The Value of A Routine
By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin
Consistency is one of the most
important characteristics of a productive writer—at least from my decades of
working in publishing. For example, I've been writing an original blog post
every week for years. I write it and post it at the same time so people expect
it—and read it. Not that I get a lot of feedback about them and often I hear
nothing (crickets) yet I continue writing them. It is one of my consistent
routines.
Another one of my consistent
routines involves my posting on social media. I post 12–15 times every day and
have been following this pattern for years. As I've mentioned in these posts I
use Hootsuite. Because I
use this scheduling tool, my posts appear whether I am in my office or traveling
and away from my computer. Some days I don't get a lot of engagement with these
posts but I know people are reading them.
I encourage you to create your
routines carefully and if you do, it will have tremendous value to your writing
life. In this
article, I want to use the details of my social media posts to give you ideas
about when you create your writing habit or routine.
Each day, I've created a pattern
for my posts. The bulk of my posts are from other people yet they are focused on
helping you improve your skills as a writer (in the broadest sense of the word).
At the beginning and end of each day I post something personal. The bulk of my posts from others
go into specific spots in my grid for the day. It may appear random but I've
pre-determined the spot for the majority of these posts. Because I've developed
a routine or habit and considered these details, I don't use any decision time
about where the posts go and instead simply put them into place. As an example,
each day I begin with an inspirational quotation. Every one of my social media
posts also includes an image becasue they have proven an image will draw the eye
to the words. Admittedly it takes a bit of effort to find an image for each post
but this effort pays off in increased readership.
My social media routine brings
consistency. If you read my social media stream on a regular basis you cfan get
educated about the world of publishing and grow in your writing career. From my
decades in publishing I've learned there is always more to learn. I wrote this
post to encourage you to create your own routines.
What routines have you created
for your writing life and are you aware of the value? Let me know in the
comments below.
Labels: consistency, hootsuite, social media, Terry Whalin, The Value of A Routine, The Writing Life
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