Last week I decided to devote one day this week to writing my blog posts for late October. The day I chose? Monday. I know better, but I really needed to round out the month of blogs before October hit and the rest of the week is busting at the seams with client meetings and other deadlines. In my infinite Friday afternoon wisdom, I figured I could just tune out the world today and knock out a few blogs. Well, it’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon and yes, the blogs are done, but I’m also exhausted.

It all depends on how you write and your general preferences, but no matter how you write, it’s not uncommon to face some fatigue after a few hours of writing. To combat this on my marathon writing day, I used a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way.

Now I don’t want to be unclear, today wasn’t about getting through my blogs, it was about writing my blogs without getting irritated, discouraged or worst of all creatively stunted.

Be Relevant

Oh good, your blog’s done. Now the bigger question, will anyone going to enjoy reading it? A content marketing program is no good if your content stinks. To make sure our blog topics are relevant and interesting to audiences, we create a calendar with topics positioned around the year, making sure the information is relevant at the time of posting. Keep the momentum going by brainstorming good content that you know will reach someone. It’s hard to stay inspired if you’re writing about a topic no one will value.

Keep it Creative

Alright, so you have a blog post relevant and timely for your audience. Your next mission is to make it interesting. This might mean you need to find a new angle or a new way of packaging the information. You want people to read on, encourage them to do just that. Check lists, comparisons or a fun interesting lead-in can make all the difference. And let’s be honest, interesting content isn’t just more fun to read, it’s more fun to write. Take some time and think about what you find interesting to read and try to integrate some of those into your post. Jot down some ideas. Just slowing down and planning a few things out with a good ole’ pen and paper does wonders.

Take Breaks

I am not ashamed to admit I need breaks. Get up and walk away or peruse your favorite website for a while. I am not typically a marathon writer, even a few hours on one blog leaves me need a little bit of a break. Around here, there is plenty to do to distract myself for a while. Cat toys, popsicle breaks and this video. (You’re going to want to watch that with the volume on, trust me.) https://www.instagram.com/p/2oWU-vSMaR/. Don’t get discouraged and don’t let yourself get stuck. It’s not the end of the world to need to walk away. No one’s expecting the next great American novel. Breath.

Nothing’s Final

I find this to be the most important, for me at least. Your blog isn’t perfect. Not now and probably not the next time you look at it either. My worst days are days where I can’t get out of my head. Write, delete, write, delete. This vicious cycle will drive anyone insane. Write the way it makes sense to you in the moment. Just know that you’re going to need to come back to it. Getting it out is the first step. Going over it and clarifying is the second, third and sometimes fourth step. Putting some time between writing and editing is also a great idea if you have the time. Yes, my blogs are ‘done’ but I’ll be coming back with a fresh night’s sleep under my belt.

Some time away helps me think more clearly about the content, organize it and cut out the fluff. Blogging can be a challenge sometimes, but keep a clear head, take it easy on yourself and know that a little time away never hurt anyone.

Roundpeg is an Indianapolis content marketing firm.