I wrote this post between 1:15 am and 1:20 am after a very long day and a very full belly. I planned to spend some simple computer time tonight. Maybe some games or some online shopping. That’s not exactly how it turned out but I learned that even after a bit of an exhausting night, I still have 5 more minutes in me.
***
I didn’t mean to stay up this late. In fact, usually by now I have my post scheduled and published. But I got distracted tonight. By writing. I actually have a big project I’m working on and it takes a lot of writing. And guess what I’m not good at? Taking the time to sit down and write.
You see, I’m definitely a night-before-it’s-due kind of person. I’ve always been that way. Most posts that I write are done the night before. I’d love to be one of those bloggers that has several in the pipeline and a nice neat editorial calendar that allows them to just line up posts for the week.
Yep. I’m not one of those. FOr the most part, I’m okay with that. I’m better at just writing when I’m inspired and I like to publish soon after I write. When people (hopefully) have something to say in the comments, your passion about whatever it is is fresh and right there in your mind.
So tonight, I realized that I’m never going to get ahead (or rather where I should be) on this project unless I do one thing. I sit and write. Here I sat on my bed with my laptop. Sean is out at a poker game. Evan is quietly snoring in bed next to me. And I’m in my happy place. Quiet and dark. Just me and the laptop. And I cranked out a lot more than I thought I could.
And just as I thought it might be time to call it a night and get some sleep, i remembered that I had 5 more minutes of writing to do here. And after struggling a bit over words and writing a little more carefully than I usually do, 5 minutes here is a breath of fresh air.
44 comments
I don’t have an editorial calendar of posts written and scheduled ahead of time. I have tried that, and it just doesn’t work for me.
Yay for getting lots of quiet work done tonight on your project…and getting this five minutes in too. That is good stuff.
Now that I have written my five minutes, I’m off to bed. (well, off to watch Fawlty Towers on dvd, while in bed…but eventually sleep will come. I hope!)
Ha! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Fawlty Towers (although I know of the show quite well). I did a little better this week!
I dont have a list of posts prepared either.That would require more time and that is time I just dont have right now with a newly crawling 10 month old that leaves a path of destruction behind her! I have written a post a few days ahead, just because I had this overwhelming feeling to write.
I am like you. I have alway waited until the last minute. Oh I have an exam tomorrow; I better start studying. I always did well in school. I guess, I liked the pressure. 🙂
I always crammed the night before a test back in school. I always did well on the test. And then the knowledge completely left my brain 🙁
Good job! I am also a night before/last minute person. Working on that though 🙂
I just don’t fight in anymore 🙂
I am becoming the opposite of you, and I only want to write in the morning in these days, and if I don’t get writing done in the morning then it’s not getting done. I need preschool and elementary school to start soon. At naptime, I’m worn out. I can’t do anything, but read blogs and tweet. No creative writing juices in me. Lately, I’ve been trying to write on weekend mornings. I’m never scheduled ahead of time, but I have drafts, and send them to my friend for a look-over when doing features or any brand writing. I was in TV….not great at proofeading. That’s why I love your SOC Sunday so much because it’s great for someone that is not good at proofreading. I’m not linked up this week, but I”ll enjoy reading others.
I think the trick is to find when you are most creative in your writing. My best time is usually between 2 pm and 4 pm or late at night. Find your time and use it wisely and then choose when you want to post it!
I’m just a little jealous of those folks that do have posts scheduled, but I’m with you. I like to write when the feeling hits me.
Interesting development, though…I’ve written and scheduled my last 2 SOC posts! These 5 minutes of typing with no judgments, no expectations do a lot to forward the writer, that’s for sure!
I do schedule my posts but usually do it the night before. I write and then I schedule it to post in the morning. It took me a while to get over the excitement of writing a post and waiting to post it but my method works for me now!
You know I have an editorial calender, but I never use it. I had grand plans to have all most posts scheduled out and basically written in advance. But it didn’t feel authentic to me. I like writing when I have inspiration. If there is no inspiration, there is no post. Or you get a picture of my Pookah :-).
I love that. You’re right. The writing feels more authentic when it’s inspired.
I don’t have an editorial calendar either. Typically, I’ll write posts the night before, which can be a challenge when dealing with a toddler. Other times, I’ll write a bit, say, a week prior then return to it at a later date. This latter approach seems to be better for me than the former.
Good for you for sitting down and just writing. It can be tough, but so worth it in the end!
That’s good that you can start and stop a post. My posts would be good if I took the time to proofread them more but usually I need to continue my stream of thought when the mood strikes.
Great, I made my second week of SOCSunday! Sometimes I try to have a post ready for my blog ahead of time, but mostly I don’t. Being a writer, I should have a better schedule. I’m glad you got your important writing out of the way,Fadra. Hopefully, you had a good nights rest.
I have learned that to write consistently, you DO have to carve out time to do it. If you only write when the mood strikes, you may never blog again!
