Here I am halfway through this A-Z challenge and I'm finding it as difficult as always. As per usual, I'm doing this in a reactive way, instead of a proactive way. In sort of a panic, so to speak. Posting goes something like this.What's the letter for today? What can I write? My mind starts running through different words beginning with that letter. I even use a speller/divider book that was my mother's to read lists of words that begin with the letter. I write down a few words that might have some possibilities. However, my mind is usually blank as I stare at the list of words, so if anyone is around, I offer to let them be a guest blogger for the day. I've never gotten anyone to take me up on that offer, but they do offer suggestions for a relevant blog post. I get some interesting ideas from that, but most of them would take more time to develop than I have.
Along about this point, I realize how tired I am and want nothing more than to go do something else. And I usually do. I'd like to say that I then go and accomplish some of the other more important every day things that need to be done, but sometimes I just go watch TV and pet the cats.
I finally decide on something to write about and start doing research. I search the internet for information like for idioms that begin with I. I search my blog for posts that may have related to the topic in the past and think about how much of the old material I should repeat. I, also, think about a personal experience to add to the topic where I have to find the balance of being meaningful, but not revealing too much information about myself or my family for privacy reasons.
And then I finally start writing. Sometimes it flows, and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, I will write the post in one sitting and but usually I don't. If I don't, it's commonly because I don't have the mental energy to write a cohesive post. That's when I walk away again.
Eventually, I start writing and complete my text. Then it's time to find some pictures. Occasionally, I can take one right then and insert it into the post or I can use one from the past. At times this is from my blog and at other times it is from the thousands of picture files on the computer.
Then, after some proofreading, I hit publish! And that's that. Except for when I keep finding mistakes during my proofreading until I eventually give up or when Blogger gets persnickety and the spacing is way off. And that usually takes a long, aggravating time to correct.
I'm guessing that you never knew that my simple little posts were so laborious for me to write. Remind me again why I do this A-Z challenge every year? :)
I'm sure there is a certain amount of pressure, trying to come up with all the A-Z posts. I think what I like about them is that topics sometimes come up that otherwise never would.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about topics that wouldn't normally come up. I think that's what I like about the challenge, also. In the past, I have been inspired by some of my posts because I would have never thought to write about them before and I think that I should keep doing some similar things after the challenge. And you know what happens then? Life takes over and the blog is not on the top of the priority list. Someday...
DeleteAnd guess what I was doing just before I answered your comment? Writing tomorrow's post. This is another thing I do when the ideas aren't flowing. :)
Writing daily blog posts based on prompts (letter of the day, in this instance) is a bit like writing essays in school, isn't it? But, I have enjoyed reading each post you've done so far. Some have been informative, others have been thought provoking, and all have been very interesting. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bless. Since you write more of a journal/diary type blog, do you find that easier to write or do you struggle every day, also?
DeleteI like to write. :) I used to keep a regular journal before I blogged. I got into the habit of writing almost every day. The blog has replaced the journals, although I don't write as many personal thoughts in the blog as I used to write in my journals! I do try to write a bit more than what time I woke up, what I ate, and did or didn't do, but, I like to record all the minutiae of my day to day life!
DeleteOne of my friends said my blog had “grammatical errors”. I said, I know. Some I edit, most I don’t. If I was writing for money, I’d take it way more seriously.
ReplyDeleteFor M, if I was doing this, I might do “makeshift”.
Like me, I think you have more of a personal blog that is informal. In those situations, I don't think sticking strictly to grammar rules is as important as it may be in other places. Also, what drives me crazy is that grammar rules have changed a lot since I learned them and I see a lot more things acceptable these days than they used to be. I don't know what's the correct grammar these days. With all of that being said, it's hard to proofread your own writing because your brain fixes your mistakes.
Delete"Makeshift" is an excellent word. I can think of a lot of possibilities. Are you keeping a list for next year?
You are halfway through! Almost done in other words! You'll make it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. :)
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