I try to write something once a week for WeeklyBlogClub. I don’t always succeed.
I know that some bloggers can produce a quality post in only a few minutes, but I’m not one of them (although I live in hope). I typically spend a few hours, and sometimes much longer, particularly if there are lots of links and photos involved.
When I started blogging, I worried that I would struggle to find something to write about. On the contrary, the main problem for me is finding the time to write.
I keep two blog-related lists which I’ve started to refer to as
- ‘Backblog’ (Ideas that need writing-up)
- ‘Foreblog’ (Stuff coming-up, or on the horizon)
Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s currently on each list
Backblog
BlueLight Camp (Pt 2)
Second instalment of a post I started last week with some of the memorable bits from the excellent BlueLight Camp, an ‘unconference’ for emergency responders. Hopefully I’ll finish this one over the next day or so.
Open-data cities conference
A one-day event in Brighton that focussed on the part that open data can play in helping to create a thriving, prosperous, and accountable city. I managed to get to Brighton and back in a day on public transport, which was kind of appropriate as getting there was a bit of a busman’s holiday for me.
A few habits of local wildlife
I’m lucky enough to rent a house on a plot of land bordering a large wood which teems with wildlife.
Over the course of several years I’ve started to spot and recognise habits of both different species, and individual animals.
Joy Riding
I confess: I enjoy travelling on the bus. This will be a post about why it’s a source of pleasure for me.
Mobile tech, a personal journey
I blogged previously about the impact the iPad has had on the way I work (I haven’t printed anything for almost two years). This is the prequel – my sometimes painful attempts over many years to use mobile tech that wasn’t quite up to the job.
The ‘Orkney Cardboard Box’
Social and family history, out of the box.
Foreblog (on the horizon)
- Future Everything – an annual festival of art, music and technology. The theme this year is participatory culture.
- Island GovCamp – an unconference for people who work in and around government in islands which is being held in Orkney (where my mum was born)
- Hampshire Hub – collaboration and data sharing in Hampshire
- Memory Jogging – thoughts on ways to remember
- Linked Data Trial – putting a toe in the linked open data bath water
- A tale of five camps – a look back at five unconference events
- Winchester Hat Fair – coming up in July
- Listing badly
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Blogging takes quite a bit of time and effort for me too – which was partly why I was a bit reticent about joining WeeklyBlogClub. I find starting them very easy and I have a load of posts in various states of completeness. It’s finishing them I have a problem with 🙂
Hi Lesley, thanks very much for leaving a comment. I’ve had some in draft for ages. One of the nice things about blogging is that you’re your own boss – you only need to do what you want
Wow! I’m impressed with how many future posts you have listed. Lesley – perhaps we could help you focus on which post to finish? I have learned to be quite disciplined and to delete many posts that I started but didn’t finish within 3 weeks. I currently have about 3 posts that I need to do about events I’ve attended.
Hi Janet, you’re more disciplined than me! Some of my drafts end up being subsumed in to other posts, but I don’t think I’ve deleted any because they’ve been around too long.
I have to point out that I also have multiple blogs (more than those seen in Weekly Blog Club posts), and also have stacks and stacks of things I’ve written on paper over the years. I can afford to be ruthless. If the topic is important enough, I will eventually be prompted to write it again. Some things simply become irrelevant if I leave them for a while.
I had actually thought about doing a Twitter poll…will give that some more thought 🙂
Too much thought can be the enemy of getting blog posts written 😉 Stick a virtual pin in one of them and just get it finished.
Looks like some really interesting stuff coming up. But enjoying the bus? Madness
Haha, I suspect I’m in a minority on this issue Ross 😉
I’m looking forward to that one too 🙂
Brill! I have a habit of creating ‘stubs’ in wordpress (new post, 1 para summary) – I have about 4 on the go just not the will to finish them!
Why not do a blog post to share all of the ‘stubs’ and let people react to them? Their reaction might encourage you to finish.
Hi John, the word that’s missing from your comment is “yet”!
Looking forward to your next…
Sharing all the stubs is an interesting idea – wonder if WeeklyBlogClubbers could try a collaborative post. A storify jobbie perhaps?