So a few days off may not have solved all my “performance anxiety” when it comes to my recent blogging. In light of the continuing doubts lingering I’ve decided to go forward by keeping things simple.
It’s something that often works well for me. If I find myself struggling with something I try to simplify it. Whether it’s getting through a stack of paperwork, a project I’m working on even housework I find the simpler I make it the easier it is.
Simplifying things comes in many shapes and forms but one of my most tried and tested methods is listing things out step by step and looking at each step independently. Even the biggest and most over whelming job can be eased by laying it and tackling each step one at a time.
Blogging or writing is something I’ve struggled with breaking down into those nice manageable steps and as it’s become more difficult I’ve developed a want, a need even, to figure out what the steps are.
So I’m looking back over old blogs, the ones I’ve loved and the ones I’ve hated and considered the steps that each one took to create. What made one post easier to write than another, what made it cohesive and relatable, what are the steps.
Step one - Decide upon a topic.
Looking at what I’ve been writing recently I realize I haven’t been putting enough into this step. While I’ve been thinking of topic upon topic to write I haven’t been committing to any one specific thing. The result is everything gets garbled up together and a singular topic gets lost in the mess.
Step two – Create a title.
I’ve been leaving this step right to the very end recently and I’m realizing that doesn’t work as well as getting that title right first. Why? Well it comes back to that first step. It solidifies the subject, gives a reminder of the current topic and can bring my mind back around to the original and intended subject if I get off track.
Step three - Deciding what the post should convey.
Great I’ve found a subject written a title but the next step must be determining what about that subject I want to explore. Do I want to share an opinion and if so what opinion, do I want to explain an interest in the subject or a past experience with the subject at hand.
Step four - Write
Obviously this one was going to pop up at some point. Writing is of course what blogging is all about and so this is a clear and obvious step to take. Write using the subject, the title words and what I want to convey as starting points and just explore it.
Step five – Edit
A clear and necessary part of any writing is to edit, find the spelling errors the grammar issues and the sentences that just don’t work. I’ve fallen into the tendency of editing by paragraph and have discovered that it rarely works for anything beyond the spelling and grammar. The idea gets lost in the technicalities of language and writing. So for future posts the editing will be saved for last when I can focus on the technical aspects and leave the creativity alone.
Step six – Give it a read through.
Often little things are missed during step five and a final read through may bring those little surprises to your eye that without you might miss. Nothing irritates me more than discovering a long ago post with an error that a final read through likely would have caught.
Step Seven – The final one, love it or hate it
Embrace the words created, whether its love or hate, feel something anything just embrace it for what it is.
