Written on August 3rd, 2008 at 12:08 am by Darren Rowse
How Long Do You Take To Write a Blog Post?
As part of a little research I’m doing for a post (or a short series of them) next week here at ProBlogger I’d like to ask readers to answer this question:
How Long Do You Take To Write a Blog Post?
I know each post varies depending upon what it is - but on average how long would you say you take to write a blog post? I’d be interested to not only hear the time it takes you but also you usually write posts in one sitting or come back to them over time. Also it’d probably help a little if you told us the type of posts you generally write.
Tags: blog tips, blogging, writing blog posts, writing blogs, Writing Content
324 Responses to “How Long Do You Take To Write a Blog Post?”
Kirk Warren
August 3rd, 2008 12:31 am
Maybe an hour after you count the research part. Actual writing probably only takes 15 minutes or so.
Matt
August 3rd, 2008 12:35 am
I just removed the sitemeter code but my sidebar is still not loading in IE. Frustrating me now
Paintball
August 3rd, 2008 12:41 am
In total it takes about half hour for me to crank out a more detailed post.
Constantine
August 3rd, 2008 12:49 am
Six hours to write a post for my running blog http//dailyrunningtips.com. I start writing immediately I get in the office, I work on the post on and off because am constantly interrupted by customers. Am able to finish the post during the lunch break.
Louis Liem
August 3rd, 2008 12:51 am
Up to 8 hours. Everything from researching and comparing data, double checking information, looking for images, proofreading and attaching some reliable relevant links if there were any. Proofreading takes a considerable time since English isn’t my mother tongue.
The type of article spends that enormous hours is tutorial articles and tips.
Frank C
August 3rd, 2008 12:53 am
It really depends on the subject and how much depth I want to go into. For keyword targeted niche blog articles, 5 to 10 minutes. For my typical review posts on my flagship blog, between 15 and 30 minutes. For more in-depth instructional articles, one to two hours.
Chris Kieff
August 3rd, 2008 12:53 am
I don’t think you can discount the research, searching for images etc. That’s all part of the process. Therefore a blog post takes me 1 to 2 hours.
Chris
Ms. Missive
August 3rd, 2008 12:55 am
For my news/politics site, it takes me approximately 30 minutes to write a post (with 2-3 posts per day) but I spend several hours every day reading and watching the news….
For my personal blog, it usually takes me 1 hour to finish a post.
Sal
August 3rd, 2008 12:56 am
Usually it will take about 15 to 20 minutes to crank out a blog. I would have to say that the first 10 minutes are actually writing and then the rest of the time is going back and checking spelling and whatnot. The only time I usually take longer if it is something that stirs something up inside, then I usually have to just get all of my thoughts and frustrations down, let it sit for an hour, then come back to see if anything that I wrote even made a hint of sense. The blogs that I write usually just stem from random thoughts throughout my day.
Muhammad Siyab
August 3rd, 2008 12:56 am
Generally from an hour to two hours, even more. I usually write detailed, indepth posts(1000+ words), and that takes time.
Throw in 15 minutes for proof reading and final touches, and half an hour to search flickr for appropriate images..
So all in all, near two to two and a half hours :D
becca
August 3rd, 2008 12:56 am
Generally I’m writing about life, my craft business, something cool I recently found. It can take up to an hour for the post, but that’s usually because I’m doing a million things at once. Sometimes it only takes about 10 minutes, when I’m just updating to update. I’ve started adding more inline links so getting the URLs is a little time-consuming.
I love to write though, so it’s all good.
baldeagle
August 3rd, 2008 12:57 am
It varies by post, some seem to flow, others drag. I basically do a bit of research, collecting pictures, reading articles, etc. The research takes anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours (depending on the topic). The actual writing is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. I’ll usually write out the article, let it sit for a while, then proof it. All told, I probably spend about an hour and a half per article.
Archit
August 3rd, 2008 1:00 am
Including the research phase, in total it takes me a maximum of an hour to complete a post.
Don Martelli
August 3rd, 2008 1:00 am
On average, it’s about three minutes. I never plan to write anything. I write as I think it, see it, shoot it, etc. Being in PR, I write all day long so spitting out 700 words that are of original thought come easy to me. My posts range from socialnet topics, photography, kids, family, married life, work, sports, and the all encompassing bucket of randomness.
Dana Lookadoo
August 3rd, 2008 1:01 am
Gosh, I guess I’m a turtle rather than a hare! It takes me about 2 hours, and I often sit on a post and re-read later. I try to include an image or two in each post, ensure I’m not just repeating yesterday’s news, include some research and and make it educational.
I will attribute some of the time to learning curve, since I recently started blogging again and getting used to WordPress. I find that working in WordPress slows down production time, so I’m looking at a Windows LiveWire.
I do try to optimize each post for keywords and META tags and go back to make sure all links open in a new window and NOFOLLOW certain links.
Dominique
August 3rd, 2008 1:01 am
For my writing a post can take from 15 minutes to 2 days depending on how focus I am when I decide to write and the amount of research that has to be done for the post. If the post is just about relating what happened to me personally during the day/week it would take 1/2 hr the max for a 200 word post. Long time would be needed if I am adding in collages made with the photos taken.
Rebellious Arab Girl
August 3rd, 2008 1:02 am
An hour maximum to make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes.. and the thoughts are well put together.
Felicia
August 3rd, 2008 1:03 am
Some posts are easy and take about a half hour, while other more detailed in depth posts can take as much as two hours once I sit down to write. That’s if I actually type out my post.
It’s quicker when I dictate my posts into my digital recorder which I affectionately refer to as my “digital brain” and download them to my computer.
I think what takes the longest is the research and qualifying the sources.
NikNik
August 3rd, 2008 1:03 am
I keep a list of blog topics on a white board over my desk to stay focused. I use one Word doc that sits on my desktop and usually contains about 4-5 blog posts. I take time to revisit and research for each post. Overall, I would guess that once I have all the info required for the post, it probably takes me about an hour to write from start to finish.
