a look at other people’s blog posts

I like reading other people’s blog posts anyway. During a time like Blogtober, though, it’s good to know you’re not going it alone. So, make sure you look at other people’s blog posts. See what they write about, see what advice they offer for first-timer Blogtoberers, and just get to grips with how posts flow.

Not to mention, looking at other people’s Blogtober posts might get you closer to ideas if you’ve hit a bit of a brain fog moment, or it might just mean you’ve connected with another blog and another blogger.

Give yourself time to do other stuff, too

It’s easy during times like Blogtober to get completely consumed by Blogtober. Some points this month, I’ve churned out a post before I’ve had breakfast, spoken a word to my family or had a wee! It’s good to get stuck in to Blogtober and get a regular schedule down for posting, editing and promoting on social media. I think the pitfall with bloggers sometimes is the fact that we forget that we’re something other than a blogger.

Obviously, put time into Blogtober and everything that comes with it. Just don’t forget to talk to people, relax a little bit and do some other things that make you happy.

Pinterest is your best mate

I have a love-hate relationship with Pinterest. I’ve been a teenager on my way to adulthood with hundreds of boards about whatever fictional character I was obsessed with, then I got bored of it, then I’m back on it. I’ll admit, I’m rusty where Pinterest is concerned now. Saying that, Pinterest (once I figure out how to use it!) is going to be good to me during Blogtober. I share my posts on as much social media as I can but, I’m thinking, to keep them all together I’m going to make a Pinterest board.

If you do that, it’s a handy way to keep all your posts in one place. Plus, when you get to Blogtober 2020, you’ll have an idea what you can write and what you already have…without having to scroll endlessly through the archives!

Don’t stress about it

There’s no pressure where Blogtober is concerned. I’ve seen so many perfectly set out blog with pristine, planned out posts and I’ve thought how do they do that and, more importantly, how do I do it or why can’t I do it like that? Everyone’s blog, whether it be Blogtober or not, is different. Some people have been blogging since Tumblr was popular and others have just launched their sites. Blogtober is meant to be a fun way to create posts and engage with more people and blogs.

If it gets stressful, take a step back. Or, just think about why you decided to do it in the first place.

Celebrate

I thought I’d put this last. I’m big on celebrating success. Did I get through the morning without watching an awful daytime TV show? I’ll reward myself by watching a less trashy TV show. Did I get a post done? I’ll reward myself by doing something other than blogging/blog admin.

It might be minor on the scale of things you can do with your life but, honestly, getting through Blogtober, writing 31 blog posts, is something to be proud of. Even if your celebration is planning out Blogmas posts, do something that makes you feel good because, honestly, Blogtober is an impressive thing to get completed.