Image source: Pixabay
When motivation starts to drop.
Lately I have stumbled upon many posts of unhappy Steemians who have expressed their discontent regarding the low or close to zero rewards, who threatened to leave the platform as a result.
In the beginning I felt compelled to comment on their posts and encourage them to stay, to keep writing. Shortly after I noted that more and more people dropped off the wagon and accused various reasons. It’s a personal choice, I agree. We all of us have a life outside the platform. Thus, my only advice for them was to follow their call.
Everyone can write.
Nowadays, in the age of technology, everyone can write. All you need is a blog where you can blurb some verbal diarrhea and hit the publish button. There you go, you have a post! Am I missing something? Oh, yes! The content of your post! The topics you touch on your blog.
Writing is an activity which requires you to come up with an original content, presented under a clearly written form, easy to understand and follow. In a nutshell, well organized content. So far, those who mastered this simple concept have done well, gained more followers and have seen their posts rewarded.
Do you have the writing bug?
In case you have stared at a blank page for more than ten minutes without being able to come up with a sentence, maybe writing is not the right hobby for you. Perhaps you should look into something else, something more fulfilling or rewarding. Note that I am not talking about the monetary rewards!
Some people find solace in writing, others do it as full time job and they love /hate it. Before you start accusing writers' block or blaming the platform or others for ignoring your brilliant post, have a closer look, a deeper one and try to see what determined you to choose writing among other hobbies.
Here are some questions that could help those who still have a hard time figuring out what really drives them.
Why do you write?
You write because you CAN. I know that! Everyone can do it, but not all blogs get read and not everyone is a writer! (This is where I will agree with you not all exceptional blogs get the deserved recognition.) Though that’s another topic.
What drives you to write?
- Do you have stories that need to be written and shared with the world?
- Are you trying to prove yourself to someone who rejected your previous work?
- Are you trying to achieve a goal of writing a minimum of 400 or 500 words per day?
- Are you looking for prizes, recognition or fame?
- Are you hoping to change lives, to see a real impact on others?
- Or you are in love with the creative process?
What is your approach?
- What type of content are you posting?
- Are you a subject matter expert in that field or merely an enthusiastic amateur?
- How do you engage the reader throughout your post?
- Do you plan your posts’ topic or you write about random things?
- How much time do you allocate to the writing process?
- Do you have pre-writing routine or you are waiting to have a spark of inspiration striking you?
- Which stage of the creative process are you enjoying the most: planning, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading or presenting?
In it for the long run.
Once you have asked yourself these questions and managed to come up with an answer for each one of them, congratulations! You are still here. I admire the perseverance. You may be here for the long run. I hope you'll enjoy the ride and I'll get to read more about you from your future posts.
Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that writing is my creative outlet, my therapy. This is where I get to express myself. Writing is a part of me, thus if I don't continue my work, I will feel incomplete.
Since you made it all the way here, let me pick your brain! How do you get the words flowing and then written on paper? What’s your secret? Do you wonder in silence and let words and ideas swirl and dance into your mind? Are you taking notes or simply sit down and start typing? Tell me!
Unless stated otherwise, all photos used in this posts are taken and owned by myself. If you wish to use any of my images, please contact me!
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave your feedback in the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!
@2018 LaviPicu aka The Lyme Poet. All rights reserved.