2. I also use a Moleskine notebook (small and large versions) where I write down ideas for articles, photoshoots and lightning setups (on location and studio).

3. During the week I write down which pictures I can show on my blog that same week. Mostly I try to post these pictures into a series of different posts, also something I learned from ProBlogger.

4. In my blog admin screen I save several drafts with some quick notes and ideas how to work out that particular article.

I just have one tip to share with others. It’s about how and where to find readers to your blog.

When I believe that content is King. There are two phases to the process.
a) Content is king so prepare your content and present it well.
b) Now go for hunting readers

Where do you hunt?
a) Similar blogs and their comments
b) Forums where I answer to particular SEO questions
c) Social networks

It worked for me only when I hunted readers from similar fields related to my blog. For instance on Yahoo answers in SEO topic, I found readers who are interested in knowing about basic SEO tips. And i genuinely tried to answer them, (not spam) where by i managed to collect their trust even though only a few. This helps me more in winning loyal readers if not huge number of them.

At the end of the day I’m happy winning a handful of loyal readers than x10 times of passers-by.

Give me targetted traffic, loyal traffic, and a niche market.

Cheers!
Mani

I used to be upset that there’s no internet access on the seabus, but now I’m actually glad to be working offline for awhile – no distractions. I can catch up with my emails, RSS, and even write down some post ideas for my blog and save them in my Thunderbird Drafts.

Coincidentally, I’m hosting a group writing project: Time Management, the deadline is September 26, 2007. I’m sure that everyone would find Real time management solutions from real people to be extremely helpful.

I get posting ideas from life – including other people’s blogs. I wake up at 5 or so every morning (just the way I am) and read feeds for an hour or so on my e61 phone, and keep a running ‘todo’ email open. I get up at 6 and get the posts started (usually a sentence and the link that inspired the thought) so I can finish them off in the evening after work or on weekends. Some of the ideas go into my day-job client consulting and intrapreneuring efforts, some spark new blogs. Life (and that includes RSS) is the best source of material :)

Thanks, Andrew

http://internetducttape.com/2007/09/05/gtd-getting-to-done-d3-dcubed/

Thank you for inspiring me, Darren

You must keep a scratch pad in the place you get the most ideas. In fact, I’m installing a dry-erase board in the shower. (sounds silly, I know) I get the best ideas in there, but they usually leave my mind with the steam escaping. I can’t just run out all the time, sopping wet, and start tapping out a post, without my husband contacting mental health professionals.

My latest trick to keep the ticker going? Create a new Carnival or Group Writing Project! I’ve recently created the Mothers and Daughters Blog Carnival (yup, I’m a mom blogger) The first edition went over so well, and doubled my subscribers.

Great tips, everybody!

Get yourself some help– Really, if you can make more money per hour than you’re paying the business manager or assistant who’s helping you, then it’s worth it to shell out the dough so that some of your blogging (and other) tasks can be taken off your plate.

It also usually allows the blogger to increase his income even though he’s spending money on the help, because his time is freed up to pursue more projects.

But, obviously for this productivity strategy to work, you have to be making money already, so it’s not for everyone :-) If you’re a seasoned problogger though, it could radically improve your life.

********

Tip #2–Morning exercise and eating a small healthy meal every 2-3 hours. That tip may sound weird, but honestly I implemented this change about 3 weeks ago, and on the first day my energy was increased by a million fold, I could focus like a laser beam all day long, and consequently I got tons more done, blogging and otherwise.

I think with working online all day sometimes we can forget to eat (or at least I do!) and then around the middle of the afternoon I’m exhausted. But now with eating the frequent small meals pretty much my entire day optimally efficient.

Eating regularly and exercise can make a HUGE impact on anyone’s productivity, but especially anyone how has to sit in front of the computer for long stretches of time.

Nothing can sideswipe your attention and redirect your efforts quite like the world-wide-web. The timer keeps me focused, motivated and targeted on the individual task at hand.

Identify your daily, weekly and monthly activities, set a time limit for each one, and start the digital timer in countdown mode. Save your favorite activities for last to serve as your reward for staying on task.

Here’s my current timed list of blogging tasks:

Weekly (Blog Business):
15 minutes: backup previous posts and template changes
15 minutes: submit posts to blog carnivals
60 minutes: collect links; write and publish my blog carnival roundup
15 minutes: thank carnival hosts through comments
45 minutes: send thanks for new incoming links
15 minutes: identify new posts to write during upcoming week
(Total = 2.75 hours per week)

Daily (Blog Business):
15 minutes: reply to emails
15 minutes: respond to blog comments
15 minutes: check new forum messages
15 minutes: check stats
30 minutes: read other blogs, leave comments, copy my comments for future post ideas
(Total = 1.5 hours/day x 5 days = 7.5 hours per week)

Writing Process:
30 minutes: brainstorm, research, outline, collect links
60 minutes: write rough draft
30 minutes: edit, polish, proofread
15 minutes: publish to blog
(Total = 2.25 hours/post x 3 per wk = 6.75 hours per week)

Additionally, keep a small spiral notebook handy at all times. Jot down thoughts and ideas for future use.

