Let’s chat about the blogging workflow today. Bine has put up 15 questions for Aprils blog love topic and they are really fun. Even if you are not blogging yourself it might be interesting to have peek behind the scenes. Let’s get started:

Blogger Type.

I would say I am a mood blogger. When I feel like it I blog. When I don’t it’s rather quiet here. Sometimes there are a lot of thoughts and random stuff here. Sometimes more recipes and not as often as I like DIY – meaning no time to be crafty. Overall though there is never really a editorial calendar. I have a few dates set where I really want to blog. I try to blog more before Christmas time but that’s about it.

Digital Tools.

MacBook, iPhone, camera. Can’t blog without them. I’ve never owned anything else but an Apple laptop. However I often write blogpost on my phone. I actually like the WordPress app. Lying in bed with insomnia or waiting for people I find myself typing snippets of future posts.

Analogue Tools.

I have a whole drawer of notebooks. Another one for pens. However I often use waste paper to plan out my weekly tasks and I divide them up into “business” and “private” or “have-tos” and “want-tos” and blogging lands on the fun side. Every day has a slip of paper and I throw it out when done. For more permanent brainstorming lists I use a notebook. One of the “not so good ones” and then I throw that out too. I call that cleaning up by the way. Slow process…

What tools do you use for blogging, research and bookmarking?

I am not so sure if I actually save and research in advance. I have only a few links I find worth bookmarking and they are all copied into a draft post in WordPress. Other then that I do it when writing.

Where do you collect blog ideas?

Currently I have 33 drafts in my WordPress backend. That is were I usually keep the more advanced post ideas, the ones that “need” to make it to life. For planning out the long term projects like I did with my “star advent calendar” or the NaBloPoMo posts I have a note in Evernote to keep track of ideas and check off what posts are done and where I still need photos. I also have a couple iCal calendars for blogging. Here I track link-ups, events, and posts I really want to publish. I used to include published posts because then I could see in an overview the distribution of posts. I like visualization of analytics. However I gave that up. Other then that I love my Pinterest. But it’s more a collection of DIY projects and what I personally want to do. This doesn’t necessarily reflect what needs to be blogged about. I just recently started using Trello and testing if setting up an editorial calendar there would work for me.

Your best timesaving trick or shortcut for blogging or in the Internet?

Setting up shortcuts for typing on the phone was one of the best tricks I ever came across. This really helps when leaving comments on blogs. I don’t have to type my name, my email, my blog url all the time. Because that takes out all the fun in commenting, right? This also can help setting up hashtag clusters for Social Media.
Other then that I am still looking for better workflows in getting images from my Lightroom to Social Media. I hate all this copy, pasting, air dropping back and forth. Ideas?

Do you use a To-Do-List App?

As mentioned above I do use Evernote quite often for a lot of this. Collecting quotes, making checklists, collecting data. Not only for blogging. However it’s not perfect but close. I recently started working with Trello. Unfortunately I am missing a calendar overview to see what is coming up. Both apps can’t provide that (in the free version).

Is there another tool besides computer and phone you can’t live without?

Camera. With a few exceptions (in guest posts) all images in my blog have been made by me. So if I don’t have the right image the blog post can’t be published.
Other then that I do like to have a hot beverage while writing so coffee machine or water boiler. And the tv. Not to watch anything but to start the fire place app. I would prefer a real fireplace but I don’t have one. In the summer time I might switch to a candle on the balcony.
And if we drift of from blogging I don’t won’t to trade in my kindle. Ever since I started using that I have been reading so much more.

What can you do better than others?

I am not sure… Maybe plan and not follow through?! Absorbing knowledge for the fun of it?! Or maybe not being discouraged for not receiving lots of feedback here and still continuing? Oh maybe it is answering very comment I every received? I really don’t know, you tell me…

What do you listen to while blogging?

Nothing. Which is hard in a city like Berlin. But I enjoy tranquility and music only bothers me. The only sound I enjoy is a crackling of fire.

Are you more introverted or extroverted?

Depends. I think it’s an odd thing and how comfortable I feel around people. In places I have been before with people I am familiar with no one would guess I am introverted or shy. But I enjoy being on my own and lots of people do suck energy from me and I need time to recharge. On the other hand it can be quite motivating and engerizing being with likeminded peeps. I guess it’s all about balance as so much in life.

How is your sleeping routine?

Bad?! Could be better? But I sometimes occupy my insomnia by writing and editing blogposts. Probably not the best thing to get back to sleep.

Who should answer those questions?

Please, feel free to answer. I’d love to read about your routine. And then leave a comment so I find your post.

Best advice you ever received?

This questions been the hardest to answer. I can’t pick out one advice that’s stuck with me or which one I religiously follow. I am loving quotes and have collected them from a very young age. So there are a few ones that keep popping up. I believe any advise can be the best when it hits home and helps in the given moment. You might have heard it a hundred times before but suddenly it makes total sense.

Anything else?

Thank you for stopping by and reading my site. I really appreciate it.

Happy day to you

Tobia