The hard part of regular posting is not writing; it is deciding what to write. A recurring format removes the decision. “Monday tip.” “What I made this week.” “A question from a customer.” The name tells you the shape, and the shape tells you what to look for.
What makes a format
- A fixed shape: the same opening line or structure each time.
- A fixed rhythm: the same day, or the same week of the month.
- A source of material that does not run out: customers’ questions, your own week, something you noticed.
Start with two
Pick two, not seven. One that is easy and about your work. One that is about people — a customer, a collaborator, a place. Run them for a month and see what comes back. A format nobody replies to is not a failure; it is information, and you can drop it.
Let a format change
People get tired of a format before you do. If you have written the same shape twenty times, change one part of it: a new opener, a new picture style, a guest. Keep the name, so readers still know where they are.
How it helps a schedule
A format fits a recurring slot. Put the tip on Monday at nine and the question on Thursday, and the calendar fills with the right shape of post. You are not planning posts any more; you are filling in two blanks a week.
If you cannot say in one line what a format is, you do not have a format yet — you have a habit.