Wordful» blogging on vacation http://wordful.com Content marketing, branding, entrepreneurship and writing Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:29:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 How to Improve Your Blog When You’re on Vacation http://wordful.com/how-to-improve-your-blog-when-youre-on-vacation/ http://wordful.com/how-to-improve-your-blog-when-youre-on-vacation/#comments Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:08:51 +0000 Charles http://wordful.com/?p=1623 How to Improve Your Blog When You’re on Vacation is written by Charles Bohannan for Wordful.com, a blog about digital publishing.

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]]> Ahh, I’m finally on vacation. But guess what? My blog isn’t. And now that everyone is at the beach while I’m hunched over this keyboard writing, I’d like to share a few nuggets of vacation blogging wisdom:

Your Blog is a Public Service

Just like the fire department or hospital, your blog should never really take time off. People are still out there relying on your content to help them and inspire them and get them through their (work) day. So while it may be “mai tais in the morning” for you, it’s likely the same stuff-different day for everyone else. So have some empathy. By giving your readers something to cheer about, you’re honoring a fundamental blogging commitment to love your readers. Consider it a fair exchange for the freedom of expression and mobility you are gifted just for being a blogger. Or, in other words: publish or perish.

Leverage Your Experience

I imagine some bloggers write all their content before they go away and schedule each post for future publishing. I guess that’s kind of cool, but I like to think the experience of being elsewhere as enhancing your content. For example, back at home, I’m so comfortable and familiar with my daily routine that I tend to think and act the same most days. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s certainly tiring. Right now I’m on a different island than the one I live on, housesitting for some friends, and nothing feels settled or predictable. I like that. If you have an intense focus on something, a shift in perception can be very healthy. The change allows you to make connections between your ideas and your surroundings that previously weren’t there (kind of like this post). As long as you continue to provide value, your readers will stay engaged.

The Only Preparation is Mental

The purpose of taking a vacation is to get a break from the intensity and stress of your daily life. Before you leave, it helps to capture some of your ideas in a notebook or as draft posts. They will come in handy when you’re not totally up to the task of coming up with new ideas. Securing your computer equipment and internet connection should be mere afterthoughts to your mental preparation, which is where your true power lies.

Keep an Open and Active Mind

With a change in scenery comes a change in thinking. I don’t recommend completely shutting off your “mind of blogging” when you’re on vacation. You never know what opportunities and breakthroughs are waiting to be discovered. In addition to relaxing and taking things easy, think of your vacation as an opportune time to make important adjustments to your blog. The trick is to be relaxed but focused, which–if you think about it–is just how you want to be. With that, I bid you aloha. I’m off the beach!
Flickr photo by muha…

How to Improve Your Blog When You’re on Vacation is written by Charles Bohannan for Wordful.com, a blog about digital publishing.

Related posts:

  1. How to Improve Your Blogging Quickly and Drastically

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