Letting go of perfect

I then decide whether I want to do a big post (if too long, it becomes a full-blown article) or a short one (3 – 4 short paragraphs). If it’s an article, I decide whether this sits native on my LinkedIn profile, my business website, or my personal website.

Crack on with the writing process

Okay, so this part of the process is, in short, a brain dump. 

I used to try to get it ‘just right’ in my head, but somewhere along the way, things would crash and something else would come out on the page. This frustrated me because it made sense and was flowing… in my head.

Now, I just dump all the thoughts — jumbled, messy, unfiltered — onto the page. 

Who cares about spelling, grammar, flow or repetition? Just get it out of my head, all of it.

You’ll find yourself judging – ignore and press on. 

You’ll find yourself coming up with new ideas – just add it in wherever you may be in the writing process. Don’t break flow.

I don’t edit, I don’t review. 
Not now. Just press on. 

Once that’s done, it’s time to escape! 

Maybe grab a cup of tea and do something else (I usually go to the gym).

I now have time and space to reflect and digest.

Think of 10 (or any other number) ideas you want your reader to know about an issue. Write these down as one-liners and number them. Use each one-liner as the article title and expand from there. Or you can have all one-liners in one article and arrange them by order of priority. You have options.

Where’s my magic wand?

There’s no magic wand, nope. I just said that. But I get to come back to all that mush and I now get to clean it up.  I’ll move things around, expand on my key points, and clarify my ideas by adding more context.  I may even tell a story (or two).

This is the heart of the writing activity. In fact, I often spend way more time here than in the first draft. And that’s okay. This is where the magic happens (so, yes, there’s still magic after all). I review everything I’ve put down but now, with the lens of “Who cares? and “Why should they?” 

Because I don’t want to ramble.  I don’t want to repeat myself (it’s a curse!) but I do want to make my point clear.  And I know that what’s clear to me is not always clear to you. So I review everything, while attempting to step into the shoes of my reader. And I’ll be the first to say that it’s not easy.

One of the first things I ask after a first read-through is: What are the three or four key messages I am working to get out? 

Here’s the thing. 

Often, I start out the brainstorming process with an idea of what I want to say, but as I write, it may change. As I edit, it may change again. In fact, there are times, there is a complete retake during the editing process. Throws me off but it’s an opportunity to recalibrate.

I’m running out of time

You knew this was coming, didn’t you? But you’re still here, aren’t you? Wonderful. This writing activity of mine sits on top of a busy work schedule. The things I do in my business shift from year to year. 

For example, in the last 3-4 years, I was doing a significant amount of legal writing. The days were long and my brain was very tired by the end. So I enjoyed recording weekly videos back then to give me a break from … well, more writing. I was also supporting many copywriting clients during that time.

But last year, I put it out into the universe (yup!), that I was now ready to engage in a lot more design and delivery of my own programs (psst… be careful what you wish for as they can come true).  That led to me accepting an engagement as an employability trainer and assessor. I’m now delivering employability workshops Mondays to Thursdays every week. On top of everything else.  That’s a whole lot of talking, facilitating, coaching and mentoring than I ever imagined. 

A good thing? It’s so rewarding to see the direct impact of what I share when clients have that lightbulb moment and ‘get’ the idea. 

A not so good thing? Being on-camera for 7 hours a day is a whole new level of mental drain and one I’ve yet to find a workaround for.

The hook

So, in this last mad scramble, I’m thinking of the hook. 

What’s my headline going to be? How can I help my reader quickly understand what the article is about? 

I experiment with different headlines. I review the whole piece with the headline. I start adding paragraph headings. I open Canva to create a supporting visual. I scan the piece for relevant keywords and hashtags to add at the end.

Why I usually add a CTA

I almost always add a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of my article. It’s a marketing term, but for me, it’s also a way to prompt connection. I also want you to take action. 

I don’t want you to guess what to do next – I spell it out. Maybe, to get you to add a comment (just to jumpstart a dialogue).  Maybe, to check out another article I’ve written. Or sometimes, to sign up for a program I’m delivering (I launched From Vision to Voice: A 4-Week Visibility Sprint for Women who Do Great Work  with Krista Goon on 1 September). 

I’m not writing just for the heck of it. 
I want to mobilise you. 
I want you to feel something, to do something, to get you curious, or motivated. Otherwise, I’d feel the article missed the mark. 

Decisions, decisions, decisions

Because I’m running out of time, I have to make decisions. I can keep perfecting the article until I get it to a state where I can say, “Yes, let’s hit publish!” 

Or I can delay. Push it back, stall, postpone — whatever you want to call it.

I’ve learned to let go, to settle for good enough. It has taken me years to let go. Sure, I can make the piece a lot better. But that would mean it’s sitting in my to-do list alongside 23 other items. 

The truth? It’s just fear really. A little anxiety as to whether it may be good enough. But I’ve worked hard not to give in to the fear. I tell myself, maybe it’s good enough and someone, somewhere, may find a useful nugget here. Maybe, someone will feel heard or seen. This helps me hit publish.

Once I publish, I let go. I will check for comments and traction but I make peace with it and am happy it’s out. However it is received, I move on. I’m not waiting with bated breath. 

And what about AI?

What about it?  Look, I use AI tools, I see the value. But I have spent a lifetime honing my voice and it didn’t come easy. 

I appreciate that AI can help you make a dish and tell you everything you need to know before you head off to Costa Rica, but I want to think my thoughts.

AI, for me, is still very much in its infancy and I know views on it are polarising.  I won’t knock it but I will not give up my voice either.

If you’re reading this and unsure what to write about, explore AI if that will help you.  But explore your mind too. Ask yourself what matters to you, and why. Think about problems you want to solve. 

Use AI as the tool it is but don’t let it replace what you bring to the table. Ever.

So, this is my slightly messy but deeply human writing process. What’s yours?  Have you got a system that works or are you still figuring it out? Tell me more.
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