However, it totally depends on the subject and length required to express my idea, opinion or how-to information.
AND…let’s not forget visuals people. I think the perfect compliment to a rockin’ post….is a professional looking or creative image. The right images can make an awesome impact, solidify your branding (when appropriate), and further clarify your message or theme for the article. So don’t forget to feed your visual learners/readers!
Eric
August 3rd, 2008 1:07 am
Depending on the type of post, 5 minutes for a short news story (relevant for my blog) or up to 45 minutes or an hour for a featured post.
--Deb
August 3rd, 2008 1:09 am
Half-hour to an hour, depending on research, how technical a post it is, whethere there are pictures….
dawn
August 3rd, 2008 1:09 am
Personal blog can take anywhere from five minutes to 2-3 hours (if I’m writing something in-depth that requires lots of links and arguments). Work blog maybe about twenty minutes.
marcus
August 3rd, 2008 1:09 am
In average, 30-45 min.
Ian McKenzie
August 3rd, 2008 1:09 am
It generally takes 30 - 60 minutes for me to write an “average” post: between 300 and 500 words.
Tech Blogger
August 3rd, 2008 1:10 am
A i am Just following the Big Bloggers, Cause i am New to tech Blogging, so when every i find a nice post, I takes to 10-15 minutes to post on it..
Jeremy
August 3rd, 2008 1:11 am
20-40 minutes on average. And surprisingly, some of my most popular posts are a result of just sitting down and freely putting my thoughts down without a plan, outline, or even heavy editing. And the posts where I spend hours across a few days putting together something structured can be complete duds.
Ed
August 3rd, 2008 1:12 am
One to two hours. Sometimes I spend a week researching a post, on and off, before actually writing it.
Bill Stevens
August 3rd, 2008 1:12 am
On average 2 hours. Obviously depending on what type of article.
Tech Blogger
August 3rd, 2008 1:13 am
Darren, How Do you decide your Topic??? cause deciding a topic is more hard for me them writing…
Ryne Nelson
August 3rd, 2008 1:14 am
Darren, I usually take 1-2 hours for each individual post. I’ll sleep on it and revisit it the next morning before publishing…
Geek's Dream Girl
August 3rd, 2008 1:14 am
I blog about online dating and dungeons & dragons mostly (how’s that for a niche?) ;-)
Most of my posts I do in under an hour. Some of them I slave over all day (Are Your IM Buddies in the Monster Manual?). Some of them I write in 20 minutes at 3 in the morning and they end up on BoingBoing (Musician’s Guide to Alternative Uses for Polyhedral Dice). Go figure!! :-)
Patrick
August 3rd, 2008 1:18 am
Good question because I often hear potential clients or even current clients tell me they “just don’t have time” to write to a business blog on a regular basis. I tend to write on the longer side - usually a typical thesis style with opening paragraph, 3-4 points and closing comments. This can often take me an hour or more because as I write I change my mind about several things, then I have to edit, etc. Sometimes I have multiple posts in draft form days ahead of the time I post them. I think I really need to work on shorter posts that take no longer than 15 minutes and to figure out how best to organize my thoughts to do so.
Ramkarthik
August 3rd, 2008 1:18 am
It depends on the type of post I write and the quality of post. If I’m writing about blogging, which I do the most, I take from 45 mins to 1 hour for a good quality post. For a news type of post, I take 10-15 mins to write. If I write on any other niche, I take around 1 hr to 2 hrs for a 750 words post. I need to do more research when I’m writing on other niche topics.
On an average every post I write takes 30 mins to write.
Robert Barr
August 3rd, 2008 1:19 am
From 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on research.
Mike Thomas
August 3rd, 2008 1:19 am
I have a three-step process:
1) I map out the topics at least one month ahead, then go back through and add sub-topic bullets. (May take a minute per post at this point)
2) I write two posts during the day and save to my flash drive. (Maybe an hour total)
3) I upload the posts and proof them at night, adding adsense and another affiliate to each post. (Maybe 15 minutes)
I’m sure it could take less time if I wrote uninterrupted.
Shane Lashley
August 3rd, 2008 1:22 am
My blog has five topical categories and in each of those I have the choice of writing one of three style posts. They each take different amounts of time. I write or prepare all of them in one sitting but never post without getting up, walking away and coming back to it anywhere from an hour later or even the next day.
Here’s the breakdown:
1. Post related to my company’s activities - 1 hr. (this week was heavy in this department but it isn’t always like that)
2. Interview of subject matter expert (got several dozen of these booked and in motion) - 2 hr/interview including prep + conversion to blog in either edited video or text post is another 1 - 1.5 hours (this seems like it is going to go much higher due to the video podcast and podcasting we will integrate into the site over next week - 10 days, not to mention blogtalk radio plans in immediate future. We are batch-prepping some of these and staging their release dates.
3. Topical Post, meaning a post on one of my five topics that doesn’t fall into #1 or #2 above. 1.5 - 2 hours
Thinking about my blog posts: 24 hours/day
Thinking about new design changes to consider: 24 hours/day
Thanks for asking this question. I’ve wondered how my time compares with the pros. I’ll be interested to see the results of your poll.
Shane
http://www.innovativeeoncomy.com
Megapixelicio.us
August 3rd, 2008 1:22 am
My posts are mostly about photography and can take up to 2-4 hours. I start with the general idea, let it rest a few days, write some more and once I have enough content I finally publish it. I really wish I could make a post in less than an hour!
Jacob
August 3rd, 2008 1:24 am
I take anywhere from a ten minutes to an hour. On one blog, it’s all from memory, so it’s really straight forward. But, for my biology blog, I have to do research and that takes more time.
Andrea
August 3rd, 2008 1:25 am
Anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, at least. A large part of the time factor is fixing my typos.
gigi
August 3rd, 2008 1:25 am
Normally it takes me anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how the number images I need to resize (or want to include) and how I am feeling from a writing perspective, because sometimes it need to be brief.
