Hey y’all! It’s my last day in DC, but I am writing this before hand so hopefully I am thriving and surviving! But I thought it would be the perfect day to post my writing process/why I write. I was tagged by the beautiful lady Kristy over at Southern In-Law last week in the big blog hop that is going around the blog world right now! It seems like fun and I have loved reading all the other bloggers posts on this, so I hope you enjoy mine!
It’s to give a little insight on why we write and how we write since sometimes we don’t really talk about this. A little “behind the post” insight if you will. But I’ll keep intros short and get right to the good stuff. Ready?
Right now I am working on finding balance. I know I am going to have to majorly overhaul how I blog and the time spend with social media and techonology big time come August 23rd. I know I will be cutting back on posting 5 days a week to maybe just 3. I am also going to have to be more efficient with social media and reading other blogs. Gone will be the days of clearing my bloglovin’ every day. I am trying to write down as many post ideas as I can now and make and photograph recipes now so I will have a good stockpile for when I am getting acclimated to my new life.
I am also working on the media kit still. But it is coming along and I think it will majorly help when talking/working with brands. It’s all worth it in the end, right? Same with the prospect of getting a new design and becoming self-hosted. When I get back home, I am really go to sit down with a designer and get things moving. Speaking of brands I have also been working a lot more with Plant Fusion as the social media manager. We have some great ideas in the works and I am excited I get to be a big part of an up and coming company. (P.S. We have a recipe contest going on on the Facebook page! You should enter, it’s easy!)
This is an interesting question. I think my writing is different because it is simply just me. I am no professional writer, I am not even a writer. At least I don’t feel that way. My posts are simply what I am thinking in my head and how I would talk to you if you were sitting in front of me. How I write is reall how I am. I don’t try to hide behind a computer persona. I want to be real and this little blog is my place to do just that.
Additionally, I am a young fresh new 18-year-old. I am going to be a college freshman embarking on a new journey. In the healthy living/fitness/food or really any part of the blogging community, I am a very young blogger. Most bloggers are in there 20s and up. So I still and always will feel like the baby, but I think that gives my blog and my voice its uniqueness as well. I probably have a different perspective on things than an older blogger or might think of things differently. I also hope it makes my blog welcoming and a fun place to connect and just chat!
This is another hard one. I really always disliked writing. I mean, I love what writing is and what it can do, but I have always had such a hard time actually getting what I want down in to words. I come up with tons of great things in my head, but when it comes time to write it or even speak it, I always can’t find the words or the right way of presenting it. Although I feel that blogging has gotten me a lot more confident with my writing and has helped me get thoughts to paper screen and even helped me with speaking. I am slowly growing my liking of writing and what it can do for me. I really do love sharing these thoughts with all of you and writing is the only way to do it. So I write to share, to be connected, to have a voice and feel important/confident. I have good things to say and I don’t want to be hindered by the fact that writing is not my strong suit. I am a writing-work-in-progress!
I loved reading what everyone wrote for this one the most! Haha, most bloggers have scoffed and laughed at how they really don’t have a process, and I don’t think I do either. I think to be a writier, you really don’t have a solid, stick-to process. Things change and you might get an idea or a spark of creativity at the most odd time. Writing one way might work great for one post or book, but next time it could be something completely different.
I do keep a Google Doc with recipe ideas and things I want to make as well as a list of blog post ideas. I used to keep them all in a notebook, but that became to messy. When it’s on the computer, you can easily erase, edit, and add. So that’s how I keep things organized, but when it comes time to writing, I just wing it. I never pre-write a post anywhere except right here on the keyboard. I just sit my butt down on the weekends and write. It can be a bit forced sometimes, but it gets the job done. Writing recipe posts is easy because I already have the recipe, I just need to edit photos and think of a quirky story to tell. When it comes to other posts, I may think of some point in my head before time, and some things require a bit of research, but then I just go in and write.
Just like Kristy, my posts tend to be wordy and very long. Right now I am at a 1015 word count. But hey, I don’t like getting cut short! I have to say it all! I also hate editing posts. Whenever I do go back and really edit a post, it usually comes out bad and has even more mistakes than the ones I don’t! Just like when you take a test in school and you go back to check the answers. You second guess yourself, change an answer, and end up getting it wrong. Well I feel that way about posts too. I like to keep it how it initially was, because that is how my brain/gut told me to write it so I should keep it that way! No looking back! It keeps things more authentic and honest too 😉
And now for the fun part! I have found a bunch of new bloggers to follow through these posts. Now it is my turn to nominate some lovely ladies to write about their writing and introduce them to you all!
Brittany from Delights and Delectables, is the beautiful new mom to her adopted son the adorable Baby D! She has such a strong commitment and love to her family and a lovely outlook on life. I love her upbeat attitude and her dedicated to living a happy healthy life!
Kiersten from CaNdY FiT, is a Canadian blogger, former figure competitor, and crazy baker. I love her insightful posts on being present and living the life you want to the fullest. She also is the wonderful host of #RecipeFriday, which you all should link-up to some time!
Lindsay from Cotter Crunch, “Crazy Cotter” is the wife to Kiwi Cotter, a professional triathlete. She is fellow gluten-free-er and the creator of Healthy Bites (damn I still need to try some!). She has a strong dedication to health, purpose, and being bold in blogging and life! I always look forward to what Lindsay has to say!
So tell me:
+ Do you think you can call yourself a writer just because you write, even if you don’t necessarily like it? I guess that goes along with the “if you run, your a runner” thing.
+ When writing, do you just go for it or do you make a first draft, second draft, etc.? I always hated doing that in school. In elementary when we would have to hand in our first draft, edit, revise, etc. That is juts not how I work, I don’t have the time. My mind works best with in just one full swoop!
