Set Time Aside To Do These 3 Things Before You Write

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Updated 4 weeks ago

Welcome to possibly one of the most confusing posts that you might come across at the time that it is being written. It's a little awkward to write because you'd think that designing a piece of any kind would only focus on what's obvious, digestible, and familiar to an audience.

Nonetheless on the contrary for today, this chainlink will encompass some concepts and terminology that for now, will seem broad enough to apply to various projects you might be working on. These will be revisited in a relatively near future. Furthermore, in hindsight - we're all masterminds here; and oftentimes literature becomes more valuable when revisited more than once.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. - Joseph Addison

A book is a gift you can open again and again. - Garrison Keillor

For one reason or another, most members that join wealthy affiliate are here to monetize content over time. On more than one occasion I've contemplated about a "mini" or "sub" framework that outlines three things that can be done before some begin building and writing short and long-term content in general. It's somewhat of a holistic blogging approach that aligns with all the training and guidance this community provides and advocates for.

This Approach is Completely Optional

Writers should always work with integrity on anything that they do. The core training here on wealthy affiliate should be the very cornerstone of blogging for new members. If you're following my blog post series here on the platform, I want to squash any confusions if any - that the ideas I share are meant to serve as any kind of alternative. The ideas shared throughout the series are always meant to be in alignment with wealthy affiliate training and resources. It's always secondary and perhaps even experimental depending on when and how it's being written. I'm a futuristic, forward thinking type of chick I guess...

The First Thing That Can Be Done: Design a Blueprint

I've seen with my subconscious eyes the beginnings of a blueprint. One that incorporates a vision, some goal setting, frameworks, core content, scalability, and a web of references.

Research has shown that successful projects and high performance, are oftentimes the results of narrowed down focus. A finish line, and all the repercussions thereafter is the vision. However, a successful runner doesn't focus on the finish line. Instead they focus on passing a milestone in front of them, until the finish line eventually presents itself. That is where goal setting comes into play. According to researchers such as Emily Balcetis, author of Clearer Closer Better, setting goals serves the purpose of narrowing down a successful person's focus towards their aspirations.

There are various experts that come to mind when considering the concept of frameworks. In layman's terms it's a step-by-step model that solves a specific problem. Suddenly a labyrinth looks more like a single path.

Furthermore, developing a framework that addresses a specific issue of an ideal audience is a great way to brand content in the long-run. With a clear framework it can be easy to lead by example, recycle content, ideas, and engagement, and facilitate scalability.

The Second Thing That Can Be Done: Establish a Spine

Speaking of scalability, it isn't far-fetched to imagine that every framework has a spine. Most things in life need one - down to the very carbon backbone of a molecule. Likewise, every author has a fingerprint so to speak. There is a backbone embedded somewhere throughout their writing.

The WA posts published in this series for example are meant to resemble such a spine, facilitating internal and external relationships - as well as experiences in the long run.

But when contemplated about, scalability is thought of in this particular framework as various degrees of content. On a horizontal plane it resembles a model similar to that of writing itself. The six stages of writing encompass drafting, revision, editing, proof editing, finalizing, and publishing. However on a vertical plane this process looks more like phases of research and editing; where existing content is constantly being updated following the same six steps of writing. The objective of such "phases" is to update existing content with references and citations over time.

Finally on a diagonal plane the process encompasses multiple periods of sabbaticals to promote and facilitate depth and breadth in one's writing. Once again - a drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, finalizing, and publishing type of model that never ends.

That's where putting together a reading list periodically will come in handy. I surmise that niches and themes go hand in hand. Putting together a reading list with a specific theme or two to write about is a great way to kick start a sometimes much needed break - but a break nonetheless, in alignment with the work that's brought you this far, and the additional work you seek to accomplish; while exploring multiple perspectives from others and including their insight into the conversation.

The Third Thing That Can Be Done: Determine Which Bonds Should Be Energized

Deep diving into the vast sea of perspectives presented by others, segways into the final aspect of this framework which is to identify bonds between different types of content. In more familiar terms it's about maintaining relevance and consistency between pillar, answer, and staple posts.

There are some limitations on how I'd like to facilitate this for this particular series but updates on the matter will be made to this section of this post. There's some experimentation going on that I'd like to refrain from outlining for now. But what I can say is that naturally these posts will establish a relationship between the spine of this framework and their nature or type of relevance.