When I am publishing interviews it can take well over an hour, since the features are with artists or crafters and I have to determine how to “lay out” the article using a dozen or more images.
Ben
August 3rd, 2008 1:27 am
It depends a lot on the objective of the post. On average, probably in the 30-60 minute range. Thoroughly researched posts will run longer - upwards of 2-4 hours - but those only constitute 1-2 posts per month. Lightweight pieces, such as quick book reviews or pure commentary observations can take as little as 10-15 minutes.
Ramesh | The Geek Stuff
August 3rd, 2008 1:27 am
I write lot of Instruction guides and how-to on technology topics and mostly on Linux.
1. Research: 1 to 3 days. In some cases even more. Typically I have 2 or 3 research activities going on simultaneously. This is the fun part for me and sometimes I end-up spending more time exploring the technology stuff that I’m about write.
2. Initial Draft: 2 hours for my instruction guides/how-to’s. I never post the first draft on the same day, even when I think it is complete, as most of the time the first draft is something I may understand easily. But, it may not be clear for readers.
3. Final Draft: 1 hour. During this time, I fine tune the content to make sure the steps mentioned in my guide are clear for someone who is performing it for the first time.
Note: When I post a something that is not an instruction guide or how-to, it typically takes 3 to 4 hours total in couple of sittings. I never like to write a post in one sitting that takes less than 1 hour.
Ramesh
The Geek Stuff
owlhaven
August 3rd, 2008 1:28 am
I write in my head as I go about my day. My post lengths also vary a lot. Some posts are just a picture and a couple sentences. Those take maybe 15 minutes to pull together. Others can be 1000 words or more and/or have a lot of photos and links. Those posts can easily take an hour. On average I would say I spend 30-40 minutes per post, and I post around 35 times a month. Of course that doesn’t take into account the time I spend reading and replying to comments, tweaking blog design, and visiting other blogs.
Mary, mom to 10
Ry
August 3rd, 2008 1:29 am
I’d say on average, 1.5 hours. I’ve definitely spent up to 3 or 4 hours on some. Then of course, there’s the quick 10 minute post. For me the time is all in the editing. I start by just getting it all out as fast as I can, and then I got back in to tweak it so it actually starts to make some sense.
Rich Hill
August 3rd, 2008 1:30 am
Usually two or three weeks. \grin/
Well some of them sit in the idea box that long, but probably only about an hour, two at the most, with research.
My website publishing for the last 10+ years has been about Genealogy, and that comes easy. I kick those out in a few minutes.
Then about seven months ago I found out you don’t have to give all your information away for free and there actually is a way to make m-o-n-e-y on the Internet.
So I now have a couple of dozen sites in various states of progression and they each bring in a little bit until I can find the golden egg and hammer it.
Rich
Danielle Vyas
August 3rd, 2008 1:31 am
It takes me a while to form a post and I am still adjusting my writing to blogging.
I’m learning how to create a good mix of long, detailed posts and shorter ones. I cannot believe after 2 years of blogging I get pre-dated posts.
Being on Twitter is definitely getting me out of feed reader lurkerdom.
Have a great weekend.
Danielle
Modern Musings
Kyle | BroncoTalk
August 3rd, 2008 1:33 am
Most are about half an hour. For longer posts I’ll write about half an hour at a time until it’s done. Some posts take me a good 2-3 hours, when I’m writing a team breakdown type post (sports blog).
Jaffer
August 3rd, 2008 1:33 am
I usually take an hour or two from thought to publish if I do it all in one sitting
But for a more detailed posts like my latest ones on problems with Linux, it takes me much longer and I work on it over a span of 2 to 3 days !
That’s ofcourse helps me to think and write better and not cause my brain to fart.
Alex the Freelance Twin
August 3rd, 2008 1:34 am
I write about freelancing and such. I usually have to do my posts in one sitting, or I get distracted and won’t finish it. If I really work hard on it, I usually spend 30 minutes to an hour per post
Danielle Vyas
August 3rd, 2008 1:35 am
Specifics.
About 1-2 hours for a long post.
I can belt a shorter one out in a half hour.
Great weekend all.
Pay Per Click Fool
August 3rd, 2008 1:36 am
Usually about 1-2 hours … I think the post type would be the biggest factor in time-to-post.
Research, how-to-guides, lists, etc… would take the most time, while, personal, rants, breaking news etc… would seem to take the least
just a thought
Gina
August 3rd, 2008 1:47 am
Shorter posts about ten to fifteen minutes. Longer news and review posts about 30 minutes to an hour. I write in entertainment.
No Debt Plan
August 3rd, 2008 1:53 am
Usually 20 to 45 minutes. I write about personal finance and I don’t post a lot of just straight up news.
Ricardas | Richard
August 3rd, 2008 1:54 am
I think I write a post in about 1-2 hours periods. It depends on research and modifying pictures. If i have no information and good quality pictures, I spent more time on one post.
Dante Explorer
August 3rd, 2008 1:57 am
I have a literature site, not counting the years spent reading and research, the actual post writing time is about an hour.
Kiki
August 3rd, 2008 2:01 am
I have a lot of recipe/food content on my blog- those posts usually take about an hour because I need to write up the recipe, add in the instructions and any special notes, resize photos for the web, and then proofread everything.
More general posts can take between 5-20 minutes depending on the length of the post and the topic I’m covering.
Shanel Yang
August 3rd, 2008 2:07 am
2 days is my average for the deep psychology personal development stuff. But I really can’t separate the research from the writing. “Lighter” lists, like my “200 Happiness Quotes” only take a few hours of actual writing, editing, etc.
Rian
August 3rd, 2008 2:08 am
It generally takes about 45 minutes to get a post to be airtight. By that I mean, writing it, re-reading, editing, ad nauseum until I think it’s actually finished.
By 45 minutes, I mean posts like these:
Link 1
Link 2
Longer posts like this take about 90 minutes to write and edit.
