Conquering the Blank Page: What Happened When the Non-Writer Started To Write?

[Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 57 seconds.]

Today marks 6 months since Go Long started publishing. Coincidentally, it is the 50th post. In the time I have been writing, a number of people have asked me about my experience around writing.

Today’s post is going to be about what I learned in this process. Spoiler alert: A LOT!

1: What’s my why?

Go Long was created to dispel myths about wellness for the “sandwich generation”. We are told and sold so much bullshit every day about our bodies and our health. It’s time to take back the narrative your best years are behind you and, in fact, your best years are AHEAD OF YOU.

I’ve made many mistakes in my wellness journey. My mission is to help people not make those same errors. At Go Long, the focus is on empathy, pragmatism and optimism.

To wit, roughly 61,000,000 women in the US are between the ages of 40 and 60 years old. This represents 23% of the total population of the US and 40% of the female population.

Video flashback: What’s Your Why?

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2: JFDI (aka ‘Just F’in Do It)

When I was talking to Midori, my business coach, she said, “Jill, just start writing! It’s not going to be perfect and you need to get over it!” Each post provides what Nicole Christie calls a “vulnerability hangover”.

Like with many things you learn to love in life, it doesn’t necessarily get easier. It gets better. Some of this is akin to “faking it until you make it”, as Deb Liu published on Perspectives recently. She wrote “there are times in life when we have to do something we don’t want to until it gets us to something we do.” Truth. Similar to forming new habits around taking care of yourself.

3: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Some posts arrive without much effort, meaning the story magically weaves itself together. Other posts are a fight from start to finish. I have learned to “abandon ship” on some of these posts and postpone to later. The mess is left in my drafts.

I need to trust my voice and my instincts. More thinking around “how can my lived experience in this space help others?” For example, how can me being 5 feet tall and dropping 25 lbs. help someone understand they have agency to change their health for the better for the long-term?

4: Content creation is very asynchronous

For an extrovert, this has been the toughest part. I don’t pretend I understand how the social media gods (ahem - algorithms) work. Between Substack and LinkedIn, I have grown to hundreds of followers for Go Long in a short time, which I am grateful for. Writing and publishing content is very one-way. You don’t know if what you’re producing is resonating. I never described myself as a writer, but maybe I am now?

I receive random texts, emails, DMs, etc. saying something from Go Long has helped them in some way. Those make my week!*

It’s around cherishing the moments of doing the work when no one is watching and you feel alone in your journey.

Want insights for taking better care of yourself as a member of the “sandwich generation”? Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

5: Feedback is a feature, not a bug

I receive feedback from people in my life who are expert content creators. Like the time I wore a “Satan’s Tricycle” t-shirt while recording a video talking about how welcoming Go Long is for people who don’t exercise currently. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Whoops!

I check in with different people on tactics they have tried and what’s worked for them. I receive unsolicited feedback, which I appreciate. Saving email solicitations I find effective helps.

One obvious feedback point on creating content is how many readers sign-up to be paid subscribers and/or clients. A good conversion rate in this space is 2-5%, so you have to be willing to “fail” a large chunk of the time.

6: Experiment, experiment, experiment

I’m trying different lengths of posts, videos, etc. Also repurposing content for different social media platforms. Instagram is completely different than YouTube (coming soon), even though both support video. Even within Instagram, you have different types of content you’re working with. LinkedIn is a totally different medium, as is Substack.

I’ve been fortunate to be invited to be on podcasts to discuss what Go Long is about. I’m thankful to those hosts for helping amplify our message.

7: Sleep, creep and leap

Taking this from Facing the Wind with Shannon Huffman Polson. She learned this discussing gardening with a friend. This can easily be applied to starting something new.

In gardening, the first year after you plant, they sleep. The second year, those same plants start creeping up. Then in the third year, they leap.

In other words, creating content is playing the long game. You need to have patience in terms of finding your voice and giving your audience something they can latch on to. Then build your audience on top of that.

Also not dissimilar to implementing a new habit in your life.

8: “Sometimes life is about showing up” (Harv aka Dad)

Being consistent in posting is everything. Whether it’s once per week, 3 times per week, start with something you can stick with. Even if it’s the equivalent of a 2-minute post, as outlined by Sarah Tavel in her newsletter.

If you’re trying to sign someone up as a client or showcase to a future employer you’re an expert in a particular space, regular posts matter.

It is similar to starting a new wellness habit - don’t commit to every day. Start slow and build. And if your workout isn’t great that day, at least congratulate yourself for showing up.

Patience is a virtue, I am told. Being kind to myself as I learn new skills is something I am still learning how to do.

Thanks for your support to date. I appreciate all of you.

*No, this isn’t a passive/aggressive attempt to receive compliments! I want to earn those kudos, damnit! 😂