This isn’t a blog update, but I wasn’t sure where to put it – so I expanded the category to include Blog Updates/Writing. It’s a curiosity post more than anything else and a question to other bloggers. Just an itch that I finally needed to scratch. So, here’s the question that I beseech:
What is your process for writing and how long do you revise/edit a post before sharing on your blog?
At first this might seem like a technical question, but it’s not. And I know this is a random topic, but it keeps coming up for me. The more I read blogs and pay attention, the more relevant it seems to become.
It’s a simple question: How watered down or edited, is the blog post that you’re reading?
(And don’t interpret watered down as negative, I’m not taking shots here. Trust me, you’ll know when I’m taking a shot at you. Hahaha.)
Most people wouldn’t even give this a second thought. Who gives a fuck? It’s not even a relevant question. But as a writer, the question becomes even more interesting as I journey down the rabbit hole of what it means to be an online blogger.
I first started thinking about this when I was listening to a podcast and a popular FI blogger was talking about her writing process. She said that once she finishes a draft, she sends it to her mom who edits it and gives feedback on what points to leave out or change. Then she has a few other bloggers review the draft as well like a mastermind group. And finally, once this small piece of writing has met everyone’s approval, it gets released to the world online.
And I thought, holy shit, there’s actually a lot of relatively censored shit out there! Hahaha.
Because I just write. Sometimes I’m even writing the very morning of my deadline. I always have ideas… those never stop. But sometimes you’d like a little more time to flush an idea out or polish that description, but for me there’s just not enough time in my life write now, COVID-19 included, I’m maxed out.
It’s write and post.
So, listening to this podcast, I was a little dumfounded and couldn’t believe how complacent and naïve I had become with reading other blogs. Of course, these posts would be edited, and the more popular a blog becomes, the more sensitive that blogger is to their content and audience and not being too opinionated. Duh? Of course. They want readers. That’s the name of the game when your blog is a business.
But this was really interesting to me and my radar had been peeked. I start picking up on other interviews or blog postings – this blogger has their spouse as an editor, or this guy has his dad as editor and then the super big money makers have their armies of professional editors that they send everything to. And stupidly, I had forgotten all of this.
Why? Why would Q-FI be such an idiot? It’s simple, I’ve been fully absorbed and obsessed with my own little world… my own little reality. I haven’t popped my head out of my self-prescribed bubble for a while and peeked around.
Sad… I know.
But why even care about editing at all, or what version of a post I’m reading? Why wonder about that very first raw and spontaneous thought that sparked the birth of the topic that I’m consuming?
And the reason I was caring, was because I did so little of it. And for a short amount of time, I became self-conscious. Doubt and second guesses crept into my thoughts like a thief in the night. I questioned if what I was producing was up to snuff? Maybe I should take more time? Maybe I was rushing things because of the aggressive schedule I set? But where did this sudden insecurity come from?
The answer was simple, I fell victim to comparison, and it made me feel small and inadequate.
However, comparison is only negative if you allow it to be. When you strip it down and take all the emotion out of it, comparison is nothing more than a teacher. Do you feel grounded and comfortable in what you are doing? If the answer is yes, then you know you are on the right path. But if you let negativity and self-doubt determine your future actions because you are too busy comparing yourself to others, then you know that you have more work to do before you ascend to that perch where you’re looking down rather than up.
So, to address my question in the beginning, what is your process for writing and how long do you revise/edit a post before sharing on your blog?
Here is my magic formula…
(As a writer I always find is fascinating to get a glimpse of how people go about their craft)
I publish twice a week, which hasn’t been easy lately. My work has been fucking insane. This gives me zero hours to post during the week. I’ve tried writing at night on weekdays, but my brain is literally mush.
So that didn’t work. Then I settled into the weekend as my only time to write, which has proven to be the current and most stable method to my madness.
For the past 10 months or so, I get up early Saturday morning and try to write one complete post and the start of another if I can. I probably read that final article maybe once or twice for flow and mistakes, and then publish it the next day. Then on Sunday I write my post for Wednesday. Nothing glamorous and complicated about it. I probably re-read a post 3 times in total at the max.
I know, that is not a lot of quality control or editing at all. Compared to people with master groups and professional editors, or family members helping full time, my system is bare bones. But it’s all I have time for, and you must make do with what you have. So, I write quickly, reread it once or twice to make sure it’s not absolute shit (only my opinion of course) and the grammar and spelling aren’t too atrocious, and then press post and release it to the world to roam the internet freely as it may.
