Hi! My name is Ali Gilbert and I am the author of Mom Explores Virginia Beach. I am married with one daughter and one dog. I have lived in the Virginia Beach area for 7 years and love exploring all the fun things it has to offer families.
How do you balance blogging time & Family Time?
It can be very difficult balancing blogging and family time but there are a few things that I do that help me focus and get things done. First, I map out specific times in the week to sit down without the kiddo or husband so I can have complete quiet and get things done. Usually this is nap time or after my daughter goes to bed. I also try to do fun things with my family that I can use in my posts on my blog, so not only am I spending time with my family but I am also getting blogging things done too.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
Whenever I get into funks where I can’t figure out how to word things or don’t know what to write about I usually take a break from it where I completely turn off my computer and come back later. Generally, once I come back my mind is cleared and I can come up with what I want to write a lot easier. Eliminating distractions is a big help too! I was trying to write blog posts while watching “The Bachelor” on Monday nights and it was not working. I realized that I have to put aside the distractions and write. The words flowed a lot easier after that.
Do you have a blogging schedule? Or do you just write what is on your mind?
I generally try to make a schedule about 1-2 weeks in advance. However, sometimes life happens and I feel like I want to write about something else or I just can’t get to a specific post, so everything is up to change last minute. With a planner personality, this is super hard, but I have learned that “flying by the seat of my pants” isn’t always a bad thing. Another new trick I recently started doing was planning specific holiday posts or “National Day” posts in advance. I remember early one Friday morning I realized it was Friday the 13th so I tried to throw together a post about fun things to do with kids on Friday the 13th and it was an epic fail. I now try to plan special events and holidays in advance.
Thanks!!
I, too have a planner personality, and am thinking I need to embrace that more so I can have the creativity alone to worry about when it’s time to write. As I read the answer to your second question I thought, “and maybe just put the writing away and watch The Bachelor!” 🙂
Haha! That is funny!!