I post daily, and this post is always the hardest one I write every month. Here’s the comparative process:
Writing for my blog
Get up, load up the New post window, stare at it for 1-2 minutes while I come up with an idea, mentally write the structure while choosing an image, easily write 600 or so words, publish and done. Total time taken: 35 minutes or so.
Writing for someone else’s blog
Review recent posts to make sure I’m not duplicating, stare at the screen for ten minutes with no inspiration, wander around the house pulling weeds and ruminating for three-quarters of an hour, finally come up with an idea, spend another fifteen minutes thinking about how to structure the post, come inside, stare at the screen for another couple of minutes, slowly and hesitantly start writing. (Progress is slow due to a lot more second-guessing and reviewing and deleting.) Schedule and done. Total time: 3 hours or so.
Why is it so different?
When I write for my blog, I’m writing for my Right People. I know what they want to know about, the right tone to choose, how to pull ideas together, what problems they’re wrestling with. To come up with the germinating idea for a post, all I need to do is think about the emails and comments of the last few days, a consulting session, an exasperated tweet, or a new pattern I’ve noticed.
When writing, I know how to phrase ideas so they will be effective. I know what cultural references will engage them, and which will make them say, “Wha?”. I know what tone to use, what specific language triggers are useful, and when not to push.
In short, I am plugged into my Right People. My instincts have been honed until they’re spot-on.
When I’m NOT writing for my Right People…
When writing for someone else’s blog, I have to figure out all this stuff the hard way. Have you ever tried a physical skill that’s not in your muscle memory yet, like riding a motorbike for the first time? It’s so awkward and intensive. There’s no flow, just a buttload of hard hard work as you laboriously go through the steps.
It’s still doable (as proven by the fact that I’m still here) but it never gets easy. And generally speaking, the hard posts are less effective for the readers, too, the same way that a new skiier is less fun to watch than a more experienced one. There are awkward jerks. There are lapses. And many people fall over on their butts.
Can I mention your Right People again?
Seriously, this is where it’s at. I haven’t even begun to talk about the benefits in terms of creating and promoting your products, building communities, simpler branding, or satisfaction! Once you find your Right People everything just starts to flow: posts, comments, and cash.
Who are your Right People? Tell me in the comments!
