As you already know, I’m new to blogging daily. It wasn’t even an intentional thing until it just happened and I became obsessed with not breaking the chain. Hope to keep that up for as long as I can.
Now that I’ve come so far, I thought it’s worth its while to share how I write. And yes, I know what you’re thinking — it’s not great. I know that. In fact, I’ve written about it too! My objective is not to impress you but to document my process here. The idea is to revisit this process and hone it further. If you remember, this blog documents my journey to become one of the best writers, communicators, coaches, marketers, and consultants out there. It’s a tall order. I know. But that’s precisely why I hustle. The fun is in the journey. Not the destination.
So, here it is! This is how I write:
- First things first — observe. Be aware of what’s happening around me. Jot down thoughts as and when they occur. Carry a pocket notebook at all times. Transcribe your notes in Evernote at the earliest.
- Review feeds and posts published by your favourite authors… highlight, annotate and transcribe some more notes on Evernote… a boatload of topics to talk about! Categorize and organise them by themes or ideas for best results. A commonplace book is a great idea! [It’s a great idea in theory but I haven’t been able to execute it fully. At least not as yet. But that’s probably because I’m lazy.]
- Each morning — pick one topic and write about it!
- Set a timer. Work in either two 25 minute blocks (the Pomodoro technique) or a single 55-minute block. Try to schedule this first thing in the morning. The first among the other high-value activities lined up for the day.
- The writing process ought to have a structure to it. Always outline your thoughts first. It could be a mindmap on a piece of paper (or software) paper or a simple outline in a word document. Next comes the “development” stage where you flesh out your outline. Finally, you “review” the document. It’s that darn simple!
And that’s it!
Simple? It is. What’s left to be seen is how this process develops over time. In all likelihood, I’m going to stick with the same process for years. It’s easy and just works.
You wouldn’t want a complex process getting in the way of creativity.