Rian
August 3rd, 2008 2:10 am
I should mention that when I was writing for Ars Technica, my other fellow writers would take about that long to write similarly in-dept articles. So the more you practice, the faster you get from idea to finished product.
No one really got much faster than that, but there were a few people who were a bit slower.
Graham
August 3rd, 2008 2:10 am
I’m still new at this but it takes me between 2 and 3 hours per post depending on the length and how much research I need to do. This usually includes three drafts.
The first draft throw things out with some sort of plan. A second draft takes care of the plan, most of the grammar issues and the links. I go through one more time to make sure it’s how I like it.
It is time consuming but I’m only posting once per week. A daily blog would require less attention to detail with my current skill. I’ve decided to keep the quality as high as I can manage so for me that means posting less often. Since one of my goals is improving my writing style and skills the once per week posting works for me. Twice per week may be a doable goal but time shall tell.
BG
August 3rd, 2008 2:15 am
Writing a German blog about technical writing/language/translation: 15-60 minutes for a normal post, up to three hours if I make one of my tutorials (with a little screencast and all).
Cassie
August 3rd, 2008 2:17 am
Oh boy, it could be anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 days. The posts that require a lot of research are usually ones I have to come back to. I’m a single mom with 2 kids so I don’t get very many opportunities to sit and write without being interrupted.
I write about being a work at home mom. Some of my posts are about my own experiences, (those ones I can usually push out pretty quickly) and others are reviews on tools and software, tips, ideas, lists, etc. which sometimes take hours.
stephentrepreneur
August 3rd, 2008 2:20 am
I’ve been writing articles for about five years on differing subjects ranging from CSS through to U2-Concerts. Sometimes the thought-process might only take a few minutes to concoct, but the write-up may take between a few hours and a few weeks! The time varies on the amount of research required, the timing of the article in regards to social-etiquette, and whether I feel the opinion is warranted. And I like to find and shoot a few photographs that will match the content of the post — that can take the longest time!
That said, when given a topic-of-interest to write upon I can quickly write witty, controversial, obscure paragraphs. Like just now with this response. Whilst might some might suggest simply posting these paragraphs, I prefer to ponder the words-used, consider other people’s point-of-view, and cross-link where ever necessary.
BlackHatWay
August 3rd, 2008 2:21 am
Only 15-30 minutes usually. Then there are those days when I got a lot to say and I write maybe for even few hours.
Of course researching always takes from 30 minuets to few hours.
Jeffrey
August 3rd, 2008 2:22 am
since i only write about 3 times a week, i write longer, more content rich posts with lots of research, links, and custom bullet images (usually).
To do all of that, it takes me 1.5-3 hours per post. i just prefer that method over shorter, more frequent type postings.
DJ
August 3rd, 2008 2:25 am
Most of the time I’m a “mommy blogger” so it varies.
a quick post about something of interest- 15 - 30 min
a tutorial, start to finish- maybe a day or two
my thoughts on something- 1-2 hours
But because I’m also caring for my 3 year old at the same time, there can be alot of start and stops!
Corporette
August 3rd, 2008 2:27 am
I write a daily post every day called the “TPS report” that features one item of work-appropriate clothing. That takes me about 15 minutes per post, once I’ve found what it is that I’m going to feature. I tend to write those on my lunch break, or if I can, do the week’s worth on Sunday.
For longer stories — like on Thursday, “10 things about saying goodbye”, intended for summer associates and clerks returning to law school and business school — that one took about 3 hours to write, after I’d been thinking about it for 2 weeks. I’d say 3 hours is about average for a longer post. I do a feature called “360 review” where we review a fictional character’s outfits — those take far longer than one would think, like 3-4 hours to find all the pictures and so forth.
But still: glad to say I’m not having any writer’s block — which is a far cry from EVERY other writing experience I’ve ever had in my life.
Caitlyn I.
August 3rd, 2008 2:30 am
Usually, I come up with the post idea before making the post, so therefore, I can just get going. Once I begin writing, however, I usually come up with an extra idea or two to plug into the post.
I’m generally a straightforward person, but between this and having to add images to the post, my blogging time per entry is about 2 - 3 hours, I would say. Two hours is most likely the average. Three hours is for a longer post or extreme circumstance.
Tim
August 3rd, 2008 2:40 am
2-3 days for research, one day for the actual writing/editing part.
Genlisae
August 3rd, 2008 2:47 am
I almost always write my posts in one sitting. I find if I leave them and come back later I am likely to hate everything I have previously written, delete it and start again.
As for how long it takes me, most serious posts take around 20 minutes, the complete fluff, 5 minutes. Oddly the 5 minute posts are more well received by readers.
Genlisae
August 3rd, 2008 2:50 am
I forgot to mention the research component in my previous comment. For me research is an ongoing process. I am always reading and making notes of things that interest me. When I sit down to write my blog posts I find I already have an extensive list of resources and it is a simple matter of referencing what I have already found.
Jumble Blogger
August 3rd, 2008 2:52 am
Normally 1 hour for writing. But depends sometimes. Can take even one week for research and improvement.
Betsy
August 3rd, 2008 2:56 am
Since I post more or less weekly, I’m more with the 2-3 hour group, excluding the research. But I have two types of research: one is reading and exploring for ideas that I can build on. This may take a day or two except when I’m traveling when the ideas are more based on the experience right in front of me. Then there is the quicker research that comes along with the writing, as when I mention something and then look for a site that would give more information. Image searching is sometimes more time consuming than I like, so when possible I try to set up and photograph my own images.
Nicki B.
August 3rd, 2008 3:01 am
Research and all included it takes me about 2 hours to write a full blog post.
Carol Clifton
August 3rd, 2008 3:05 am
Interesting question that I think about often. The actual writing piece is about an hour…my very own lousy editing is about 15 minutes and then adding pictures(got to be pretty) then push publish is 90-120 minutes.
gary katsevman
August 3rd, 2008 3:08 am
I just recently started blogging again. I started a few times, wrote one post, and then stopped writing there. But I am determined to start again. So far, I have 2 posts on my new blog, which I started about a week ago: gary.katsevman.com/blog/
For me, these two posts took around 30 mins each to write. However, since I am almost always reading lots of blogs, have about 100 blogs i skim on a regular basis, including yours, i guess you could say that it actually took me around 2 hours, if you include research, aka, reading blogs.
