Email 4
🔑 Creating content with ease and focus
This week, I wanted to share with you ways to create content minus the overwhelm through building simple systems and discover the platforms that truly work for you.
Past + Current Systems
I used to create content using an app called Simple Note. Back in September to December 2019, I posted content for 12+ weeks straight on my blog, vlog, and podcast. All while taking care of my then one-year-old! In those times, I was sharing stories, talking about habits and mindset and Rebel tendencies. All the fun things. 😀
The main system I used back in 2019 was...
It was a great process but I decided this year in 2021 to use Notion as my app for managing my content creation process.
Honestly, Notion is a very slow app for writing (as of writing this in October 2021) but that's probably because it's not really an app for writing but a kind of versatile database system.
One of the best reasons for using Notion, though, as your content creation/ project management system is definitely its ability to add tasks and assign dates for each task, which proves to be a big advantage for self-accountability.
In 2021, my current content creation system looks like:
If not written on specified date, tasks keep coming up on daily dashboard until completed.
The latter system seems to be working fine for me but one caveat is that it sits with other tasks from other projects. So if you're a multipassionate with multiple things going on at once, it's going to be a challenge to keep your tasks minimal during the week. 😁
Platforms for Discovery
Platforms for discovery are not necessarily communities that you automatically resonate with, but they are the platforms with a lot of potential especially because they are being used by millions of people each day. You know what I'm talking about, the Instagrams, Facebooks, and Pinterests of this world.
You've probably already heard about the various ways in which you can use these platforms to your advantage (ie following accounts who follow the people or topics you are interested in) and another way is to participate in group discussions and built-in communities within your app of choice.
For example, you can add value on Facebook Groups where you think your ideal audience would hang out and answer their questions or share stories about related topics.
Social media platforms are like an open sea. The point is to swim in it every now and then but not to live in the middle of it without proper resources. It's just not sustainable.
Platforms to Nurture
Where you and your tribe hang out. This is when you've truly built an audience who want to hear more from you or the topics you are talking about. And I'm referring to mailing lists or newsletters, in this case.
It's important to nurture your audience even before they are interested. Meaning, you have to be consistent even if your only audience is you. Because one day, it won't be just you anymore. One day, it will be x100 or x1000 the number of subscribers you have now and by then, you can't simply ignore talking to them because you haven't built the foundation when there was just you and a couple of people on your list.
Foundation is a by-product of consistency.
Final and Most Important Note
If you’ve noticed, I'm not the type to recommend one blueprint for everything and that includes the field of content creation.
You see, context still matters, and you get to be posting in places where your ideal audience hangs out.
But YOU also matter and your mental health matters just as much. So if platforms like Instagram and TikTok (or even LinkedIn) aren't worth draining your energy, you have all the permission to skip them.
The most important note is always to take care of you first. Keep it as fun as you can. Move towards your goals but don't forget that this is a long term game. 🙂
Take care,
Elaine
Past + Current Systems
I used to create content using an app called Simple Note. Back in September to December 2019, I posted content for 12+ weeks straight on my blog, vlog, and podcast. All while taking care of my then one-year-old! In those times, I was sharing stories, talking about habits and mindset and Rebel tendencies. All the fun things. 😀
The main system I used back in 2019 was...
- List down categories (content buckets)
- Write a topic/ title under each category
- Write article on Simplenote
It was a great process but I decided this year in 2021 to use Notion as my app for managing my content creation process.
Honestly, Notion is a very slow app for writing (as of writing this in October 2021) but that's probably because it's not really an app for writing but a kind of versatile database system.
One of the best reasons for using Notion, though, as your content creation/ project management system is definitely its ability to add tasks and assign dates for each task, which proves to be a big advantage for self-accountability.
In 2021, my current content creation system looks like:
- Pool ideas into a list
- Add that idea into platform of choice (blog, podcast, newsletter, etc)
- Add a task related to idea (ie write about x and schedule task on y)
- Write on specified date
If not written on specified date, tasks keep coming up on daily dashboard until completed.
The latter system seems to be working fine for me but one caveat is that it sits with other tasks from other projects. So if you're a multipassionate with multiple things going on at once, it's going to be a challenge to keep your tasks minimal during the week. 😁
Platforms for Discovery
Platforms for discovery are not necessarily communities that you automatically resonate with, but they are the platforms with a lot of potential especially because they are being used by millions of people each day. You know what I'm talking about, the Instagrams, Facebooks, and Pinterests of this world.
You've probably already heard about the various ways in which you can use these platforms to your advantage (ie following accounts who follow the people or topics you are interested in) and another way is to participate in group discussions and built-in communities within your app of choice.
For example, you can add value on Facebook Groups where you think your ideal audience would hang out and answer their questions or share stories about related topics.
Social media platforms are like an open sea. The point is to swim in it every now and then but not to live in the middle of it without proper resources. It's just not sustainable.
Platforms to Nurture
Where you and your tribe hang out. This is when you've truly built an audience who want to hear more from you or the topics you are talking about. And I'm referring to mailing lists or newsletters, in this case.
It's important to nurture your audience even before they are interested. Meaning, you have to be consistent even if your only audience is you. Because one day, it won't be just you anymore. One day, it will be x100 or x1000 the number of subscribers you have now and by then, you can't simply ignore talking to them because you haven't built the foundation when there was just you and a couple of people on your list.
Foundation is a by-product of consistency.
Final and Most Important Note
If you’ve noticed, I'm not the type to recommend one blueprint for everything and that includes the field of content creation.
You see, context still matters, and you get to be posting in places where your ideal audience hangs out.
But YOU also matter and your mental health matters just as much. So if platforms like Instagram and TikTok (or even LinkedIn) aren't worth draining your energy, you have all the permission to skip them.
The most important note is always to take care of you first. Keep it as fun as you can. Move towards your goals but don't forget that this is a long term game. 🙂
Take care,
Elaine