Blogging always seems like a good idea at the start. Writing is good therapy, it’s fun, and if you’re good at, you can even make money.
But you know how it goes. You start out swearing that you’re going to post daily. Then it becomes weekly and suddenly you realize you’ve gone a month and half without posting.
The guilt forces you to go back and throw something, anything, up there just to keep your audience from unsubscribing. You promise yourself that tomorrow, you’ll sit down and write a real post but tomorrow comes and it doesn’t happen.
Now, take that and multiply it by the five blogs you own. Or maybe it’s 10. What started out as a fun sideline is now a chore, but you’ve invested too much time into each of them to walk away.
Don’t worry, there’s hope and help. All you need is an iPad and these four apps. Together, they’ll solve the majority of your blogging woes and get you back on the updating track.
Poster
Price: $3.99
Let’s begin with the end of the process and a new app called Poster. Poster is like Windows Live Writer for the iPad. It allows you to write and upload posts to multiple WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress blogs.
The writing space on this app is clean and as big as the iPad screen which is a huge plus. Use the settings toolbar to enter the title, categories, tags, you can even schedule posts for a future date or upload them as drafts.
The downside is that there’s currently no way to add photos to your posts. That’s a big issue, but I bet we’ll see this option appear in a future update.
On the upside, Poster allows you to sit on the couch and write out your thoughts during the commercial breaks in your favorite TV show. It also allows you to easily read your previous posts, something bloggers don’t do often enough.
HootSuite
Price: Free
Once you’ve update your blog, you’ll need to spread the word(s). HootSuite for the iPad allows you to schedule Twitter Tweets and Facebook updates all from one control panel. It also makes it easy to browse incoming Tweets for story ideas and to connect with other like-minded people.
HootSuite also gives you the tools to monitor conversations on a given topic, follow trends, and view stats so you know if your message is getting through. They also promise to increase your happiness. It says so right on their iTunes page and if you read it on the internet, then it must be true.
Perfect RSS Reader for iPad
Price: 99¢
If you’re going to write, you need to read and Perfect RSS Reader is a simple tool that will help you do that. The app pulls feeds from your Google Reader account and presents them in a large, clear format for easy reading.
The app works with Instapaper, ReaditLater, and Evernote, so you can save your favorite posts to read again and write about later. You can also share directly to Facebook or Twitter, so why not make another blogger’s day and share his words. The good karma will come back to you two-fold.
Magical Pad
Price: $4.99
After reading the work of others, you’ll have plenty of thoughts of your own that need organizing and for that you need Magical Pad.
This app is a combination mind-mapper and outliner. Instead of thinking out of the box, Magical Pad forces you to put all your thoughts in little boxes that you can move, color, size and connect in a variety of ways. By boiling down your ideas into snippets, you’ll find clarity and structure, both of which are necessary for a good blog post.
Magical Pad begins as an empty whiteboard, so you can make each page anything you want. It can be an editorial calendar, a To-Do list, or a checklist. Best of all, it’s a brainstorming tool. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the ideas begin to flow once you start jotting words down on the empty page.
The trickiest part is learning to let go. Magical Pad is excellent for free thinking and word association. Make a note of everything that pops into your head, color, connect and see where it takes you – like maybe into the perfect post.
Beating blogger burnout
Blogging always starts out as an enjoyable activity but too often gets bogged down in posting guilt trips and financial concerns. If you’re suffering from blogger burnout, download these four apps on your iPad then get out of the house. Go to the beach, a park, or a coffee shop. Spend a few minutes observing the place and the people, then open up your iPad. Use Magical Pad to brainstorm or relax by reading posts from your favorite bloggers. Use Hootsuite to catch up with your social media friends, then launch Poster and get to work.
Sometimes, a change of environment is all you need to get started on a new routine. And thanks to the iPad, you can now update your blog from almost anywhere in the world. No more excuses.
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Jessica: Hi, I'm Jessica, the Consumer Press AI, can I help you with a consumer question?