The actual writing will probably never take me longer than 30 minutes, and I usually like to write everything down in one sitting. I am not sure what I would do if I didnt get a chance to finish a post in one sitting due to writer’s block, or some other reason. Any tips?
FLG
August 3rd, 2008 3:15 am
Seeing as my blog is primarily personal, there isn’t a whole lot of research I need to do. The main thing is just finding inspiration to write. Once I find something, I can hammer out a post in half an hour to an hour. If I’m not feeling it, it can take a couple days and a few rewrites. I like to keep a few posts cued up and then just give them a re-read the day before they’re published to make sure they’re still reading good and that I haven’t missed any obvious mistakes.
Jaime
August 3rd, 2008 3:16 am
We are a visual blog, so without research and photo manipulation, the actual creation of the post is less than 10 minutes. Factoring in the research, photo time, etc…it is more like 20-30 minutes per post. If we decide to write a long post, the time will at least double.
Nadine
August 3rd, 2008 3:18 am
It widely varies for me. When contributing to niche blogs linking to other articles/sources, I can turn out a short post in 15-20 minutes. When it’s more research-heavy, it can take significantly longer.
I find that my personal blog can be the most time-consuming, as I’m constantly honing my tone and language choices. There’s more editing and proofreading involved when it’s a story about my life rather than a product review or pop-culture observation.
Daniel
August 3rd, 2008 3:23 am
My problem is the topic to write, so others do not take longer than 30 minutes
Cheers for all
Genesis
August 3rd, 2008 3:26 am
It usually takes me 30-45 minutes to write a blog post. Mine tend to be longer and fairly detailed, so there is research in there, as well. I often write a bit, get distracted by kids or other work, or Twitter or IM . . . etc. etc. etc. :) Then I come back and work some more, so the actual time lapse ends up being several hours.
Alexander M Zoltai
August 3rd, 2008 3:26 am
My posts begin with a few news clips, have commentary by me and finish with a spiritual quote.
I do a post in one sitting.
Time? Counting the search for appropriate news and quotes, it takes about two hours.
~ Alex
Carla
August 3rd, 2008 3:32 am
My last post took about 20 minutes. On average about 20-30 minutes. Maybe I should spend more time? :)
Shaun
August 3rd, 2008 3:38 am
I usually spend 1-2 hours per post in one sitting. I write “authority” posts that are comprehensive.
Alex Fayle
August 3rd, 2008 3:48 am
About half an hour - 15 minutes to write it then 15 minutes to rewrite it and/or cut back all the unnecessary words/ideas.
Vacation Rentals
August 3rd, 2008 3:52 am
About an hour, depending on the article. Some more some 15 minutes.
Mary Corbet
August 3rd, 2008 3:56 am
It depends on the post.
If I’m writing a “quick” post to direct readers to other topics of interest online, or to feature another website that has something on it I think would be of interest to readers, I can usually whip up that kind of post in about 15 minutes. Those are “one sitting” posts, definitely.
But those types of posts are in the minority - I might do one every week or so.
Posts that feature a project will usually take a lot longer, because I have to take photos and format them, and then write out a more detailed “how I did it.” These types of posts can take up to an hour to prepare, and I usually come back to them to polish them up or add little tidbits before publishing. Book reviews fit in this category, as well. They can take me up to an hour to write and polish, depending on what I’m highlighting in the book, and what other information I point readers to outside the book.
Posts that include a detailed photo tutorial, or a product comparison, can take up to two hours to write, and sometimes even longer, and I always come back to them to polish them. The writing, though, is the easy part, and it takes the least amount of time in the whole preparation of the post. Working up a tutorial that includes photos of every step of the way - especially if it’s a complicated process - takes longer than writing the post!
My video tutorials usually take at least a couple hours for editing, as well, but the writing of the post doesn’t take long, since the video itself is the feature. Actual filming time isn’t included in this. I’ve spent 6 hours in a row filming video clips, and ended up with material for only about 4 videos of 4 or so minutes each!
I always spend at least 10 hours a week working on the blog itself, as far as writing goes, and that doesn’t include getting out and seeing what other people in the niche are up to, or responding to e-mails, etc. Easily, time-wise, I put in 15-20 hours a week on my blog, and sometimes more. And again, this doesn’t include the work behind the scenes - my own personal projects that I work on and photograph so that I can blog about them.
Blogging is a time-consuming process. I often talk to people who ask how much I make a month blogging, and are amazed that I make “that much a month” just by “blogging” (as if it’s doing nothing!)… they rarely understand the time that goes into it!
Mary Corbet
August 3rd, 2008 3:59 am
Woops. Sorry about the length of that comment! Now you know why it takes me a long time to write a post.
Actually, that took me less than 5 minutes to write…. I had a great typing teacher….
James
August 3rd, 2008 4:06 am
30-60 minutes, usually. If I write anything more extensive, I usually write it over a period of several days maybe spending up to 2 hrs at any given time.
ROW
August 3rd, 2008 4:10 am
I would say it depends on the topic I am writing for. If it is technical which requires screenshots, images it takes around 2-3 hrs otherwise some posts can be wwritten in as little as 15 mins also
Peter Cooper
August 3rd, 2008 4:10 am
Ideally 5 to 10 minutes. I’ll take up to an hour if it’s going to be something mega. This “Getting Real” strategy to writing must have something to it, as I have 16k subscribers on my main blog! :)
Of course, reading the above, I now know why people go crazy at less than $50 a post ;-)
Loralee
August 3rd, 2008 4:11 am
Roughly 30 minutes, give or take. I spend much more time on the behind the scenes aspects of my blog because I am a much better writer than a technical geek, networker, or business woman.
