I've come across several bloggers who have difficulty remembering to post things on time, so I decided to offer a blogging tip today on organizing yourself and planning ahead for posts. While I recommend having some kind of calendar or notebook to keep track of your blog, this tip adds another layer of organization.
(Caveat: This tip is for Blogger blogs.)
When you have a recurring posts, like Alex J Cavanaugh's IWSG or special posts you need to hold the date for, you can create place-holder reminder posts for yourself and save them for later.
Since you're putting the post in draft mode, it doesn't have to be perfect.
You'll have a chance to change it and polish it up before you publish.
Here's what one looks like on the Posts dashboard.
Notice it's marked Draft, not Scheduled.
The way to make this happen is to click Close instead of Publish after you click Save.
Don't worry. If you make a mistake and click Publish, just go back into the post in edit mode and click Revert to draft.
One caution: If a post is in draft mode, it will not automatically fire off on the date and time you have set. You have to go back into it before launch time (edit mode) and click Publish. You can do this any time before the scheduled launch. If you have set a specific date and time, that is when it will become visible on your blog.
Just to be clear, if you have NOT set a specific date and time with the Schedule feature, the post will be launched right away when you click Publish.
(Caveat: This tip is for Blogger blogs.)
When you have a recurring posts, like Alex J Cavanaugh's IWSG or special posts you need to hold the date for, you can create place-holder reminder posts for yourself and save them for later.
- Just start a New Post
- Fill in any text, images, and links you have so far
- Schedule the date and time you want it to launch
- Then create some kind of title that lets you know what it is when you see it on your dashboard
Since you're putting the post in draft mode, it doesn't have to be perfect.
You'll have a chance to change it and polish it up before you publish.
Here's what one looks like on the Posts dashboard.
The way to make this happen is to click Close instead of Publish after you click Save.
Don't worry. If you make a mistake and click Publish, just go back into the post in edit mode and click Revert to draft.
One caution: If a post is in draft mode, it will not automatically fire off on the date and time you have set. You have to go back into it before launch time (edit mode) and click Publish. You can do this any time before the scheduled launch. If you have set a specific date and time, that is when it will become visible on your blog.
Just to be clear, if you have NOT set a specific date and time with the Schedule feature, the post will be launched right away when you click Publish.
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Hope that helps.
If not knowing how to pre-schedule blog posts was keeping you
from participating in Follow Fest, you have one less excuse. :P
If not knowing how to pre-schedule blog posts was keeping you
from participating in Follow Fest, you have one less excuse. :P
Thanks for visiting. :)
Hey Melissa! This pretty much covers the process for WP, too. Different dashboard, but the process is the same...save draft, scheduling, etc.
ReplyDeleteExcept it will post automatically at the given time.
Thanks for clarifying that you HAVE TO HIT PUBLISH for it to post, even when scheduled. When I was on Blogger, I didn't know that and wondered why none of my scheduled blogs were posting.
Way to keep the community informed. Weren't we going to collaborate on Blogger and WP posts/differences (we discussed it right before Mom passed)? Email me.
M.L. Swift, Writer
Excellent tutorial. I schedule all of my posts the night before and at the A to Z Blog, I use draft mode to hold future posts in place.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great way to do it. I use the google calendar to keep track of everything, though.
ReplyDeleteML said it already...I do the same thing in WP, minor differences but seeing that "DRAFT" helps.
ReplyDeleteI have a Wordpress blog but they also have a feature that allows you to schedule blog posts in advance. Very convenient.
ReplyDeleteI save drafts sometimes or yes, have scheduled them. I also edit the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's blog on Wordpress and have learned how to do a bunch on that too, including scheduling. It works very similarly.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip! Very useful for working on a 'group blog' with lots of contributors as well. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, yes. I work on a group blog with this annoying guy named E.J. Whenever he's away, I insert grammatical errors into his posts and blame it on gremlins. Bwahahaha!
DeleteDon't tell anyone. ;)
ROFL xD
Delete*hurries to change blog password*
The schedule function is the only thing that keeps my blog updating on time :).
ReplyDeleteI discovered this feature when I did my first A to Z. I was on vacation for 10 days to Ireland with intermittent Internet. Being able to schedule my posts saved my neck. lol
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I have to have a calendar for my blog. I'm usually booking a month in advance. As the articles come to me I generally hold them in draft mode and go back in the night before and tweak whatever I need then publish. I've used draft to store a lot of things.
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh because despite the calendar, I still manage to forget IWSG. I'll do one month and forget or schedule a guest the next. I've taken to physically marking it on my calendar now. Last year I was a lot better because if I didn't post on first Wednesday I did it the Monday before via draft scheduling---this year...I think I have scrambled eggs for brains.
Good tutorial on scheduling. :-)
Sia McKye Over Coffee
Great tip. I do this already, I assumed everyone else did too, but obviously not! I also use Outlook to schedule my IWSG posts, just to make sure I actually get them written!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the Follow Fest reminder!
Writer In Transit
Great post with awesome advice.
ReplyDeleteNas
Great tips. Thanks for posting. I'm new at this.
ReplyDeleteI must be the worst blogger ever, because I'm always pulling my posts together at the very last minute! (There's a reason why I called my blog A Scenic Route ... ;) )
ReplyDeleteBut these are good tips, and correspond well with Wordpress too. Someday I might even surprise the world with a regular posting day. :)
Yep, I do that on occasion. I also use a calendar beside my computer.
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing feature that I find I can't live without. Especially with all the blog book tours and advance dates to set up. Love it! Love the creative way you posted it - now can you do one for the captcha feature. Maybe on IWSG day when it will get the most exposure. I still don't think people understand it's on there blogs or how to get rid of it! Or is that just me? :)
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a specific day when I post on my blog. lately, it's been even more difficult due to work demands. Is that bad?
ReplyDeleteThank by the way for the suggestions you gave me for writing classes. Will check them out and see if something fits. Thanks a million! Really appreciate it :)
It's a bit embarrassing that the little "Schedule" tool has been looking at me for weeks, and I never noticed it. This is great to (finally) know. Thanks!
ReplyDelete