How Much Time do I need to Write a Blog?

This is a question I’ve been asked several times by readers, particularly in the run up to the start of The Beginners Guide to Blogging. I understand that many people (and I used to be one of them) have to work full time when they first start blogging, and therefore any time commitment they make is limited to free time outside of work. Many people will say that it depends on various factors, like your planned posting schedule and your objectives for the blog. Whilst this is true to some extent, I’m afraid I have some bad news for anyone who thinks starting a blog, with the intention of earning money from it, is anything but consistent, hard work.

Rhythm is vital to the success of a blog

This means you are going to have to commit to spending some time every day working on your blog. It’s far better to devote a couple of hours a day to it, than to cram 14 hours work into a weekend. By all means have a day off, but in the early days regular posting is vital to sustain a new readership.

Use your time wisely

I’ve written before about the need for good time management, and it’s vital that you get the right things done in each blogging session. It’s so easy to lose an hour to Twitter, or to reading other blogs. Whilst both are important, doing them won’t move your own blog on significantly.

Don’t forget strategic time

If you are by nature a “Doer”, and you probably are if you’re a blogger, then you may not be good at strategic stuff. That’s long term planning, setting objectives and dreaming up new ideas. I call strategic time my “Sitting with my feet on the desk” time, and I literally put my feet up, lean back, and just think things through. This may not come naturally to you, but it’s vital to your success.

So, what’s the answer to the question?

In my opinion, you need to be able to devote a total of 2 hours a day to successfully launch a blog, with the intention of earning an income from it within a reasonable time period. If you’re working full time, then that’s tough. I know it, I’ve been there. But nobody ever said it was going to be easy. The good news is that by devoting 2 hours a day to your blog, for six months, you can create an income to replace your existing job income. And once you’ve done that, you’ll have plenty of time to devote to blogging!

What have been your experiences about time for blogging?

Maybe check out:

1/ How the blogging market is changing

2/ Mike’s Life – An update

3/ Selling advertising on your blog