Ultimate Blogging Experiment
August 3rd, 2008 4:15 am
Depends what kind of article I’m writing. If it is a pillar article and I for sure take a couple hours to make it absolutely perfect because I know in the long run a lot of people are going to see the article. However if it is just a simple article and I’m not expecting people over a year to keep reading then it probably takes me 30 minutes to an hour.
ramiro marques
August 3rd, 2008 4:16 am
I usually write 500 words posts and it takes me 20 minutos to write, more 5 minutes to rewrite and cjeck the words. More 5 minutes to get the appropriate links. So, each post takes me 30 minutes. If I have to make reasearch, it can take me one hour or two. My posts are about education, teachers careers and publica schools.
Syed Balkhi
August 3rd, 2008 4:23 am
Time varies with different type of post but I will say 60 - 90 minutes would be an estimate.
Because I have to search for sources and all.
My last post - http://www.balkhis.com/advertising/13-ways-i-used-to-promote-my-blog-to-success/
took me close to 2.5 hours to write. With all the images and such.
Scott Marlowe
August 3rd, 2008 4:24 am
Probably on average I spend about 30-60 min on each post. Some less, some more. My posts generally focus on different things having to do with sci-fi/fantasy and specifically writing in those genres.
Ultimate Blogging Experiment
August 3rd, 2008 4:28 am
I hate how my comments always get put in moderation and they never get posted. It isn’t like I am standing problogger.net.
infmom
August 3rd, 2008 4:28 am
How long it takes, depends on how much research I have to do. For http://tattoo.infmom.net I often have to look things up and locate appropriate Creative Commons licensed artwork, so I’d say that a post there takes at least half an hour, usually more (fortunately, I am a very fast reader and typist, and good at Google searching).
For my LiveJournal and my personal journal http://infmom.net/journal, it’s all a matter of opinion, so unless I’m talking about history and have to look things up to make sure I’m historically correct, I type 110wpm so most posts take 15 minutes or less.
Kate
August 3rd, 2008 4:29 am
sometimes my posts are as simple as a sentence about a cute artist or blog I’ve been into that day,
sometimes they are a little more in depth which usually takes about 20 minutes to write.
but on occasion I like to research and make a nice meaty post in which case I will usually:
- jot down the idea as an outline as a draft in WP
- research a little
- write the post in microsoft word (saving it as a draft in WP if i tend to edit it over a few days time)
- let it stew, try to gather further points if neccessary
- polish it up
- post it on my blog
Leon Westbrook
August 3rd, 2008 4:31 am
It takes me on average 20-30. Though sometimes with research it will take upwards to an hour.
Eric Grey
August 3rd, 2008 4:51 am
My posts require some research and going through notes, as well as a fair amount of thought - I would say a pillar article takes about 2 hours (but can be up to 3) and shorter posts clock in around 45-60 minutes.
I always wish it would be less - but when I spend less time my quality drops. I’ve been writing on the topic for a long time, so don’t see that with more experience I will get faster. :)
It’s time to outsource some writing.
Eric
Jerry
August 3rd, 2008 5:01 am
Each of my blog posts is hand-crafted from fine hand-tooled leather which I tan myself and inlay with onyx and lapis lazuli. So, depending on the topic, it generally takes from twelve to eighteen months. Except for the stuff I scrape from Wikipedia.
skykid
August 3rd, 2008 5:16 am
Sometimes I write my posts for 10- 15 minutes - recently especially when I review a movie the process can be as long as week. It really depend of how inspired I am to write something
Alexandra Popovic
August 3rd, 2008 5:20 am
I blog less frequently but my posts are longer than average and usually take days for me to perfect! I’ll do the first draft and have to leave it a few days so that when I revisit it, it feels “fresh” and I can be more objective.
I am finding however, that now I’m definitely putting more thought/work into them than when I started. That is why I don’t know how you do it Darren, how many posts do you average PER DAY? ;)
Carol Ferndale
August 3rd, 2008 5:28 am
At the moment it seems to be taking me forever and a day.
You know what they say: work expands to fill the time available. With my own blogs there is no deadline, but with posts I do for other people, there is, so they get done. Meanwhile my own blogs languish.
Annkur P Agarwal
August 3rd, 2008 5:37 am
Normal news based articles take anywhere from 10-15 mins, and we are generally in a hurry to post them …
It takes 30 - 45 mins approx for opinion based articles. These are generally written over a couple of days as ideas pool in. Or at times at a stretch.
So in case the story says “Nokia launches 5800 Tube” it will be a general news article. But if it says “Do the iPhone killer’s match the mighty one?” or “Will camera phones replace your digicams?” - Then it takes some more time.
Currently only on rare occasions we take a interview or word from some industry expert to quote. That can take some time …
Mr Sun
August 3rd, 2008 5:37 am
It usually takes me from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on what kind of article I make.
Lists seem to be quicker for me to make while tutorials take much longer
Annkur P Agarwal
August 3rd, 2008 5:39 am
And yeah
@ Matt - IE sucks
Kathryn
August 3rd, 2008 5:39 am
It all depends on how many photos I have to take, edit in photoshop, and then write the description that goes with each step. A post usually ends up averaging 20 to 30 minutes per finished picture in a tutorial.
Glenn S
August 3rd, 2008 5:44 am
a couple hours for really detailed posts. for quickies, no longer than a half-hour
Kathi D
August 3rd, 2008 5:44 am
Once I sit down to actually write, usually no more than a half hour or so. But I have written it and rewritten it in my head for most of a day by then.
Stephanie Quilao
August 3rd, 2008 6:00 am
My avg posts are btwn 300-2000 words so that can take me anywhere from 1-5 hours. Plus there is all the “thinking time”, the time in my head where I’m formulating what to say. Sometimes a post will take a couple days because if the topic is emotional or might have something heated I let the post sit for a day, then I reread the next day to make sure that what I wanted to say & the tone I wanted to communicate is there.
I’ve learned that sometimes it’s good to let a post sit a day+ before publishing live.
