How do you keep up with your blog

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I love blogging. I enjoy reading people’s posts and learning about their kids, pets, writing habits, work and all the other small things that make us different and interesting as people. I enjoy reading book reviews and finding great new reads and I also enjoy reading poetry and writing prompts. Looking at photographs of walks and scenery, holidays and amazing places to visit; yes, I like those posts too. I also enjoy reading posts about cooking and baking and finding new recipes. As a result of all my interests, I follow a lot of bloggers.

I enjoy all my blogger friend’s and try to read as many of their posts as is practical given that I work full time and have a family to look after as well as my own blogs to write for, my two monthly columns over at Writing to be Read to prepare and post and my books to write and publish.

Sometimes I feel that I am not managing my blog reading rounds well. I have tried a few different ways of ensuring I visit all my friends as often as possible. I have tried reading through the WP Reader. I have discovered that a lot of my friends post at more or less that same time everyday so I see posts from the same bloggers every day and some bloggers who post in the middle of my day or night, or who post infrequently, slip through my net.

I have tried reading via email. This works fairly well but, as I mentioned, I follow a lot of blogs so I get a lot of emails. I have tried to manage my email box in different ways, either reading on a first come first read basis or by sorting the emails by name and going from A to Z. The best method is the second one, if I want to visit everyone, but then I sometimes miss out on fun things as I only read the email a few days later.

My recent plan is that I read through the WP Reader on my Roberta Writes blog. That one is smaller and I don’t have as many bloggers whose posts I read regularly. I occasionally search for specific bloggers and read the backlog of their posts when I know I haven’t visited them for a while.

Robbie’s Inspiration I read through my email subscriptions mainly. I read on a first come first read basis during the week and sort by name over weekends. I then scroll through and catch up on people and posts I missed during the week.

This is the best method I have been able to come up with and it isn’t fail proof, but I only have a certain amount of time in a day to read blogs.

How do you keep up with blog posts? Do you have a method? Let me know in the comments.

PS, I am currently revamping this blog so some of the pages are a bit of a muddle at the moment. I plan to finish this weekend.

Published by robbiesinspiration

Robbie and Michael Cheadle are co-authors of the Sir Chocolate series of books. We both like to write and bake.

102 thoughts on “How do you keep up with your blog”

  1. I´m in the same dilemma as I follow a lot of blogs as well and I enjoy all of them. But I don´t get much writing done when I keep reading blogs. So I have stopped reading any that don´t interest me or any that are too long. Thanks for taking the time to read my blogs, Robbie. I appreciate that, especially since you follow so many and are a very busy person. xo

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  2. When I wake up in the morning, I check all email and try to read and respond to a few blogs while I have coffee…I usually post before 9a LA time, then I am free to do my work, play around with some blog ideas, etc. I check my email while working and try to take a break each hour to see what’s going on…not foolproof but I try! Yours is a great plan!@

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  3. Good afternoon. I keep up with my blog by writing many as possible during first week of each month and schedule dates to publish. This allows me three weeks to catch up and read many follower blogs as possible. Have a great and safe day.

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  4. I use the email system. I get over 200 a day. Sometimes there are posts that really don’t need a comment so I read those quickly. I have to admit if the post is really long, I have to skim or skip as the case may be. I also don’t comment on reblogs. If interested I go to the original post. You would be surprised how many reblogged post notifications I get. When all is said and done I guess I comment on 60 posts a day. It takes me about two hours. After 8:00PM I’m done. I guess this explains the number of typos in my responses. At roughly two minutes a post sometimes I don’t even have time to check Grammarly..

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    1. Haha, John. I don’t ever check grammarly and also make mistakes sometimes, especially since I alternate reading posts for both blogs on two difference computers. I am not good at proof reading which is why I pay an editor. To boring for words.

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  10. I enjoy reading other people’s blogs as well, but it is a struggle to keep up with them. So I can’t offer any suggestions, except to say I don’t know how you do all that you do!