And I’ll be honest, learning how meticulous other bloggers can be with all of their drafts and edits and time taken to masterfully orchestrate that perfect online article, it made me a little timid an uncomfortable for a few posts. My terrible punctuation, spelling and structure seemed to scream at me from the page – this is unacceptable! But then as always, you find your groove and remember why you’re doing what you do. Fuck the world, this is about having fun, personal growth and cathartics. Let’s just pump this shit out and see what happens. My schedule is limited, so do the best with what I have. Don’t compare and write about what interests me and keep it to that.
And that’s where I’m at.
What started as a FI-inspired blog has grown into a wide-ranging thought diary that weaves its way along my chaotic mental landscape. And I say this a lot, but I’ll say it again: writing is a lot of work, but also a ton of fun. And the small online interaction I get, makes it worth it every time.
Thanks for reading.
-Q-FI
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P.S. I know most of my readers are bloggers themselves. So, if you can spare a couple minutes of your time, tell me a little about your writing process?
I’m not like most bloggers. My site isn’t monetized, I subsidize it to write purely for fun. I can do that because I am wealthy, making more money is not one of my priorities. I have plenty already. Usually I publish the same day I write, or the next day after one edit review. I think I have some life experience in winning in the corporate arena and in having a kick ass retirement. I stick to what I know.
Even making money for the wealthy is a priority or how do you keep score?… hahaha, j/k. It sounds very simple, but I think there is a lot of wisdom in knowing when you have enough and also being able to live your life that way. Knowing vs living it are two separate things.
Wow Steveark, you review even less than me. I’m impressed. And I love your sentence, “I think I have some life experience in winning in the corporate arena and in having a kick ass retirement.” I’m hoping to follow in your footsteps in the kick ass retirement part and relatively ease out of the corporate arena over the next decade. I know your corporate experience has been much more positive than mine but there’s no denying that the lessons for learning are infinite…
I, too, am always fascinated at the writing process of others. Mine is a bit ass-backward in that I usually have the entire rough draft in my head before I even sit at the keyboard. Sometimes it’s kicking around for a month, sometimes only a week. So I guess I “pre-edit” in a sense. After I write the draft I will re-read and tweak slightly and then use a tool to have it read back to me a couple times and just listen. It’s here, I’ll notice any glaring flow issues, typos, etc and clean them up & then publish.
The only time I never did this was with my recent “Street Cat Bob” article where I got the call, took a walk and then came home and wrote it the rest of the day pretty much just straight from the heart to capture the intensity & purity of my emotion during the intense grief.
I’d be curious to see if those who use 3rd party editors, even friends/family, are editing for quality of writing/presentation of idea or to “SEOify” In an attempt to get more readers? Big difference IMHO.
That is really interesting, the read back tool. I never thought of that, but it makes a ton of sense. Good idea. I might have to try that sometime down the road.
I feel like I would personally benefit from some outlining in the future when I have more time, but lately it’s been flying by the seat of my pants. It’s ironic, I thought COVID-19 would give me more time to write, but it has actually proven the opposite.
And it’s cool that you pretty much have your article laid out before you write. It just goes to show there are so many ways you can go about it and always learn different methods from what works for other people.
Thanks for sharing Mr. Fate!
I knew the big bloggers had editors, but not test readers. That’s more involved than I want my blog to be. I love writing and figure people will read it if it interests them and they’ll leave if it doesn’t. Either way, I still write what I want. Sometimes I write a post in it’s entirety, other times I squeeze in writing when I can. Each post goes through several rounds of editing, which usually means I have an awkward sentence to figure out or catching words I’ve omitted. My editing is fairly minimal.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your technique Katie. I agree with you whole-heartedly to write what you want and if people are interested they’ll read, and if not, no big deal. Writing is the fun part.
BTW… I hadn’t checked out your blog before. I took a visit and read a few articles. I like what you’re doing over there. Keep up the good work.
Like you I have a pretty busy life and it’s a minor miracle I can post twice a week. So if there are a few spelling mistakes then so be it. I want my passion for my subject to shine through and I think over editing will diminish that. I am about 3 weeks ahead of schedule so I write the draft, then give it two weeks before giving it a once over. Perfect is overrated.
What’s up YMB and thanks for chiming in!
First, being 3 weeks ahead for posting twice a week is mad props. I have great respect for that.
Second, I hear you on the letting the passion shine through. That’s a point I didn’t mention above, that their is an advantage to the rawness and honestly in something written quickly and in the moment.
Third, “Perfect is overrated.” That’s some sage advice and I couldn’t agree with more. Hahaha. Thanks for commenting!