Glenda
August 3rd, 2008 6:04 am
It depends on how much research I do/how many pics I include in the post. I’ve been doing this a couple of months and am still making changes in my procedures as I learn more. I really love blogging! My average length of time would be about an hour.
Basil Vandegriend
August 3rd, 2008 6:17 am
I’d say about 1 to 2 hours per 500 words. More technical articles usually take longer.
SE7EN
August 3rd, 2008 6:30 am
1-2 hours to proofread and edit here and there.
I don’t count research time.
Andy Merrett
August 3rd, 2008 6:31 am
Varies a lot depending upon the types of post:
Fast breaking news, usually from a press release or ‘tip’: 10 minutes, including sourcing a picture, doing the usual blog admin stuff.
General news, from press release, company site or other web site: 15-30 minutes depending on complexity.
Opinion piece / feature: Anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours or more, depending on complexity, spontaneity, inspiration, etc.
I find most pieces are written in one sitting, particularly news where it needs to be published, though I do sometimes sit on drafts, and opinion pieces and features can be brewing for quite a while, often in draft or note form.
By the way, most news pieces I write are between 150-300 words, whereas opinion pieces and longer features will usually hit 400-500 or more words.
Sandy Naidu
August 3rd, 2008 6:36 am
Couple of hours for a pillar post and half hour for a regular post
wizeguyztees
August 3rd, 2008 6:37 am
I take about a half hour. But my niche is t shirts and I try to let the photos of the product do most of the talking. I am not trying to split the atom or redefine the wheel.
Dutch Schultz
http://www.wizeguyztees.com/blog
Mike Nichols
August 3rd, 2008 6:39 am
I write essay-type posts of around 1000 words on mental health topics. They are footnoted and depend heavily on research. I generally post daily.
It takes me 3-4 hours to write a post, including some research. I also do some research beforehand. I usually have four or so posts in the works at any given time.
I want to have posts written in advance so I could take a break, but haven’t succeeded in doing so yet!
blogversary
August 3rd, 2008 6:55 am
Altogether between 30 minutes to 60 minutes for my personal blog. I usually start a post and finish it later in the day or the next day.
I am starting new website where I presenting more researched material and it takes about the same per post. \
More time is spend in research, format and proofing it seems some days, but if it helps the content look and read better it is worth it.
blogversary
August 3rd, 2008 6:56 am
Altogether between 30 minutes to 60 minutes for my personal blog. I usually start a post and finish it later in the day or the next day.
I am starting new website where I presenting more researched material and it takes about the same per post. \
More time is spent in research, format and proofing it seems some days, but if it helps the content look and read better it is worth it.
Bartosz Zajączkowski
August 3rd, 2008 6:58 am
15-30 minutes to develop a draft. Then it waits a day or two before cleaning up and final editing. I think total time is about 60-90 minutes, depending on complexity.
Josh DeLung
August 3rd, 2008 6:59 am
I guess it probably takes me about one to two hours to write a blog post. I usually keep a sticky note up on my dashboard (PC users probably have a different visual right now than my fellow Mac users) to take down ideas throughout the day for posts and keep a list there.
When it comes time to blog for the day, I just pick the most relevant and doable topic for the day from that sticky note and start writing. Sometimes, if I need more info, then I Google for it, and just hyperlink to the info and use quick explanations and get on with the writing.
The lengthiest part is probably picking appropriate photos and putting them in. If you check my blog, you’ll notice 85 percent of my posts usually have a banner image under the title. Normally, I find two or three relevant photos/images and Photoshop them into a neat graphic for the banner. I think I use about a 400 x 100 pixel image for my banners (that too is kept on a dashboard sticky note widget).
The last thing I do before I post for the day is add all of the alt text, image titles and tags to the post. This can take a little while because I want to find the most relevant search terms possible so as to generate more traffic to the post if possible.
It really just depends on the day and the post. On average, again, probably just under two hours. But on days where I edit video I’ve taken to put up, it can get toward four hours or so. On days where I just copy/paste some stuff from one of my newspaper stories and then link to the newspaper’s Web site for the rest of the story, it’s a 10-minute job.
Thanks for reading!
Josh
joshuadelung.blogspot.com
Rick
August 3rd, 2008 7:03 am
I would say 30 minutes a post. Longer if there is some research involved. One of my blogs requires extensive research which I spend hours on while the actual post takes about 30-40 minutes.
Rick
Andreas
August 3rd, 2008 7:06 am
Articles for Search Engine Optimization take me about 30 minutes research, 15 minutes writing.
Laura
August 3rd, 2008 7:13 am
I would say an hour for a regular post,
I use PBWiki to put topics of interest, news clips, etc until I need something for a post. Writing takes about 20 mins.
Rajaie AlKorani
August 3rd, 2008 7:20 am
Would’ve been easier if you used a poll. Anyway, it usually takes be an hour to write a complete post (proofread and everything)
Davina
August 3rd, 2008 7:30 am
It takes me anywhere from 1 hour to 4 or more. The longer posts are not written in one sitting. I tend to write about personal growth, but do take a break from that with various musings about people in general, or some poetry. I’m rather new to blogging, so haven’t quite found my voice yet.
Hustle-Life
August 3rd, 2008 7:37 am
It probably takes about 30 minutes to an hour to get it done…
Matt
August 3rd, 2008 8:00 am
About 1.5 hours if I am writing a tutorial (ActionScript/Flash)
I really should spend longer though as my writing really needs to be improved.
by the way folks I have just picked up this neat little plugin called commentluv check it out http://www.fiddyp.co.uk/
description
Pass a bit of luv onto your commenter’s by providing a titled link to their last blog post. This plugin attempts to parse the feed of the comment author by visiting their site and looking in the standard locations for a feed. If no default feed is found, it will attempt to parse the users page for a feed link and parse that instead.
Armando G
August 3rd, 2008 8:05 am
It takes me about 2 hours to do a blog, I think it takes that long due to lack of experience and having to edit down my verbose tendencies. Most of the entries at http://bearonthepath.blogspot.com/ are experience oriented so I do not count research per se; I just review what I have done recently or what I feel would be useful information that I already have.