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      2. I am a very fast reader, Jim. I have come to realise that. It is a funny thing in life that when you are good at something, you assume it is the same for everyone else. I now know I read faster than average and have a better memory than average but it has taken me a long time to realise this. I am, of course, completely hopeless with directions and getting around.

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  13. I always have a hard time keeping, and an even harder time restarting if I miss a few days. I use the Reader. Depending on when I last read, I may start at the top (now) and work my way back (towards the past),but if it has only been a few hours, I will go to the last post read and move towards the present. I try to take 10 or 15 minute breaks during work to read. But sometimes i don’t have time…

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    1. I have that same problem, Trent, sometimes I don’t have time during the working day. Often, I don’t have time actually. I do most of my blog post reading between 5am and 7am in the morning and again after dinner for an hour.

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  14. I try to read my followers posts via the WP reader. I check in once a day and try to respond unless there’s something pressing in my life that won’t allow me the time to read everything, every day.

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    1. I also enjoy using the Reader, Cindy. I could never read all the posts by everyone I follow every day. I read the topic and if it interests me I investigate further. I rarely read political posts.

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  16. I’m with you, Robbie. It’s difficult to keep up with blogging when you have a full-time day job, publishing deadlines, aging parents, family issues…the list is endless. I used to get posts by email, but I get at least 75-100 emails a day (outside of the day job) pertaining to other things, so that didn’t work for me. Now I read them through my WP Reader. There are a couple of people I follow who post every day, but since I’ve followed them for so long and they are friends, I continue to comment on every post. That said, I don’t follow new bloggers who post every day, and I no longer follow people with a history of long posts. There’s just not enough time to read them. For me, blogging is about the interaction and relationships, so if I can’t read your post, I’m not going to pretend to read it and “Like” it. A long post with a lot of photos and little text is fine for me, but apart from that, shorter posts seem to do better. Okay…now my comment is too long! Sorry.

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    2. Thank you for your long comment, Jill. I am interested in what other people have to say about this. Blogging is intended to be a fun and entertaining past-time. I blog instead of watching television which I don’t enjoy. I also don’t like to read long text posts as I read a lot of books and that is my “long” reading time. I like shortish posts, about 500 words is fine, with some interesting photographs if the topic is suitable. Sally Cronin and Sue Vincent have got this taped and I try to use their blogging style.

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  17. I love the responses that are coming through. I try to sit down once a day to write, respond to comments and read through the Reader. I do try to connect with those who regularly comment to me. I limit how many blogs I follow, so sometimes I just reply to a comment without following back. This keeps me sane I hope. I don’t expect every person to comment on every post of mine. I am just glad when someone comments now and then.

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    1. Hi Elizabeth, I also don’t read every post from people I follow, but I read as many as I can. I love your posts about your past, I am very interested in people’s lives as I mentioned in my post. I often pop in and catch up on three posts in clusters.

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  19. I’ve been struggling with keeping up with all the blogs I subscribe to, so I’ve become very selective about the new blogs I subscribe to. I read and comment for an hour and a half before work in the morning and for two and a half hours after work. I’m very glad Robbie asked the question. It’s helpful to know what other people are doing.

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    1. So you also read and comment for about 4 hours a day, Liz. I am between 3 and 4 hours a day, depending on my work requirements. I don’t expect my friends to read everything I post either, but it is always lovely to see people.

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  22. it’s always a balancing act. i do my best to read through my reader and comment when possible if time allows. i enjoy the give and take, and making connections with other bloggers, so just do the best i can, with reading, commenting and answering.

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    1. Hi Beth, lovely to see you and learn your thoughts. It seems most people are haphazard and just do their best. That is good to know. I am very structured and like have a method. My method outlined above is the best I can do.

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  23. Email works best for me, but I’m following so many blogs that I’m totally blogged down reading, commenting and sharing. I’ve simply got to get down to the important things like writing book reviews and working on my writing–now is a good time to get started. Robbie–you are amazing–you manage to do it all so well! 🙂

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    1. I see you around all over the place, Bette. You are a great reader and commenter. The social side of blogging is so much fun, I have to be disciplined about how much time I spend doing it or my writing does suffer.

