#30DayWritingChallenge: What I've Learned So Far
When I first set out to do this challenge, I didn't know exactly how it was going to go. The only rules that I had given myself were that I had to write something at least once a day for 30 days, I had to post it on social media so as to document the process and the final rule was that I could not go more than one day in a row without writing(excluding weekends or sickness). This post marks Day 15, which is officially the halfway point. In the spirit of being transparent with this journey, this post is dedicated to the things I've learned so far.
1. Sometimes the Best Writing Comes When You Don't Plan For It
I've always been a planner. Notebooks and planners are my best friends. Before I started this challenge, I had brainstormed over sixty topics that I knew I wanted to write about. Of the planned ideas, I've only written four of them. Despite typically having an idea of what I wanted to write, I've discovered that there's an excellent chance that whatever you planned on writing might not be the end product. And that's ok! In fact, my most read piece so far was something I didn't pre-plan for. When you're willing to be flexible with the creative process, good things will come.
2. Establishing a Routine Makes a Difference
They say it takes at least 21 days to form a habit. It's all about consistency. When you do something every day at around the same time every day, eventually it will get to the point where you will feel weird if you don't do it. In my case, I committed to having my writing done by latest 10:30 pm. Due to my schedule, I would start writing by 8:00 pm. Having a set deadline keeps you accountable. And by Day 10, I was so used to writing at the same time every day that even on the days when I really didn't want to do it, I still managed to. Had I not already established that routine, I can't say for sure I would be as successful.
3. If You Write It, They Will Come
Some people write with a particular audience in mind, this is their niche. Being that this is a personal project as opposed to trying to build out a target audience, I don't really do that (for now). Like I said before, I write whatever comes to me. With that in mind, I didn't think I would have that big of a readership. But that hasn't been the case! I say all that to say, write about what you want. Not necessarily what you think people want to read. Someone out there is looking for exactly what you're writing about.
4. You Never Know Who Will See Your Writing
The coolest thing that has happened to me since I started this challenge was that the CEO of a startup that I wrote about actually saw my piece and commented/shared on their company page. So write what you want, but be mindful that anyone could possibly see it.
5. Don't Be Afraid To Share
One of the things I was most worried about when I began this journey was that people would think my writing was subpar. So I was very hesitant to publicize and share what I was writing. Typically, I would share the post link on my primary social media page (per my self assigned rules), but that was it. When I wrote a Mother's Day post, I was encouraged to share it with my mom. Before that, she had never read my writing, so I was admittedly nervous. All those nerves were unnecessary though because she loved it and went on to forward to all her friends. Better than that, though, one of the things she said to me was that I was a really great writer and could be a professional someday. She's my mom, so part of me thinks she was saying that to be nice. But on the other hand, it was probably the greatest compliment I could have ever received. And that was possible by having the courage to share my writing.
I have learned quite a lot about writing and my self since starting this challenge. The greatest lesson I have learned so far is that there will always be value when you're willing to challenge yourself. This is the knowledge I've gained after only 30 days! I'm looking forward to continuing to learn.