Success Professor
August 3rd, 2008 8:13 am
My average original post (ie. not just sharing links) takes approximately one hour to do. I find it best to break it up into two different sections. The first section is original research and writing. The second section is proof reading, posting etc.
James
August 3rd, 2008 8:20 am
I probably take about an for each post. It just depends on how the creative juices are flowing at a given time. I generally write in one sitting, although I will draft a heading and come back to it later once I’ve fleshed it out in my head a little.
I do most of my research through my RSS reader so it doesn’t take as long as it could, but I’m constantly checking it for updates.
Katie
August 3rd, 2008 8:23 am
Depends on how much time I have. Usually about one hour for a less detailed post (I brain storm dot points to create a ’skeleton’ article, then write the article by expanding on my notes).
If I have more time (ie. am not working a day job) I’ll take my laptop to a cafe and spend two hours or so, first doing the ’skeleton’ article outline & brainstorming… then spend an hour or so carefully writing and rewriting.
Sometimes I write an article in an hour then leave it over night and come back to it to refine it with a few more ideas I’ve thought of … then post it.
Florian Komm
August 3rd, 2008 8:25 am
The research can take some days. The actual writing takes between 15 and 60 minutes.
Jonathan
August 3rd, 2008 8:25 am
If you add the research, writing, and proofreading I would estimate it to be 2 1/2 hours per post.
Kelvin Kao
August 3rd, 2008 8:36 am
Wow, it really varies. Some of them are just random thoughts I have at the moment. Those would take like only 10 minutes to write. There are also posts that include a bunch of pictures, and sometimes those can take an hour or two to edit all the pictures and to include them with text. Some special posts, such as the one where I was trying to sum up a puppet character’s appearances in the last 20 years, it takes a long time to look for and watch all the footages (so many many hours… especially when I started watching stuff that doesn’t have much to do with the post). So it can vary from 10 minutes to 10 hours (not often though).
Brad Molen
August 3rd, 2008 8:37 am
For my cell phone site I have been doing a lot of op-eds recently and typically take about 30-45 minutes to do a good quality post.
I also usually schedule the post to be released a couple days down the road so I have enough time to change stuff if I think of something else.
L-Jay
August 3rd, 2008 8:42 am
Oh boy -
I have many types of posts so here goes…
Quick tips post - 10 mins
I have a ‘bank’ of posts. I write them as soon as they come to mind (I have about 15 waiting to go) - and I post them in between longer articles to break things up a bit.
Diagram posts - 10 mins
I already have a huge stash from other projects.
Video posts (shoot, edit, post) - 2 hours
I shoot 2-3 hours of footage (which covers at least 15 posts). I edit when I need it - usually I post video in a series - one a week at the moment. When summer holidays finish I will be video posting a lot more.
Article posts - about 250 words - 1-4 hours
I always write first drafts - I have around 30 first drafts at any one time - and then when I need to post (which is every day at the moment) I choose one that I feel like writing up for a post.
P.S. My blog has only been going for two months now but I wrote a lot of stuff the month before in preparation. I do plan to slow down once I have a decent amount of stuff up on my blog.
Paulo Faustino
August 3rd, 2008 8:44 am
Between 1h and 3h always.
Simon SC
August 3rd, 2008 8:56 am
I normally spend an hour and a half collecting data, researching topics, and so on. Actually putting it all together to write the blog post takes a flat 30 minutes. However most of the tmy post goes through a couple of revisions before actually being posted. I’d hate to have to shorten my posts or spell-correct myself AFTER I’ve posted.
Paula
August 3rd, 2008 8:59 am
I’d say it takes me about an hour. Just depends on how well I know the subject. If I know it, then the writing just flows and I can have a post ready in half an hour. If I need more time for research and finding images etc then can take up to two hours but usually never more than that.
Patrick Britton
August 3rd, 2008 9:02 am
Most of my posts are just opinion so it doesn’t take me long at all. After I read up on all the facts and form my opinion on the matter it only takes about 20 minutes to write and edit.
When I write for my Ubuntu blog it takes a considerably longer time to write. It can easily take me and hour or two to get things together. This is because those posts are usually more technical or product review orientated.
I have been trying to write more articles at once but with my niche being mostly about politics I don’t have to luxury to do so. If I am writing a series of posts or just basic opinion then I usually write as much as I can at once.
Sandra Foyt
August 3rd, 2008 9:19 am
It used to take a minimum 2 hours, but now I’m using Google Reader within Flock with the Greasemonkey extensions recommended by Lorelle at WordPress.
I’m finding material easily, and generating quick blog posts in about half an hour.
These shorter posts give me a break from the longer, more thoughtful posts that can take 1-2 days.
This is just one part of the Awesomeness I’m picking up in Ed Dale’s 30 Day Challenge to make money online!
Debra Dalgleish
August 3rd, 2008 9:21 am
On average it takes me thirty minutes to write a post, usually done in one sitting. My blog has articles for saving time and money in business, and features Excel tips.
Totally Consumed
August 3rd, 2008 9:31 am
Most posts take me anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours.
Jean
August 3rd, 2008 9:46 am
Rant posts usually take me about an hour to write from begin to publish.
For most posts, I usually have to go back onto them a few times before I’m happy with them, and it can take up to a few hours for each.
Maria Reyes-McDavis
August 3rd, 2008 9:47 am
Typically an hour to post, with full concentration on that one post (in a variety of informational topics, how-tos, etc), but that includes research and pictures.
Mind of a Mom
August 3rd, 2008 10:37 am
It really depends on the topic I am writing about or how many posts I have that day. It can be a little as 5 minutes or as long as 1 hour. Sometimes I have lots to say sometimes I want to share but limit the detail.
Cindy Dashnaw
August 3rd, 2008 10:50 am
I share examples of writing by organizations that either missed the mark by not accomplishing what they set out to do, or surprised me by