Having written a post every day for a week, I found that the more one writes, the easier it gets. We can maintain a good quality level and provide value along the way. With 168 hours in each week, how we divide our time is crucial to understanding our ability to contribute as content creators. With that realization, I've decided to split my time into thirds: Research, Content Creation, and Engagement.
Research
This is the foundational layer and the one I was most concerned about. Not wanting to write junk posts just to hit a number count. The goal is to build a substantial body of work, without each post being too long and therefore daunting for the reader. That begins with research. There are many sources I use to decide what subjects to cover each day.
Google is your friend, but only if you know how to tweak it to get the best results. When I awake, one of the first things I do is hit a suite of websites to stay up on the news. Google news, Bing and Yahoo. Drudge Report, The Epoch Times, and Breitbart (for conservative views), HuffPo, Salon.com, and MSNBC (for the liberal side), yes, I read EVERYBODY. This is only a TINY selection and also include RT, France24, InfoMigrants, the BBC and many, many more. I like to be well read as that gives me a deeper well to draw from and it helps blunt the propagandistic effects of relying on a single news outlet.
Say I want to find out what's happening in the world of crypto. I hit Google.com, select 'news,' type in "Crypto" and hit 'enter' right? WRONG! I mouse over to 'tools' and select 'past hour' in the 'Any time' selection box. This gives me access to the most recently updated news in the crypto space published in the last hour instead of having to wade through much older entries.
Twitter and other social media sites are another wellspring I draw from. Try this: Log in to your account, head on over to the search box and type in "?crypto" (with or without quotes). You'll get a stream of tweets from people with questions about crypto. This can be a goldmine to spark ideas for a post answering queries about the subject, as well as an opportunity to dive in and provide the answers directly on Twitter. This is a great way to grow your audience on Twitter and the blockchain, while boosting overall engagement.
Content creation
That old adage of writing more to become a better writer, is true. I've learned it firsthand over the years and the lesson was compounded recently when I hit my goal of blogging for an entire week. The typical thinking is that your work will be watered down, yet with real effort, the reverse ends up being true. Blogging regularly is like using a muscle. The more you write, the better you get. When I begin a post, I start out with a bare-bones skeleton which I add to over time. The piece is built up in layers just as this post was.
Many times, what is written ends up slightly different from the initial idea. Today, I began thinking about art and "The Rule of Thirds" after commenting on a photo online. Then it morphed into incorporating the idea of "thirds" into my approach to blogging on Hive and LeoFinance. The realization hit me that the most effective use of my time was to split it into three sections, and that became the subject for today's post.
Some people also get discouraged when beginning a new article because they don't have much to start with. That is why delving into research first will provide you with a base of knowledge in which to grow from. The other thing is to realize that Rome wasn't built in a day, and putting the work in will provide better results for you and your readers. Don't be afraid to walk away from your writing for a bit. I take frequent breaks and find that I return refreshed and inspired. Take a break from time to time and give your mind a rest.
Engagement
Engagement is the final leg of the trilogy supporting my goal to be a better blogger. Along with a short gaming session or watching a movie, it's one of the things I do to break up blocks of writing. Right now I'm over on Twitter watching a video about the opening of a 4,500 year-old tomb in Egypt. What do I see trending? Airdrops! Clicking on that, I see plenty of opportunities where I can engage during my break, while also finding little content creation gems along the way.
Don't forget, we also have our own search function on Hive, limited though it may be. Say I want to engage with someone about the tombs in Egypt I just learned about on Twitter. Click on the Hive search bar and type in "Egypt." Now, I won't search by popularity or even relevance as that may give me posts written years ago, so we'll start with 'newest.' The first entry is of a new member from France who's visited Egypt, but also has other interests such as gaming which could also spark a conversation.
Engaging with others is a fun way to cross-pollinate information while sharing in the growth from getting yourself "out there." Another home of engagement on the blockchain is @LeoMarketTalk where men (and women) of good cheer gather round and discuss issues of the day. I've learned so much while hanging out with some of the best people on LeoFinance and hopefully shared a thing or two of my own along the way. This is yet another place where good post ideas are born and I invite you stop by anytime. I hope this post has been of some use to you as we all continue on our journey to become better bloggers on Hive.
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