Letting go of perfect

Letting go of perfect

Behind-the-scenes on how I write

Written by Rowena Morais

Do you ever wonder how some writers make it look so easy? If writing does not always feel easy to you, I’d want you to know that it is something you can work at and achieve success with over time. This is why I have chosen to share a small glimpse into my process for writing articles. 

If you’re new to writing, and you decide to try writing your first post, feel free to reach out and let me know how you’re doing. And I’d welcome any comments below if you have ideas to add to this.

The general flow I have found useful is:

  • Step 1 Brainstorm and gather ideas
  • Step 2 Start writing and keep it loose
  • Step 3 Edit and feel free to reposition
  • Step 4 Review the add-ons: support  your audience in their understanding
  • Step 5 Commit: hit publish

Step 1 – Brainstorm

This is the idea gathering part. When thinking about my next post or article, I may refer to my notes on WhatsApp (my daily note-taking device) or my To-Do List (I use Todoist because it’s simple and uncluttered).  I’ve seen how ideas can strike  anytime, so I need to be ready to make notes or I could lose the idea very easily. 

I find this process works so well because when I have time to devote to writing, I don’t have to sit there staring at a blank page. I just pull up my notes and I can start with something however messy that looks. 

Sometimes, in between other tasks or to take a break from a current activity, I may return to my notes to expand on an idea or add more details so as to guide me for when I start the actual writing. This is my general approach which you may try and find works for you or you may develop a different style. I don’t believe there is any one right way to do this but consistency is key.

There have been times, however, when I do feel stuck.  Even so, it is never a permanent state of affairs so I tend not to  stress out about it.

Ideas may pop up from something I see on my feed, a newsletter I read, a comment I come across, or a snippet of a conversation. There are always ideas percolating and different experiences can surface more ideas from within. But I always remind myself that whatever I write on needs to be an issue I care about and is relevant to my work.

The bottom line —  I want to be known for certain things, I want to let readers know what I focus on and what I specialise in. For this reason, this is what usually drives any content I create, that is, I write about what I know and what I want to be known for.

“And I know that what’s clear to me is not always clear to you.”

As I’m writing, I find myself deciding whether  it will be a post or article. My goal is to ensure I have a decent spread of articles on my website, what I refer to as my pillar content.

But I need to balance the long pieces with shorter pieces as well.

If it’s an article, I decide whether this sits native on my LinkedIn profile, my business website, or my personal website.

Step 2 – Start writing 

I need this process to be loose, which is to say, I am open and go with the flow of things. At times, I may start out with one very clear idea but the writing process may take me down a different direction instead.

I may be caught unaware by this change. I could choose to explore where this leads. Or not. The choice is mine but remaining open and fluid is something I find useful in this part of the journey.

When I think about the actual writing process, it is, in short, a brain dump.  This means allowing myself to flow freely, to not go back to edit simultaneously but to keep moving forward and just emptying out whatever I have inside until everything is on the page.

I don’t worry about spelling, grammar, flow or repetition at this stage. What’s most important is to achieve a state of flow and that takes time. This means patience is called for. 

If I find myself judging things – I work to ignore it and press on with the brain dump. 

If I find myself coming up with new ideas as I write, I will just add it there within that writing process. I repeat – I don’t break the flow.

So this means, no editing or  reviewing. Not yet anyway.

Once the brain dump is complete and I believe that everything has been captured (and saved), it’s time to take a break.

I celebrate this as a small win and grab a coffee or take a walk. I allow time away and distance.

💡Here’s a tip: Think of 10 ideas you want your reader to know about a particular 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 now have options.

Step 3 – Edit (Where’s my magic wand?)

There’s no magic wand unfortunately. However, having a good break between the creative writing process and the more painstaking and meticulous editing process is so important. You need to return to the task with a fresh set of eyes and new energy in order to see things afresh and begin what I call the clean-up. 

For me, I can move things around, expand on points, clarify my thinking and provide more context. I can even add a story or two. 

This is the heart of the writing activity. While the brain dump is important, it is the work we do here that is most important. To clarify, to reinforce, and to bring others along in that journey.

In fact, I often spend way more time in this process than in the brain dump.

This is where the magic happens.

I review everything I’ve put down and this time around, with the lens of “Who cares?” and “Why should they?” 

I do not want to ramble. I do not want to repeat myself but I want to be clear. I want to know that what’s clear to me is also clear to you — I can’t take that for granted. So always throughout, I am looking to see that enough context has been provided and assumptions are stated.

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? 

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. While this can feel unsettling, I also view this as an  opportunity to recalibrate.

Step 4 – The add-ons

By this stage, I’m running out of time. The whole process, especially if you are new to it, can feel like a lot. 

This is why you come back to your ‘why’ which ultimately should be reflected in what you write.

Again, I ask myself these questions, very much focused on the reader:

  • What will my reader see?
  • What meaning will they derive?
  • Have I provided enough of a backstory and context to support them in understanding what I share?

Now, more specifically on the add-ons, we’re looking for ways we can support the reader. 

The hook

The name of our article and any secondary headline are our hooks. It is what gets the reader curious about what we have to offer. 

I experiment with different headlines. I review the whole piece with the headline embedded. I start adding paragraph headings so things can be easily scanned.

I create a supporting visual. This can be as simple as a solid colour block with the headline text in there but it also could be a quote. 

I scan the piece for relevant keywords and hashtags to add at the end of the article.

Why I usually add a CTA

I almost always add a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of my article. More than a marketing term, it’s also a way to connect with my reader and prompt some action, 

I don’t want my reader to guess what to do next – I spell it out. It could be to add a comment to my article or to read another piece.  Or it could be to sign up to a program I am delivering.

I’m not writing just for the fun of it. I want to mobilise you. 

I want you to feel something, to do something, or to get curious. Otherwise, I will feel the article has missed the mark. 

Decisions must be made

As time is definitely running out and other pressing priorities are calling for my attention, I have to make the timely decision to wrap up. 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 and to settle for good enough. It has taken me years to do this so I can move on and continue with this work. Of course, I could make the piece better but at some point, I need to let go. 

The truth about this? It’s  fear really. A little anxiety as to whether it may be good enough. And I have to work hard not to give in to the fear. If someone finds something useful here, if someone feels seen and heard in what I’ve written, then this helps me hit publish. 

💡Once the article is out there, I choose to 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. 

What about AI?

I have spent a lifetime honing my voice and it did not come easy.  

I appreciate that AI can help me with many activities but I want to think my thoughts.

AI is a tool and I feel it should be treated as such, but not at the expense of my voice or my development and growth. 

If you’re reading this and are 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’re already solving. Use AI as the tool it is but do not let it replace what you bring to the table. Ever.

So, this is my slightly messy but deeply human writing process. What’s yours? Do you have a system that works for you or are you still figuring it out?  Either way, I would love to know. 

#visibility #PositioningIsPower
#FromVisionToVoice