How the Variety of a Mid-Season Break Can Benefit Your Blog

Blogging in seasons gives you the opportunity to choose a broad topic, cover it in a series of posts, then stop and compile the posts into an eBook.

I suggest using a consistent posting schedule, progressing your season with weekly instalments for a duration of around 8-12 weeks.

However, I also think there’s a time to put the season to one side, and spend one week on something else.

How can this benefit your blog?

Anniversary Week

Here at Quick Blog Tips, it’s anniversary week.

In the run-up to this week, I posted four weekly instalments in QBT Season 2, all relating to blog usability.

Despite having a few more posts to publish before Season 2 concludes, I decided to stop after the fourth post, and change things around for this week.

The plan was as follows:

• Mon: Reader discussion on blog usability
• Wed: Birthday post: achievements and top posts
• Fri: A fresh tip for blogging in seasons

As you can see, I increased the posting frequency from one post to three. I published two slightly more general posts, and I’m following up with this brand new tip to build on blogging in seasons, the focus of Season 1.

Injecting Variety Into Your Schedule

A consistent posting schedule is really vital. Giving a predictable time and day when you’ll be posting new content in your season allows readers to check in when there’s something new.

You shouldn’t add more posts every week, even though it could serve to back up your season with loads of supplementary content. That’s how readers get overwhelmed.

Every once in a while, it’s OK to break your schedule. I’d encourage it. A bumper week of new posts is a nice bonus – as long as it doesn’t become the norm.

Choosing Your Moment

A mid-season break gives you the chance to check in with your readers and ask how it’s going.

Let’s say your season is 8 articles long. Breaking in the middle, after 4 articles, is the right time to do it.

If readers ask for more on a topic you’ve already covered, this could fuel additional posts and extend the season – or help with ideas for bonus content in your eBook.

Conversely, if they want less of a particular topic and more of another area, this could help you to get on the right track and ensure your season ends well.

Staying Refreshed and Focused

You started your season with a list of topics. But when you came to write the detail for posts 4 and 5, the ideas didn’t quite flow as you’d hoped.

Don’t panic. As long as you reach the halfway point, you can take a mid-season break and give yourself a little extra time to come up with the remaining posts.

Don’t Keep Readers Waiting

If you take a week off, make sure you continue engaging your readers with other content during the break. Don’t just step away and skip a week without announcing what’s happening.

Readers may have been getting used to your weekly posts, only to have the season shelved prematurely. This is jarring and won’t be appreciated by readers who were enjoying your content.

Similarly, it’s nice to give readers the ability to talk about your season and how it’s progressing. Give them a simple discussion post to comment on.

Discussion

Do you think a mid-season break is worth doing? At what point would you take a break?

This is a bonus post on blogging in seasons, an idea that totally transformed my blogging habits. Find out more in the blogging in seasons portal.