I’m also a “night-before-it’s-due kind of person” but I’ve recently printed out a pretty little editorial calendar in hopes of becoming one of those un “night-before-it’s-due” kind of people. I’ll let you know how that works out.
I’m at least starting to plan out post ideas, especially if I have some brand-related posts I’m working on. But still, yeah, I’m a night before kind of person.
I really want to get on some type of schedule especially since work will be starting back in t-minus 10 days. I wrote my 5 mins this morning so we shall see what comes from it.
http://www.rosefromrosedale.com
Oh no! It may not help to have a schedule but at least to have some time set aside every day to write. Otherwise, you’ll always find something else to do!
I tried that whole writing in advance and scheduling posts thing. I did ok for a week or two, but was having some issues about what to write (which I think I’ve finally solved), so I feel off track. I’m hoping to get back in the swing of things now that I’ve sorted some things out.
There’s nothing wrong with writing fresh either though, and some things are best written (and published) in the moment!
I write both ways. Some posts need and require more time and proofreading. But sometimes the off the cuff stuff are my best posts!
Can I just tell you how much I LOVE SOC!!!!! It gets my blood pumping when I wake up on Sundays!
YAY!! I’ll be looking for your post in the morning!
Oh, I know that “breath of fresh air” feeling. Wow. I love the imagery you write here… I love that middle-of-the-night quiet… for me it is ALMOST as good as early morning quiet. ALMOST!
I missed you guys last Sunday due to traveling and child’s illness. Sunday wasn’t quite the same….. grateful for SOCSunday and being back….
Glad you are back and hope this week has been better. I love the late night quiet. Early morning is nice but I’m usually to tired to appreciate it!
I need to organize too. I start back to school tomorrow and my kiddies go back in 2 weeks. Soccer and football are in full swing and I am on the verge of my very first writing gig! Exciting but scary….I need to get a system in order! This is my first SOCS link up 🙂
Barb – sorry I’m late in welcoming you but congrats on the writing gig!! Learn to write on the go. You can watch soccer and write at the same time!
I was a posting the night before or the morning of person, but I felt like it was making my posts garbage. I was hastily writing something just to get something posted, and it was not my best work at all. The funny thing is that through college, I was totally a night before person with papers, and I always did well. But in graduate school, I became a start the paper way in advance, have it done a week before it is due kind of person, and now I think that’s just the person I am. I have a notebook calendar and I have my blog posts basically planned for the next 2 weeks. And I write almost all of them on my commute to and from work (the only good thing about taking the train 2 hours a day). I open word, and just bang them out. I have all my posts for this week scheduled to go, because if I didn’t, the quality of the writing would suffer tremendously.
But this is why I LOVE SOCS. Because when I do get inspired by something, I can just dump it out right here, right away. It’s totally a writing from the heart kind of post. I try to make all my posts that way, even those that are scheduled, because I feel like I’m writing from the heart in the moment. But this…this is really true. 🙂
Oh, I love how you use SOCS! I have been through the “posting just to post” and it shows. The trick is to find a system for you that works (and what a great way to make the most of your commute!)
I completely understand. It’s so easy for me to procrastinate too. I may have a rough idea in my head of what I want to write, but I never have any posts typed out ahead of time!
Sometimes that’s okay. I always have ideas for posts but when I sit to write, it almost always evolves into something else.
I can totally relate! I generally write and post the same day, though I do love seeing my editorial calendar full of posts in the queue! That’s only happened twice. Ever.
It is nice to be able to “take a break” once in a while. I never take a break from social media but when I have my posts done, I feel like I have a little playtime!
I’m definitely an at the last minute kind of girl. I like to say it’s because I work best under pressure! Joined the SOCS for the first time this week. It felt good to just… write. Thanks for hosting.
Can’t wait to stop over and read your post (I’m late this week). I’m so glad you enjoyed the experience!
I come from a long line of procrastinators, and then I married one. Ugh. We’re hopeless. The only reason we are finishing the work on our house is because we are selling it after five years!
Ha! I can totally relate! Our house is on the market and we had to rush to finish all those little projects around the house. Such is life for us.
Gah! It’s after one and I am still trying to twist my hair. I feel your pain! I am a self proclaimed queen of procrastination but for my hair I wish I could just get to it.
-r
What do you mean twisting your hair? Just curious. Unrelated, but when I get ready in the morning, my least favorite thing to do is my hair!
Writing ahead of time doesn’t work for me either. I write when I’m inspired and I like to publish pretty soon after I write too. And I tend to be a late night writer, often times my SOC Sunday post is written at 11:00 pm on Sunday. It’s what’s worked for me so far.
I’m glad you had a productive writing time.
I notice that you always are later in the day to link up but I’m glad that you take the time when it makes sense for you. I notice that I write differently in the morning than the evening but whatever works for you!
This is a wonderful idea. I will join next week, if I can get it together that is 🙂 I am also a night-before type of blogger. I blog when I’m inspired, and then I post. Simple as that. Good job on the productivity.
It’s the night before! Hope you can join in!