ProBlogger's tips on your first week of blogging

ProBlogger has been running a series of insightful posts on the basics of getting a blog up and running. Though it's targeted at writers who hope to make money from their blogs, there are some great general tips for anyone interested in keeping a blog fresh.

One of the recent posts I found helpful was on capturing ideas and planning future posts. Darren Rowse shares his personal technique for mapping out ideas and scheduling blog posts, and many of his tricks can be adopted or tailored to any blogger's workflow. It essentially boils down to this: Capture all of your ideas, plan your schedule, and try to have a couple weeks' worth of posts written and ready to go.

The idea of applying an editorial calendar may seem silly to a casual or new blogger, but it's a sure-fire way to make sure your site stays current and new. Whether or not you intend to build an audience, it's a good writing exercise.

Of course, if you have a great idea for a blog and want to turn it into a source of income, posting regular content right out of the gate is a must. If you feel like you're getting stuck, or just want to hear how professional bloggers build careers from their writing, ProBlogger is a great resource for inspiration and advice.