This is what I wanna tell to myself, (and to you, maybe). Hey, you.. Keep going.
When I started treating this platform as something that's fun, I enjoyed writing more.
Back then, I used to be so inconsistent in publishing articles. On my first day, I posted, I think almost five articles at most. The robot may think I am a robot (which makes sense), but it's actually just my excitement to write and write.
The qualities of those bulk of contents are not promising, of course. It's funny how I expected to earn a lot with short articles that did not even reach 500 words. Thankfully, I learned my lesson.
So, I started limiting my posts. I went too extreme, though. I don't exactly remember, but there were times where I was missing in action for almost three days. I became lazy to write, because I was focusing on that drama I want to finish badly, at the expense of my chance to practice consistency.
Whenever I'd come back, sets of articles welcome me in the homepage. Seeing those amounts for every posts, somehow made me envious for some stupid reason. Why don't I earn those amount? I barely get a dollar. I write, don't I? Why am I not getting paid? And more nonsense complaints, coming from a lazy potato who did not even post for almost a week.
This woke me up. Coincidentally, I have read an article that goes along the title of "Write, even if you don't want to!"
If you know the writer of that article, raise your feet. LOL. I thought, I can be better at this. I gotta get rid of this lazy approach and dedicate, if I want to be deserving of those desired results.
I then did my best to publish one article per day. I tell you, it was so hard. I told the reason last time, but I will repeat it again, just in case some of you are not aware. Work in the day finishes at 6 p.m. Traveling home, resting for a bit, eating dinner, preparing for bed, and just the act of preparing things for tomorrow's work, consumes time. Before I realize it, it's already 9pm.
I was already exhausted from work, and I'd always try to squeeze my mind to write, and it takes me three hours at most. I posted every 12 or 1 in the morning. I wake up at 6 every morning—long story short, my sleep cycle was unhealthy.
Everything was difficult at the start. Adjustment period was hard, but I did not complain. I love what I am doing. It's hard, I know, but I enjoy it more. Seeing those likes, and views, even as low as 8 views, it made me happy.
I often failed at that one article per day rule, because there were days I was so tired and Just doze off while typing on my phone. I don't know why I am still telling this one when I have documented my journey subtly through my other articles, but I just feel a bit sentimental today. Maybe the rain has something to do with it. (Insert calming music).
Consistency in publishing articles is my weakness. Until now. Now and then, I still sometimes fail to keep up with my rule, so it is always an on-going training for me.
Consistency, to me, means the ability (and desire) to maintain a stable flow of quality contents despite a writer's tight schedule, or despite reasons to not write on that day. "I have an idea, but I don't feel like writing today." or "There is always tomorrow. I will just start my daily streak again tomorrow.." These kind of excuses. I made them. I used them. Maybe, these days, I still use them. But not as frequent as before. I realized consistency has many benefits.
It makes your readers always fed with contents they will look forward to. As a reader aside from a writer, I feel excited whenever that author I follow, publishes new articles daily. Though I don't always keep up (because I follow many of them), it gives me some kind of satisfaction, knowing that, "Oh, I have something to read from Karen today.." Something like that. Putting myself now in the perspective of a writer, I also want to have my readers look forward for some update about me daily. Like a daily letter to a friend. Or daily dose of information they can use.
It makes earning better (in my opinion only, and as long as the content is read-worthy). I don't know if it's just my own observation, so you may or may not use this advice. I have experienced not writing for almost three days, and when I came back to write, my article barely got 10 reads. It's because the readers may have forgotten me, because I did not come across their notifications, or did not see my username on the homepage of suggested reads. If I don't post for almost three days, it's like I am back to square one again when I post again.
I know this does not happen to everyone, because I still see some that post after two weeks but still earn well. Maybe it's just in my case. I just find it hard to start again when I become inactive for too long. So I dropped that tendency since then. If I could not post, it should be one day at most. No more extensions. I gotta write the next day.
It trains our creativity. I post every 10 pm these days. Every end of the day, there should already be a topic I have in mind to just put into writing later. I have been trained with this mindset. Sure, most of the times, I change my mind last minute, but just the fact that I am able to get a topic for my blogs everyday is enough. Consistency is my answer to writer's block, not the other way around. When I find no motivation to work, for example, this situation alone, become the theme of my article. I am feeling lazy today, I will use that as a topic to make the lazy thoughts a productive work of the mind.
It improves our overall writing skills. I am not a professional writer, and I don't even write about technical stuff like others do. So I chose to wrote about the things I am knowledgeable of. And it's okay. The more that I write and read, however, the more that I get introduced to more knowledge I could get and also share through my works. Practice doesn't make perfect, that's my belief. But it brings us somewhere always better than the previous level. Get what I mean? Consistent writing may not make me the best writer out there, but at least my progress can be noticed.
It trains our patience. There was a time I have been experiencing generous rewards from Rusty, but after being inactive for a day or two, Rusty did not visit me for almost a week. I would be lying if I said it did not bother me, but I made sure consistency would still overcome it. I still wrote and published, not minding the minimal views and engagement because I remember my first purpose, to just do what I love: writing.
Hey you! Keep Going.
This is not meant to force you to write consistently. I just wrote this with the clean intention of sharing the benefits I reaped because of my try-hard consistency in writing, no matter what happens. You can push on doing what you find comfortable. If you are happier posting just on the days you want it is still very okay. If you have reasons to be inactive for almost a week or two, or even months, that is also okay! Your pen, your rule.
Just in case you wanna try something new, like some challenge to yourself of being a consistent writer, you are still welcome to explore and apply the learnings from this article of mine.
Don't be discouraged when you feel like your hardwork is not rewarded fairly. Don't think like that. Everyone has his own timeline, there is no need to compare my earnings or his earnings, his sbscrbers or mine, and other secondary stuff.
If we start to just enjoy what we are doing, we are gradually decreasing the pressure we ourselves, put into our shoulders. We are making writing something more enjoyable than just being a job, and we can be more consistent because we are always moivated to publish regularly.
Keep those quality, unique articles coming! Keep writing!
Until Next Time!
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Thank you in advance for supporting me in my humble journey. My sponsor block is always welcoming of new people to fill it!
Come start writing and earning here, if you haven't yet!
I am also on noise.cash. Same username, let me know and let's talk there!
To God be all the glory.
Lead Image from Unsplash
Nabati ko ata ng nabati ang 1 article per day ko. Dati 9 days lang ang namiss ko ngayon more than 10 na. Hehe. My brain just suddenly do not feel like working. Yung gagana siya kapag 10PM na tapos ang dami ko pang breaks kasi every hour lalabas mga doggies. Dagdagan pa ng kailangan matulog by 12AM. Hahaha. But 200+ articles is already an achievement for me. Kaya chill-chill na lang muna ako basa-basa sa iba para hindi matambakan.
"Write even if you don't want to" — feeling ko si Bjorn.