O and Happy July 1st! July!? This is crazy! Have a beautiful day my friends!
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Megan
I usually write everything at once. Sometimes I’ll start a post and come back to it later in the day or even a week or two later. Of course, sometimes I’ll be having a slow day at work and I’ll write a post in Word and email it to myself so I can then post it when I get home.
Strength and Sunshine
I like doing everything at once, but I do sometimes take the whole day to actually get it all done. That’s a good idea…when the ideas hit, write it out wherever you are!
eunkyungsuh
Good for you, Rebecca! I started blogging about 20 years ago… which really ages me, huh. =) Keep at it and you can have many opportunities and networks to use when you decide on a career. I’ve already met one other blogger in person and have more I’d love to meet. I find that blogging is a great way to help me organize my thoughts on my experiences. Blessings to you~
Strength and Sunshine
o my gosh you are a veteran!
I’ve already made so many great connects, that’s the best part! And I hope to meet more “blends” in person too!
Thank you 🙂
balmtomysoul
I write, but I don’t call myself a writer. Writing takes time and practice and lots of drafts, at least for me!! It is one way I can find a sense of peace and it is a release. But, it is also very time consuming and makes me vulnerable. Great post!
Strength and Sunshine
Your definitely a writer! If writing can bring you peace and release that is the best!
B.Brittain-Marshall (@ritewhileucan)
Another ‘writer-in-progress’ here visiting you via SITSShareFest on Saturday. I do lots of my ‘writing’ on paper first – at least idea conception stage. I am a self confessed paper to pen advocate so I just can’t help myself. Lovely blog you have here. Keep on writing…
Strength and Sunshine
If you want to get ideas down, paper and pen is the way to go! If I ever just get the urge to write (not for the blog) I always grab some paper 😉
And thank you so much love! XOXO
MrsTee
I can’t believe your doing so much and you’re 18! Congratulations…what accomplishments. You’re right finding a balance as a Blogger can be challenging but is so necessary! I am learning that everyday. Thanks for sharing a peak behind your Blogging process…
Strength and Sunshine
Aw, thank you so much my lovely friend!
I really didn’t know just how much it would take to keep this blog up, and finding a balance is hard, really hard, but I couldn’t imagine NOT doing it!
jenniferlegra
i agree. We all have different processes with writing and it is so interesting. I’m still – after a number of years – working through which works best for me. The writing part i’ve got figured out, it’s the planning/organizing I’m still working on. (came upon you via SITS)
Strength and Sunshine
And that is that part that can always be evolving since our lives and circumstances are always changing! We may have time to write this way, organize that way, but something can happen and we have to adapt and find a new one!
Casey @ Casey the College Celiac
Awesome post! It’s definitely always interesting to see the variety of writing that can be found on blogs! I agree that when I wrote my posts, I usually just sit down (99% of times on my stationary bike – overachiever and easily bored energizer bunny right here!) and write it out. I try not to pressure myself to get out xyz number of posts each month since I want to keep it as organic as possible. And besides editing to check for spelling etc, once it’s written, it’s done! 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Haha I can’t do anything on cardio mschinces! Too distracting! I do pressure myself for 5 posts a week right now but if I’m not sure what to post I’ve always have my huge recipe stock pile to publish! Plus my Friday post I don’t need an idea since its all just you bloggers I feature!
Nichole
What a fun post!! I like the idea of google docs! I’ve been just doing a note in my phone but google docs would be so much more efficient!
Strength and Sunshine
It is! Really I just loves how it saves automatically as you write and is connected to my email!
GiGi Eats Celebrities
I write what’s in my head. It comes out and maybe I edit it a little bit because sometimes my brain is just completely all over the place. I am a writer though, I write for a lot of different web sites and I do love to write, but I actually like blog writing far more – because I can be a lot less formal. 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Haha I love your writing! Funny stuff with no holding back 😉 Truly unique!
Erin (@girlgoneveggie)
Great survey! When I write for my blog I just go for it. What happens happens. When I write for work there’s a lot of drafts involved.
Strength and Sunshine
The blog is simply your space! No parameters or expectations 😉 with work….well there might be some requirements haha!
Tina Muir
Loved reading this Rebecca, I am sure your writing is only going to continue to get better as you move throughout college. Keep up the good work 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Tina! I’ll keep at it as much as I can 🙂
genevieve y
I had no idea you were 18! I’m not much older, I’m turning 22 in September. I’m very similar, I don’t really have much of a ‘process’! I do write drafts out in Microsoft Word, but I usually just go with how I feel and it seems to work for me. I think I’d consider myself a writer, but others might not! Enjoy your last day in DC 🙂
Strength and Sunshine
Yay for young bloggers! Going with how you feel and not forcing the process is always best!
And thank you!
cottercrunch
i still can’t believe you are 18. You, my friend, are doing great things! I’m the old blogger who’s 31. haha. But love that we can connect and i love your writing, it’s you! I don’t like writing either, but it’s the passion to share and create that keeps us going, yes?!
Strength and Sunshine
Haha, thank you so much Lindsay! You are one amazing woman 😉
That is totally it! Sharing creating learning teaching…and eating lots of good recipes! I always want to be a part of this!
Brittany (@batrentham)
aww!! Thanks friend! I’m looking forward to doing it! I write in one full swoop too… no drafts for me. Which, that tends to lead to typos but oh well! lol!
Strength and Sunshine
Typos make us real and authentic! And believe me I never even notice them anyway! Perfectly imperfect 😉 I’m looking forward to seeing your post!!!