It happened on the road to steemit nirvana
What will you do for a buck?
I'm spent. In three weeks I have done more writing about my work than I have ever done in my whole life. Quite impressive, really. Today I hit a wall. Yes, I have posts in the works. I have a master checklist I refer to as I write stuff, and it's satisfying checking the titles off as they are completed.
My mad addiction post I wrote last week (https://steemit.com/life/@jlwkolb/this-mad-addiction) summed up my experience so far perfectly – yes, it was crazy. I had notebooks by my bed and a pen handy in case I woke up with an idea of the century. I was so distracted and cut off from my family life and routines it was getting worrisome. I couldn't even leave the house without missing my computer.
Almost two weeks later, I still have those pens and notepads at the ready. But guess what? I figured it out. It’s ok for me to step back to re-gather my strength.
The ones in drafts? I see them all day long. Sometimes my laptop has 15 word file tabs open. New stories on steemit pour in all day - so many it's impossible to keep up with the really good stuff you probably won’t see anywhere else. Then anxiety - I feel like it's a competition and I had better get posting. When that happens, it's time to walk away for a bit until I am reenergized to post from my heart, not from a place of keeping up with the steemit Joneses. When I'm overwhelmed, anything I could possibly write will sound desperate and unfamiliar. My comments risk sounding petty and judgmental. I don’t like that part of me. I also don't like that part of me that has let the rest of my obligations down. I have to get two classes ready to teach this fall. Getting that job was the best thing that happened to me five months ago.
Here's the real thing. I want my voice back so I can contribute more to the community we are trying to build. But until I clear my head and can gather some more momentum, it's probably better to step back and casually observe. I don't want to write just to clog the bandwidth. I want to share work I am proud of and that can only come from an open mind not distracted by the fear of missing out. Slapping something together in a half-assed manner is not the way I roll.
If there’s too much noise, we want nothing more than to cover our ears.
Besides, we do steemit a disservice when we post less than we are capable of for a quick buck or two. Once we begin asking what brings in the most votes vs. what’s really valuable and pandering to those preferences, we compromise ourselves. Of course we aren’t always on our game. We have good days and bad days. Some days seem to be a waste if we don’t get the kind of work done that we initially intended to do. It's time to remember to be easy on ourselves so we don't burn out.
Like I wrote in Wednesday’s Tortoise and the Hare post, slow and steady will make the biggest difference in our successes here. Are you guilty of rushing to get something published without editing or less-than-stellar visuals that could have made a big impact simply because you needed to post? I like to think that the race is not about competition with others. Maybe it’s measuring our own work by the highest standards we can impose upon ourselves. Shooting for consistent quality – now that’s an admirable goal.
I urge us all to slow down and remember what it was about creating that initially got us going. We were writing and creating before steemit. Maybe we weren’t with the same vigor, but we did our best. It’s easy to slack off when you have been reasonably successful in some endeavor. But taking that for granted and underestimating what our new followers expect is a death blow to our integrity.
Once you slip off of that cliff, you’re likely to keep on falling.
drawing © Johanna Westerman, 2016
«When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is.» Oscar Wilde
Don't stop doing what you do! We need original art and original ideas to keep this place going! Woo!
Thank you - I will if you will!
A lot of my posts I admit are short. Two reasons, one I think a lot of posts here are little too long to read on a computer, and two a lot of my posts are older contented I've created that I've reformatted or changed a little for Steemit. One of the benefits of having been creating for years. But yes, the money aspect is hard to ignore.
Editing, yes. I think about the length too. But then that's what we do. Certain things can't be condensed-
WOW! I was just thinking that after 3 weeks, I feel spent and tired and my inspiration feels lacking in vigor by comparation.
I started wondering, panicking, am I DONE? Is this all my Steemit work? Am I that limited? Is this all I have in me?
Needless to say, all these thoughts didn't help at all.
I want to say there's a happy ending to this comment but I'm still in the middle of a couple of drafts that seem to go nowhere.
Thank you for this post, it's somewhat encouraging.
No, I believe you have a lot more in you. More than you'll ever be able to use :).
I've learned that creativity doesn't come in a straight line. We get a bit, then there's a gap for no reason whatsoever, then the next bit comes (and the schedule has no logic to it).
Write then you've got something, rest when you don't :)
In my experience, stress is the enemy of creativity. Take it easy.
This is very true. I'm committed to writing and creating weekly YouTube content and sometimes the blank page is more intimidating than it should be.
I've learned to write more than I need to when the inspiration hits, gather ideas when I'm in a brainstorming mood and do technical work when I feel really focused.
Group together similar tasks so you're not a slave to inspiration, and things become easier. And most of all, no point in beating yourself up when the words don't come -- that can only make it worse.
...thank you..this means a lot:)
It is tough for me to keep it short knowing the quality it can get to... I try to put in there an awful lot of me, kicking up the quality a notch and a half. The results are in the blog https://steemit.com/@eric-boucher
Thanks for your posting, namaste :)
Yup. Quality > Quantity. I've learned from my blogging days it is not worth getting stressed out over producing content.
@fairytale Superb post of the perfect length. I connected with you through this post. When something new comes along like Steemit, for a time it can seem as though the universal laws of success no longer apply (Ah ha! I knew you could get rich quick!).
But after a while, reality sets in and it turns out that Steemit is not 'above the universal law' and we must recommit to the principles.
The principle I continue to preach to people about success on Steemit is consistency, and this is the principle through which your article connected with my core beliefs. Thank you for writing it.
I too have been on steemit for a while. About two weeks. And it's been such an addiction I admit, along with Pokemon GO lol. It has consumed me so much throughout the day, every day. I'm always checking the front page (and getting a bit envious of course) and always thinking of what to post, just to post. Like a big race. But I will try to slow down from now on, take it easy. As you say, slow and steady wins the race. Thanks for all the inspiration and I wish you all the best.
Thank you @bitcoiner. And I to you. We must remember to breathe -
Just found your posts, the art is amazing and your philosophy rings true friend. Dope!
Thank you, @darkb4dawn - so kind of you
I'm really glad to see an almost 100% text post make money. It's a sure sign of your sincerity that you didn't pack this with shiny objects, which is what we're always shown is the road to success here. Congratulations.
Thank you,@bradvanceauthor. That's a big compliment!