I blogged every day this month.
Even with reading a book every week, I struggled to create valuable posts for the first few days. But I learned to find exciting stories in day-to-day life and write to expand on ideas and demonstrate why others should care.
I learned to tell stories succinctly and to edit my work to destroy every unnecessary word. I learned how to cold-pitch news outlets and get responses every time.
The biggest challenge this month was time management. Even when working 12+ hour days, I sat down and wrote; whether it was 3 a.m. or I was a groomsman in a wedding across the country.
Writing daily pushed me to complete tasks without excuses. When I struggled to create content, I transformed my routine to brainstorm options, so I didn’t write about useless topics. After a week, I had no trouble.
I’m stronger at the end of this month because most future challenges are less daunting. If I can wrack my brain every day to think critically, I can do anything. I’m confident I can write content for any business and improve their website (I built two websites this month).
I learned that my brain is like a muscle that will atrophy without regular resistance. Writing is painful at first, but only writing can improve your style. Once you upgrade weights, you can tackle more significant issues.
I’ve learned to cut my articles in half to decimate all sentences that don’t tell new facts. I’m better at persuading and arguing sides of issues (even ones for which I disagree).
I’m proficient in AP style and grammar. No matter what I’m reading, I consider how sentences could be better phrased. My knowledge of good leads has grown exponentially.
This skill translates to my value in the marketplace because I’ve written content and business plans for insurance companies, apartment complexes, and government policy. I can write convincing and clean copy for any business. Writing also forces you to think through problems critically and consequences of “solutions”.
I’m excited to continue writing regularly.