My (unserious) Plan to Shape my Substack
This is not groundbreaking, I just need to focus on something
Last week, I mentioned how lovely it is to freely choose what I write about because it allows me to pivot or change what I’m writing.
This week, I’m commenting on the other side of that coin.
Having too much freedom can sometimes be overwhelming and chaotic. I have so many ideas rolling around in my head that it can be hard to lock-in on a topic for the week. Not to mention, I do have big dreams for this Substack. I want to showcase how to create your own happiness and inspire others to do the same. I don’t necessarily want to always write about any and all random ideas that I have (although, ironically, that is a fun part of the creative process for me).
If you’re on Substack, I’d imagine you are also bursting with creative energy and might be struggling with the endless possibilities as well.
With the hope of helping us both, I’m writing out my plan to organize the chaos (at least the first attempt). Feel free to follow along 🤓
My (unserious) Plan to Shape my Substack
Develop the ‘Why’
Per Simon Sinek and every other person of influence, a key to success is defining why you are doing what you are doing. All actions can then point back to the ‘why’
Clarify ‘What’ I’m trying to accomplish with Substack
Do I want to solve a problem? Do I want to practice my writing? Do I want to turn this into a business? Do I want to this to be just an online and public journal?
If I don’t know what I want to accomplish, then every week is going to be a rush and a guessing game. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but that’s not what I’m wanting (at the moment).
Research
Once I determine what I’m trying to accomplish, then I can research how to make that happen. Are there any Substackers that are currently operating in a category to which I relate? Are there any books or podcasts covering writing processes, structure, etc.? Essentially, what information am I missing to accomplish my mission? From where can I draw inspiration?
Put it on the Calendar
I want to get in a better rhythm for writing than my current “let’s see when I have time prior to my deadline” strategy. Once I know what I’m wanting to do, all tasks are going on the calendar and NOT on a to-do list. To-do lists are where good ideas go to die. If it’s not on the calendar, I will forget about it. Ideally, I will have repeatable appointments each week that I dedicate to certain tasks, that way it becomes automatic rather than cumbersome.
Review/Learn/Adjust/Repeat
If it isn’t working and it isn’t fun, then I’m not interested. Even with a new plan in place, I’m not going to get it right all of the time - especially not this early on in my Substack journey. This is also where I would love to hear some feedback! If you have any Substack tips that you love or topics you want to hear more about, feel free to drop a comment 👇
Obviously, this is all easier said than done and the 5-step plan is a lot of work and mini steps, but I really do think it’s worth it for a little bit of clarity.
Curious if it will work? Yeah, me too. Stick around to find out 🦋