I just realized how much writing and stuff I can get done if I step away from the Internet.
I'm writing my WIP longhand, so I don't even need to get to the computer, and that is AMAZING to me. I get so much work done and it is fun to write! I realized all this when I had my 2 week break from blogging about three weeks ago.
Now, I'm back to the Internet and stuff, and I don't get much writing done. Well, I do, but not as much, I don't think. There are too many distractions, you know? But I think I'm getting good at blocking in time for writing, kind of like "Oh, I have time now, so let me get my 8 pages in." That sort of thing. And blogging is SO MUCH FUN for me! I love just connecting with writers and things like that.
I've decided to blog about two times a week now, but if I miss blogging too much or have time, I'll throw in a post on Wednesday. For now, it's Monday and Friday, but that can change around :) Blogging is fun though! But I need to get some writing done :)
Just watch... I'll think of something new every week and it'll end up to being three posts a week again.... :/
But I do need to be productive, so the twice-a-week schedule is sort of a baseline for me :)
This kind of (kind of) came from Rachelle Gardner saying writers should spend 90% of their time writing, 10% networking.
Writers need to write. That's it. Kind of scary, I know :) I'm just going to try getting 8 pages a day, and the rest of the time, if I want, I'll spend on the Internet. I won't go for percents, just word count :) But Rachelle's percentages are really something to think about.
Too often, writers get sucked into networking that they become networking stars but not writing stars. Writers are primarily writers. Even though we need to build our platform, we can't build it if we've written nothing. The networking comes after :)
Thank you guys for understanding!
Have you ever felt blogging makes you less productive? How about networking? Does it cut into your time too much, or do you feel it is a necessary concequence for platform-building?
It does take away from other things, but some of those I no longer miss. It's all about finding your balance.
ReplyDeleteAnd now you know why I only blog three days a week!
I just posted some similar musings. It's not writing for the blog that I find takes time, it's visiting other blogs and trying to actively make those connections. I agree with Alex, it's about balance. I'm still struggling to find it myself, but I'm convinced it's out there! Good luck in your search!
ReplyDeleteIt's taken me a while to find my balance... and I think/hope I'm there... I try and blog only once a week, because on my blogging days it is hard to write... but yes, writing should come way before the networking! Otherwise, what's the point? ;)
ReplyDeleteMost of my internet time happens while I am writing. When I need to pause to think of the correct way to word something (it usually helps to glance at twitter or facebook to get my mind off of it for a second, then I come back and know how to write it out perfectly.) Or my blog posts happen all at once when I'm otherwise having writers block. I save them as drafts and post them all later. So I don't really see them as cutting into that time because I probably wouldn't be writing right then anyway.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on what kind of writer you are, too. I'm planning on being a self-published one. Ten percent of networking will not work for me because it's all up to me to get my name out there.