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  24. This “..a lot of my friends post at more or less that same time everyday so I see posts from the same bloggers every day and some bloggers who post in the middle of my day or night, or who post infrequently, slip through my net.”
    It’s the tyranny of timezones, and I have the same problem with Twitter. By the time I get on, most of my friends’ comments/posts are up to 14 hours old. 😦
    I used to have an email client that automatically sorted my inbox by contact, so I could go through, contact by contact. Now, everything is lumped into the same inbox and Mondays are a nightmare because I can literally get hundreds of email notifications. And that’s not counting personal emails, utility bills, etc etc.
    What I wouldn’t give for a personal AI that could sort my inbox for me!

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    1. I have three email boxes, one for each blog and a work one. If I go away and am off line for a few days, I actually delete all the emails and just start over (personal emails obviously). Unfortunately, sometimes that means I miss blogs and the odd email through my contact page, but I don’t worry about small details. This is how I manage my life. I loved your recipe this morning. Shared to my FB baking page.

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      1. Wow, that’s brave. I try to visit everyone, every once in a while, but it’s just not possible to keep up with everyone all of the time. I wish it were, but it’s not.
        I’m glad you liked the recipe. Apart from chocolate mousse cake it’s our absolute favourite. Sadly all the ones we baked last night are…gone. I’ll have to jog around the garden a couple of times tomorrow.

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  25. It’s purely in chronological order as they appear in my email. I am at the point where I can’t add any new blogs, or I’ll never find enough time to do all of the other things in my life. The worst is when I don’t get to my email until late in the day. I hate playing catch-up in most areas of my life. While I procrastinate in some ways, there are other things I want to stay on top of.

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    1. Of course, Pete, that is quite right. Blogging is a hobby and must be enjoyed. It shouldn’t rule your life. I read blogs instead of watching TV. It works for me. I only follow new blogs if the blogger shows real interest in my blog and I enjoy their content.

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  27. It is tricky that one. I use email alerts for about 50 blogs (using a daily rather than instant alert) i routinely change and then use the reader rather randomly to catch up. But I’m either feeling overwhelmed or guilty in equal measure!! The most difficult blogs are those that post more than once a day. I sometimes lose the will to scroll a daily update to find one to read. Sigh…

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    1. I follow limited blogs that post multiple posts daily. Sally, Sue and Chris, those are the only one’s I receive email notifications for you post multiple posts daily. Of course, it is never hard to find interesting posts to read for any of them. I do my best to read everyone at least once a week, work commitments permitting.

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  28. Reading some of the answers in the comments was heartbreaking, Robbie. Why do people believe they have to read all the new blog posts of the blogs they follow? It makes blogging sound a chore, rather than something that is enjoyed. It should never be about ‘keeping up’ but more about doing something you enjoy doing. Blogging should never make anyone feel guilty or stress them out. I really don’t know why people think they have to read and comment on all the new blog posts of the blogs they follow. I don’t know of any blogger who would get upset if somebody didn’t read and leave a comment on every single blog post they publish, yet many bloggers think people will get upset (for some reason) if they don’t read and leave a comment on every single blog post.

    I have a simple system in place. I get new blog post email notifications from the blogs I follow, but only if they do not publish more than once a day. I then look at the title of a blog post, and if it does not interest me, I delete the email and move on to the next one. If the title makes me want to know more, I click on it and start reading the post at my leisure. I may read the post all the way through, but don’t always leave a comment. I only press the like button if the post has motivated me to leave a comment that I hope will prove I have read the post and have had something of value to add. I much rather leave a couple of long comments on a blog every once in a while than leave lots of short comments that add no or little value. I never skim through a post. For me, if I’m skimming through a post, then I am only doing so because I don’t have the time to read it. If I don’t have the time to read a post, the skimming through it is going to spoil my enjoyment of reading.

    I never tell myself that I have to keep up with reading blog posts. I read them as and when I can. If I don’t have any time to read posts one day, then so be it. For me, I enjoy blogging. It’s fun and entertaining, and that’s how I want it to remain.

