How I write my blog posts
Content strategists are good at many things. One of those things is making sure that every piece of content finds its perfect container. Words find their container in the form of a text, maybe published as a blog post just like this one.
Putting together the words is not always easy, though. The first words I write down are never meant to stick around. I know that from the beginning. They are just loose thoughts – scribbles to fill a white page. They get moved around, replaced by better ideas.
The first words you read pass by quickly, but for me they take time; just like all good things. From an empty space I develop them into a scaffold. When a rough structure starts to show, I get a clearer view of how my house of words will look in the end. That’s the point when I finally know what to do and where to go. The chapters are being filled and the right words are chosen.
My writing rules
When it comes to writing, I only follow a set of three rules:
- Collect ideas and let them sit. Get back to them another time.
- Be patient with yourself. If you force it, you will never be happy with the outcome.
- Maybe this rule only applies to me: Don’t read articles on the same topic before writing. Your brain will refuse to think of new ideas and will just go back to the ones you’ve seen before, no matter how hard you try. The exception, of course, is if you’re writing about a topic you don’t know anything about and have to do some actual research.
Sleep on it
If the outcome of the article doesn’t feel right, even when following my rules, I take it apart and let it sit again. Sleeping on it or taking a walk in the fresh air always helps. From the pieces that are left, I can build something better later.
After writing and waiting and writing and waiting, in the end, there is usually not much left from the first draft. And even if they don’t exist on paper anymore, the first words I wrote down are still there for me. A secret reminder that taking breaks will revive my view and taking time helps thoughts to flourish. There is no such thing as famous first words. But even though first words are often a mess, they are still the prettiest to me.
More input on writing
If you want to get an insight about how my fellow content strategists approach the blank page, take a look at my colleagues’ articles:
Daidola, F. (2022). How I write my blog posts. filibertodaidola.medium.com
Essler, F. (2022). Reflection-in-Action: writing about writing. freya-e.medium.com
Friedmann, A. (2022). Reflection in Action: Making the Magic happen. frdm.at/blog
Gündisch, B. (2022). How I Write My Blog Posts and What You Can Learn From That. content-strategy-explained.com
Israel, C. (2022). Reflection-in-action! How my articles come to life. medium.com/@carina.anna
Kiausaite, G. (2022). Pressure Makes Diamonds: 5 Ways To Overcome Writer’s Block When Writing A Blog. medium.com/@gabija.kiausaite
Moličnik, M. (2022). From idea to publishing: my process of writing a blog post. masamolicnik.si
Rendl, S. (2022). How Articles Come to Life – From Mind To Screen. thestylepolaroid.com
Sirviö, I. (2022). What is PASTO and How Does It Help Me With Writing Blogs. iidasirvio.com
Sopa, S. (2022). Getting Back on Track After a Writing Break. medium.com/@shkendie
Soroka, E. (2022). The Hidden Mystery Behind BLOGGING WITH DYSLEXIA. elenasoroka.com
Trebus, R. (2022.) The rollercoaster of writing a blog post! From the last word to the last punctuation. Here is my Reflection-in-Action! medium.com/@rebecca.trebus