I’m also trying to break down long posts into a series of posts – something I learned from ProBlogger. Not only does this fill out the editorial calendar, I think series posts make it easier on the reader to focus in, and hopefully, return to your blog for the next installment.

Other than this answering questions regularly, clearing up doubts of readers might make you a more productive writer.

I’m really prone to writer’s block, especially sitting in front of the computer while trying to come up with great ideas. Many times it’s more productive to take a walk and let the brain think than to try to force creativity at the desk.

These are some great tips!

1) Zeitgeist posts (example: http://www.nofactzone.net/?p=2122)

We build these posts by gathering articles about our subject manner that show that the subject is being covered in the mainstream media and blogosphere, but aren’t big enough to justify their own posts. So we collect them for a few days, and then put them together as their own posts.

This post format is nice because it helps us to stay focused on the topic at hand, while giving us an easy means to prioritize new information coming in. We can quickly assess new information to deem it worthy of a separate post, or if it simply needs to go into a zeitgiest post.

2) All You Need To Know (example: http://www.nofactzone.net/?p=2088)

These are our weekly carnival posts, which help in three separate ways. First, they help us to list the best posts of each week, which can help people that don’t keep up with every single post of every single week. Now that we’re up to a staff of 6, we’re rather prolific. Second, they help drive traffic deeper into the blog. Finally, they give us a post structure to guarantee that we’ll have a post of interest on our slowest day, which traditionally is Sundays.

Having these standardized post styles is one method of keeping productive. Even on days where the news of our niche may be slow, we still are able to produce content that is interesting and worth people’s time.

It is: Information trapping by Tara Calishain

Thanks for your tips.

Do you have any systems or rhythms that you’ve developed that help you make the time that you spend blogging more effective?

I know what is the best time for me to write. I always write in the evening because that’s when I am most energetic and motivated. It’s in the evening when our body temperature reaches its highest point, which eliminates any lags, laziness, and slump that causes us to procrastinate.

Other than that, I always read something good before settling down to write. Reading a well-written book, for example, motivates me to write better and pay more attention to stylistic aspect of my writing (This usually is a problem for me because English is not my first language)

What tools help you in this?

Notepad (Windows built-in note-taking software) I have tried many note-taking software and other tools but I keep coming back to notepad. Notepad is just a click away from me and I can start writing instantly without having to deal with interface issues of other software..

Only other tools I use are Longman and Merriam Webster dictionaries, online thesaurus http://thesaurus.reference.com/ and my browser’s spell checker.

I believe in minimalism and getting down to work without worrying about a lot of tools, groping my way through hundreds of buttons, and pesky confirmation messages.

What advice would you give a blogger struggling to keep productive?

Don’t set your standards too high. Don’t try to become Darren overnight. Concentrate on your own style and be innovative. Follow a schedule and do whatever you must to keep on blogging. JUST DON’T QUIT! (shouting intended)

Then I make sure to check out some of my subscriptions before going down stairs for a drink and some toast.

Thanks to having a small web log I can usually manage it daily in the mornings when there’s nothing on TV lol.

I also love to read many blogs to get inspired to write. I read blogs within and outside of my niche. I have a forum on an IPB message board where I have listed over two hundred blogs and their URLs (at last count) and I’m still adding more!!

Another thing I find useful is to jot things down throughout the day. I come up with blog post ideas all the time, so I carry around a small notebook and a little green mechanical pencil with me all day. At night I keep the notebook and pencil next to my bed where I can get to them quickly if another idea pops into my brain. I find myself dreaming about blogging on many nights. Once I wake up I jot down any blogging ideas I come up with.

I like to try to keep at least ten articles in my WordPress dashboard at all times, all ready to publish. I only resort to those when I am in a rush or for the rare occasion when I can’t think of anything to blog about.

I also like to list hundreds of ideas on my Invision Power Board forum. I have hundreds of blogging ideas listed in a restricted forum (where only I can see them) with dozens of articles in varying stages of development. When I finish one, I pop it straight into my WP dashboard.

If you can’t think of anything to blog about, I have the perfect solution for you: Read Darren Rowse’s Problogger.net.
Works every time.

You’ve gotta have PASSION to blog!