Blogging for Yourself

 

My blogs always come second, no matter how many times I tell myself I want to get a blog going and establish it in the blogosphere. I just cannot keep myself committed because the work I have to do for others always comes first. What is funny is this is a perfect reflection of my personality. I am a caretaker type of person. The reason why I received a degree in counseling and counseled for so many years was so I can help others. Do I help myself? Not as much as I should. I find comfort and pleasure in making others happy. Is that right? I guess it is in a way but it's certainly not fair to myself.

I have decided to write about why everyone should blog for him or herself. This way, I can look it over on the days I put other work ahead of my own and help others who do the same. So here goes:

• Recharge Your Passion
  

When you write for yourself, you give yourself a chance to unwind and write about what you want to write about not what your client wants. You can interact with your visitors the way you want to and without pressure to do anything. This sense of freedom is enough to recharge your passion for writing and give you that push towards doing better work.

• Using Your Work for Your Own Benefit
  

Why is that most of us are so willing to write for others but we aren't willing to write for ourselves. We make money for other people and much more than we received for the articles. It's time to take our articles and turn them into profit for ourselves.

• Recognition for Your Hard Work
  

For those of us who ghostwrite articles, we will never see our names on the work we do for clients. Blogging or writing for yourself will give you the recognition you deserve. You work hard on your writing and you need to receive recognition for that, at least sometimes.

• Having Fun with Writing
  

Writing is always fun but we all know it's more fun to write about what we want to write about. This goes along with recharging your passion but is a bit different, which is why I made its own separate category. I know some people who write so much for others they have lost the fun involved in writing. These people can't even find the enjoyment in writing for themselves. This is why it is important to remind ourselves that we started writing because we find it fun.

Well, those are some of my reasons why I need to blog or just write for myself more often. Do you have any others to add to help the cause of writing for ourselves?

 

Quotes on Writing

I have always loved quotes and would write them often in high school. I haven't written quotes in a long time but I still like to read them. Here are some of my favorite quotes on writing.

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~Sylvia Plath

Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. ~E.L. Doctorow

The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt

Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning: I wanted to know what I was going to say. ~Sharon O'Brien

Writer's block is a disease for which there is no cure, only respite. ~Laurie Wordholt

My favorite:

If you have something to say and no one is around to hear it, write it down.

I saw this on a journal at the bookstore - I will have to add who said this next time I go.

What are some of your favorite writing quotes?

Listening to Music While You Write

There is no point in listening to music when I write. I won't listen to it and will completely tune it out while I work so there really is no reason for me to play anything. I think I acquired this ability while in college. I am an only child so I never really had to deal with a sibling who was loud or playing loud music while I was doing something. When I started college, my roommate would play a CD while she studied and so I would have to listen to it as well. I didn't mind because I learned quickly that I needed to tune it out or I would never get any work done.

Listening to the Television

So this may sound weird but I do put the TV on when I work. I am not watching it, I am just listening. It helps keep me motivated and entertained while I write. I tune it out just as with music but for some reason, I like it better. Once I complete an article, I will look up really quick to see what is going on before starting something else. For some reason, I think subconsciously I am really watching it while thinking and typing. Hhhhmmm…I wonder if there are any studies on that. Anyway, that is what I do while I work, what do you do?

 

 

Handwriting vs. Typing in Journaling

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I wonder if there is any difference in the benefits of journaling through writing or typing. Can you achieve the same level of introspection typing out your thoughts vs. writing them down in a journal or plain piece of paper?

Pros of Handwriting

• You don't only have to stick with words, you can draw.
  
• You can think about what you write and reflect on it.
  
• Make tables easily to set up a plan of action or a list of pros and cons of a decision.
  
• You can take a journal anywhere, no need for electricity.
  
• Take a break from typing and the thought that you should be working on an article.
  
• There are fewer distractions because there is no e-mail to check or instant messages.
  

Pros of Typing

• Most people can type faster than they think so thoughts can flow quickly.
  
• You can create many different journals for each section of your life, such as work, family, and hobbies.
  
• You can create a blog journal and share it with friends.
  
• You can use spellchecker and grammar check.
  

 

Well, I have come up with many more pros of handwriting a journal than typing. I guess you could say that my blog here is a journal but I don't really feel like it's a real journal because I don't let myself go as much as I would if it were a personal journal. I can't say everything I think about and I can't let myself just type without thinking about grammar or if my sentences make sense. To me, a journal is something you can free yourself with. You start writing and just let your mind unload onto the paper. I don't think I can do that on the computer. I just feel like I need to be doing something else… It's time to close the screen, take out my trusty journal and start handwriting.

What is Your Blog Style?

When looking for a blog, what do you like? You know, a blog you add to your list you check religiously. After looking through several blogs, I found there are certain things I look for in a freelance writing blog. I guess you could call it my blog style.

Personality

I like blogs in which the person writes like he or she is talking to a friend. The person is real and does not try to be the guru in writing. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of well written, informational blogs out there and I do benefit from them. However, when I am looking for something fun to read on freelance writing, I enjoy people who are talking about their life as a freelance writer.

New Material

Many blogs talk about the same things and although it's nice to hear other people's opinions, I enjoy reading about things I haven't read about before.

Colorful and Attractive

I am a judge a book by its cover kind of person. I love blogs that are nice looking. They keep me interested and it's pleasing to the eyes.
Surveys

Surveys are great because it gives people information about others without divulging people's names. Surveys such as, "How much do you write in a day?" or "How much do you charge…?" are always interesting.

Freelance Writing Jobs

Okay, I will admit, I do like blogs that post jobs. Have to make a living somehow, right? So yes, I will visit blogs posting freelance writing jobs.

Well, that's my list. What do you look for in a blog?

My Writing Pet Peeves

Sometimes my own writing annoys me. As much as I try not to write certain things, I do it anyway. Then, I have to backspace or correct it when I proofread it. Once you correct the same thing 20 times, it gets a little annoying. I just cannot break the habit though…

What I am talking about is my use of the word, 'that'. I don't even know why I place it repeatedly in articles but I do it in places where it's not needed. I don't have an example, but I do it all of the time. I am surprised that I haven't….SEE! Right there. I knew I would have an example if I wrote long enough. I simply do not need 'that' there but I write it repeatedly. UGH.

Oh well, the first step in solving a problem is knowing you have a problem. Hopefully, someday I will release the word, 'that' from my fingers, which type faster than I think at times.

Getting Ready to Write

So I have a ritual when I am getting ready to start or work on an assignment. First, I check my e-mail, respond and think of any friends I haven't written to in awhile. Then I head over to my Google Reader and see who has posted some new posts. I read them, comment, and then go through the list again to see if anyone has updated their blog since I first started reading. Then I check the message boards to see what everyone else is up to for the day. To get me in the writing mode, I will write here or just write on a subject I enjoy. After that, my juices are flowing…usually. If not, then I have to just make myself write.

Forcing Creativity in Writing

It really doesn't work that way. You can't force creativity. Creativity is something that you need to find within yourself and release it. If it's locked away somewhere and you are not mentally prepared to release it, you won't produce great pieces of writing. Forcing yourself causes you to put pressure on yourself and that stresses you out making you forget the reason why you started writing in the first place. You are not a machine spitting out words on a page. Writing is an art. There is a difference between wanting to write and having to write, and that difference will show in the quality of your writing.