    Blogging should never feel like a chore or make anyone think it’s a job (although the latter one will apply to those who earn a living through blogging). If I don’t want to blog, then I don’t force myself to write or read any posts.

    If I have the time, I will catch up with those bloggers who publish more than once a day via the WP Reader. Receiving too many new blog post email notifications can cause a feeling of being overwhelmed (as many of the comments on this post shows). However, I much rather find some new blogs this way by using the search feature of the WP Reader.

    I hope that answers the question you asked.

    Whatever you do, keep blogging fun.

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    1. Thank you, Hugh. Your comment is very useful. I must be honest, I don’t feel guilty about not reading every post by people I follow. I do my best and read when I can. I think that is reasonable. I usually comment and always read the whole post. Thanks for adding your thoughts. I hope others will read and benefit from your views.

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      1. I’m glad to hear you don’t feel guilty for not reading all the new blog posts from the blogs you follow, Robbie.
        I did write about this subject a couple of years ago and got a huge response. Judging by what others have said in some of the comments on this post, maybe it’s time to update and republish that post?

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      2. I think you should share your thoughts on this matter, Hugh? I was more seeking some thoughts about what methods others use to manage their blogs and not really giving the sort of advice you have provided. I think people will find it useful and reassuring. I think part of it is a confidence thing. Bloggers think that their blogging friends will think badly of them if they don’t read every article they post. I don’t think like that at all. I value visits from people and realise we all have busy lives and do the best we can.

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  29. I follow a lot of blogs too, but have the posts come to my eMail anyhow. Then I go through the eMail post notifications, deleting duplicates that are caused by people from one blog I follow reblogging something from another I follow. After that I see if the post looks like it’s going to be a personal entry, a promotional post, or an article of some sort, and start reading those I consider most important to read soonest, which are the two from the first catagories (personal journal type posts, or promotional posts) and comment and share as I see fit. After that, when I’m left with just the articles, I work through them from oldest to newest.

    It’s not a perfect system, and I’m often left with a few dozen eMails in my inbox at the end of the day. Not to mention, I often take a few days to read even those posts I prioratize, since it depends how much I have in my inbox and how much time I spend on the computer to how long it takes me to get to them. But it works best for me, and sometimes I even catch up completely and get to see an empty inbox. Not often, but sometimes.

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    1. Thanks for sharing your system, Tori. I also go through all the new posts and delete repetition and some other emails that seem to get through my firewall and I am not interested in – sales posts and that sort of thing. I am the opposite to you though, in that I read articles that interest me first and leave the other stuff for later. If I don’t get there, it may well be deleted.

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      1. I’m more likely to delete articles. I’d rather miss out on reading some of those than miss out on catching up on what friends are up to. So when it comes to reading through the articles, if the title and first few sentences don’t instantly make me want to read the rest, I hit that delete button.

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  30. I use the reader but that’s only effective if you have an hr or 2 everyday to check on everyone’s post. If you miss a weekend or a couple of days, you miss some posts you’d have liked to read unfortunately 😔

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  31. I haven’t found a method that works for me, Robbie. Right now, I’m trying to get to more through WP Reader, but like you said, some people post later in the day, so I miss a lot. If you come across a better way, I’m all ears!

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  32. Around this time every day I go through my WordPress reader and go through the last 24 hours of posts. However there are a few times I check out posts immediately once I get notification of them such as the Carrot Ranch weekly prompt and the collection of responses to the previous weeks prompt.

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    1. I also look out for Charli’s weekly challenge post, Joanne. I don’t always participate, it depends on whether I am inspired by the prompt or not. I have stopped trying to write for prompts that don’t inspire me. Thanks for visiting.

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  33. Really interesting answers to this one, Robbie. I mostly respond via emails and who visits my blogs. I catch existing friends with the emails and new ones with visitors. It seems to work but takes a couple hours a day.

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    1. Hi Jacqui, all the serious bloggers seem to read post for a few hours a day. I like posts so I don’t mind. I wouldn’t do it otherwise. Your system is a bit like mine. I rarely visit a blogger after one comment though. New bloggers have to show real interest in my blog before I visit. It is the only way I can control the volumes of people I visit.

