My brain doesn't seem to like giving me words when it knows there are words I haven't published yet. This is one of the biggest reasons I don't use an editorial calendar or plan posts in advance very often. Well, that, and my tendency to procrastinate.
Does anyone else have that problem? Specifically, the "my brain doesn't like giving me words when it knows there are unpublished words" problem. But feel free to tell me if you have the procrastination problem, too.
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I am like the little engine that could. Almost at the top of the mountain. Silently screaming, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can publish a blog post tonight." And here I am doing just that.
Apparently silent screaming works. As does making yourself sit at the keyboard and type, and not allowing yourself to have any of the Butterfingers sitting in a bag next to you until you hit publish. A little tip from me to you.
Does anyone have a great blogging system? Specifically a system that helps you to write when the words won't come, or you are too tired, or you feel pressured to publish a post? My normal answer is...don't write. Wait for the words to come.
This month that hasn't been an option, and I found that I really could write under pressure. But December will be here in two days. I am going to need to come up with a good plan that won't allow me to say, "Well, I published posts every day in November, so I earned a break," because that feels like a recipe for not publishing anything in the month of December. I am pretty sure that is not a great follow up to a successful NaBloPoMo.
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Today on BlogHer, Julie shared 8 quotes about lessons learned during NaBloPoMo. I really enjoyed reading them. I think I'm going to save that post to read again next year, because it made me want to try this whole thing all over again. I know. I might just be crazy.
*NaBloPoMo is almost finished!
I have no system. I wait for the words to come, and they always do, but in the nick of time sometimes. It started in college. I declared my major way late but my parents told me I had to graduate in four years so I was taking six writing classes at once, and that was at least six papers a week. I learned how to cope. I wish I could tell you how, but it wasn't always my best stuff..
ReplyDeleteSix writing classes at once?! That is crazy. I'm very impressed that you kept up with them all. When I am at a loss for words I sometimes think about this book I read once where a journalist said he can always sit down and punch out 1,000 words on something - even if it was something only as interesting as his slowly growing lawn. Sometimes I think it isn't about your best writing, but just about stringing those words together. Practice is good.
DeleteI totally understand what you are saying! I so often will see something or experience something and I want to talk about it NOW. I don't want to plan to write about it in 3 weeks when it's not fresh any more. I almost never plan my posts unless I have something I want to do for a holiday or such.
ReplyDeleteThat is it exactly! I want to be fresh and NOW with my writing.
DeleteYour words made me smile. My future daughter-in-law is a very talented artist and has just finished her degree in Fine Art. One of her friends made an appointment for her to attend classes to help with procrastination. The only problem was that when she was supposed to attend this class, she totally forgot.
ReplyDeleteBlessings XX
Mia
Oh my. That made me laugh. I hope she is able to reschedule that class. And then maybe she will pass on some of her new knowledge with the rest of us procrastinators! That would be awesome.
DeleteAt least I know I am in good company. ;-)
I had to quit NaBloPoMo, unfortunately. It just became too much pressure and stress for me and if I wanted to save the one shred of sanity that remained I had to walk away. I made it to 19 posts though so at least it was more than halfway. Go me. Haha. I'm hoping December will be a decent blogging month.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand. I think doing 19 posts is amazing!!
DeleteKnowing when to walk away is just as important as meeting a goal.
I thought I was the only one with no editorial calendar! I do jot down ideas in a notebook, and on a good week I have posts rough drafted or know what I'll write about...but truthfully, those are the weeks something else will come up to write about. And yeah, I sit and stare sometimes. Yay for you, today is the 30th!
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to know we are not alone in our lack of planning. I have a notebook for jotting down ideas, too. It is very helpful.
DeleteI know where you are coming from, since I have been there as well..........so you are not alone
ReplyDeleteIt is good to be not alone.
DeleteI never schedule posts. I write when I feel like it and hit publish. Which lately meant only a few posts per month. But I still don't feel like writing ahead.
ReplyDeleteYou girls were brave to take on NaBloPoMo. I couldn't have done it for sure!
I totally get that. Sometimes that is the place where you need to be - even if you aren't publishing as many posts as in months past.
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