I have always wanted to blog, but have always shied away, not because I don’t believe I have interesting things to say, my friends know I always have something to say! It was instead because I never believed I was good at writing, or consistent, I am loathed to start something when I am not sure I will have the stamina or inclination to finish the project, I like completion you see.
So last year I set myself a challenge to write every day for a month, minimum of 500 words each day. I figured that if I could do this every day, I would show myself that I could commit to writing a blog for my business.
I smashed it, hitting over 30,000 words in around 20 days, which on average was 1-2,000 words a day, including the odd day I was too busy or hungover! During this process I have learnt a great deal about myself, as a person, and as a writer.
I can write!
The Aquarius new moon and Chinese New Year brought me a challenge, well I decide I wanted to give myself a similar challenge, I will write every few days, but this time I will post them.
I hope sharing my ideas and processes (and yes those epic fails) will inspire you
Things I have learnt about myself and writing:
- Writing prompts are whatever is important at that moment, if I try and write for the future it doesn’t work, I need to be responsive for the words to flow.
- If you’re really stuck, change your environment, go somewhere else, a coffee shop or simply a walk, or even do some domestic chores, just don’t keep stare at the screen,
- Start, don’t keep thinking of a perfect first line, something as you write will be come your fist line, it might even be the last line!
- I have to write personally, I don’t write for a specific audience, I write something from my own perspective hoping that it resonates with others.
- Yes we are told to always write your blog to show you’re an expert, but starting to write a blog post like that sounds stilted and you know really it’s a sales pitch. You will show your expertise in how you meet your challenges, people will see that, it makes you more human and therefore more approachable to share your failures and mistakes, not just everything that worked.
- I am actually not bad, it took me until near the end of my last challenge to realise that!