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  34. I think most of us have the same dilemma. I do the same as you do, Robbie, I read blogs from emails and WP reader, but I still find it impossible to read all the blogs. Sometimes I miss it all completely, sometimes I read blogs once a week, I do what I can to show my appreciation to fellow bloggers.

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    1. Blogging is about having fun, Valentina. I think they way you go about it is perfect. People should do what works for them and not feel guilty if they don’t have time to read blogs. For me, blogging is a wonderful hobby but it doesn’t pay my bills so I have to put my paying job first.

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  35. Hi Robbie – this is a great post because I feel the same way you do. I am spread very thin on the internet these days because I’m blogging and tweeting for my library (just one of about 20 contributors on the blog), and post there 3 times a week, plus scheduling tweets every half hour every day. Plus I’m trying to get my new blog off the ground. In addition, all my library work has gone online, so we are doing virtual programming and having to learn a lot of new things, plus meet on Zoom several times a week. At some point in each day, I have to get away from screens and pretty much disassociate myself from technology. Then in the evenings, when I have typically enjoyed reading other blogs, I’m still in a zone-out mode. So I am waaaaayyyy behind in reading blogs, and I have a couple hundred posts saved in an email folder. On top of that, because my blog is a book blog, I want to be reading books to have content. I’m currently reading 2 different books, which is not how I do things. Interestingly, I’ve found using the Reader a good way to catch up, rather than email. And I’ve been using it more on my new blog. So I get where you’re coming from and it’s hard to balance, isn’t it? Sorry for the long comment!

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    1. I am glad you could relate, Barbara. I must be honest that I like reading blogs and I endevour to keep up with my friends as much as possible but I don’t feel guilty if I can’t. I move on sometimes by deleting the backlog and just starting over. I don’t want blogging to become a trial for me.

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  36. I hear you Robbie. So many of us struggle with some law and order when it comes to blogs. I still struggle but manage a setup now that’s working. But I still read blogs nightly. I don’t use the Reader because I find I miss stuff for the reasons you mentioned. I get tons of emails daily. I read blogs in evenings. If I follow a blog that posts multiple in a day, I select a few to read that grab my interest and move on to the next. 🙂

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    1. Yes, your system is similar to mine, Debby. The problem is that I am interested in all of Sally’s posts – haha! I have my priority accounts that I read a few of every day and then I go through the rest of the emails.

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      1. I’m with you there Robbie. Sally’s is the only blogs I read all daily, especially since I’m a part of her blog with my series at the Smorgasbord. Plus she introduces so many fascinating books and authors. 🙂

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  37. I sorely need to find a better system. If I’m reading I’m not,writing, and vice versa. I try to read early in the morning and write later at night. Still, I am always behind.

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  39. Pingback: How To Stop Feeling Guilty Or Stressed Out About Blogging – Hugh's Views & News  

  40. Hi Robbie, You are inspirational with all you accomplish in a day, a week. Yet, I can see how it is impossible to truly keep up with everything and everyone one hundred percent. You brought up something I very rarely read “I occasionally search for specific bloggers and read the backlog of their posts.” I do this also.

    I just came from Hugh’s post and I will paraphrase the comment I added there.

    Most people feel guilty or stressed out about blogging sometimes. I find I compartmentalize my reading and commenting on posts. I am often not an immediate responder. Readers pour a piece of themselves, part of their heart and soul into posts. I want to do them justice. I want to read posts when my mind is fresh, clear and I can appreciate their words.

    I am constantly juggling how I cut up the pie with time management. When does that leave us time to write? And the important “Why?” We did begin blogging because we enjoy writing. Thank you for a relatable post.

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    1. Thank you for visiting with you lovely comment. It seems that a lot of bloggers find it a juggle keeping up with all the posts and simply do their best. That really is the only solution. I saw Hugh’s post pop up yesterday and plan to read it today. I also like to be fresh for some posts and idea formulations.

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