I think it’s safe to say that SN functions differently from the rest of the Internet. In a world inundated with trite bite-sized captions and images, SN goes against the norm by rewarding content creators who write long and thorough posts. I’m talking about the kind of post that takes forever to scroll through - your fingers keep moving down down down until they finally reach the bottom.
This suggests that you guys must have honed your posting routine. Which sparks my curiosity since I’m always into ways to up my V4V. What I do these days is to post a photo on ~Photography as part of my morning routine. Then, due to the recency effect, I may post something about my work (mis)adventures under my blog Fighting the Daily Grind on ~BooksandArticles. In a bid to declutter my papers and photos, I may also post a Let’s Learn about X in the Saloon. Short & intense spurts work for me because I’m a working parent and have my hands full with adult-raising and meeting work KPIs and doing household chores and whathaveyou. In fact, I’m writing this now, with my baby girl strapped to my chest. I probably should end this musing soon so that I can let her roam free for a while at the playground.
For those of you who take several days to write a SN post, how do you do it? Do you religiously set aside a time and place? Or drop everything and type furiously when inspiration strikes you? How do you manage your momentum? 500 words per day? Or non-stop writing for 20 mins?
Hoping to find something that will strike me as useful and make me motivated to write long form posts haha
Log on to SN while having coffee in the morning. Check my notifications, zap and respond to them. Do my daily push up accountability post in Saloon. Check out any interesting posts from stackers I subscribe to or the hot list (like this one). Zap and respond. Then do my daily sports post and spend the rest of my day on SN zapping and responding.
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Wow SN is really like your full-time job.
What did you use to do with your time before SN came along?
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I used to own my own business. I sold it to my business partner 2 years ago. Since then I only work odd jobs or contract jobs.
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I meant as in hobbies, the stuff you did during your downtime from work
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I worked most of the time when I had my business and spent time with my kids when I was free. Sports and music are my hobbies.
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You just have to post when you have time. Especially when you are working night shift lol
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You work on your machines at night? Part of the maintenance crew?
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I work on high pressure boilers. Usually maintaining them, it depends on the day.
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110 sats \ 2 replies \ @anna 9 Apr
I’m just getting started and will likely post only when feeling inspired, but it is becoming part of my writing practice. That usually looks like sitting on my computer for an hour or two, not every day but I’d like to aim for 2-3 times a week. Writing starts with what is basically word vomit into a document, then a little time reading articles/books that inspire me, then going back to add on and polish what I have written into something coherent.
You said exactly what I love about SN so far. It’s great to see thoughtful content actually being read and discussed. I am really tired of the quick dopamine hits other social media has come to rely on for views. I’ll likely be on here regularly with my morning coffee.
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Great job on plonking yourself in front of the computer and type do research polish. I gotta say I don’t have that kind of discipline haha. I usually write on the go. Yesterday’s post was written during my commute - on the train, eating breakfast at McDonald’s.
Sometimes I scroll through SN during breakfast. Other days I resolutely put my phone aside n just read a book. Because I know I will spend time on SN any opportunity I find, I feel the need to give myself some sort of away time haha 😝
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11 sats \ 0 replies \ @anna 9 Apr
Haha this is a recent development, my social media time is usually fully unstructured. I burnt out on writing after years in grad school and am just realizing I want to get back into writing regularly. This has been a great forum to share some ideas while I am thinking about journals, etc to submit to and maybe turn it into a profitable hobby
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99 sats \ 2 replies \ @Cje95 9 Apr
I tend to use my breaks between meetings at work to write especially on posts that are really in-depth and thoughtful. This does have the downside of if work is crazy not being able to post much at all but recently those days have been few and far between. With Congress getting back into session today it will be interesting for me to see how that affects how I have written especially for SN so far.
I am hoping that if they are just quick blurbs or insights into something going on in Congress I can throw together something real quick. If not that is not possible I know of a few news sources that tend to follow this area of stuff closely so I would likely go to them for a link so that I can share whatever important news I think has come out. I'd rather get the news out ASAP esp. if it is Congressional actions rather than sit on it and wait.
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I think we are very similar in that regard! Just that I post about my work AFTER everything work-related has more or less simmered down - but you post during your breaks in the midst of the rush haha.
You must really love your job. You don’t feel the need to decompress and have a lengthy lunch and take your mind off work 😉
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Haha I wish!!! Working for Congress is taking years off my life but that’s why I only plan on doing another 2 years max so through 2026 then I should be sitting pretty!
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39 sats \ 1 reply \ @MB 9 Apr
I’ve been on SN for a just few days and already realising what a great space it is. Used to check insta, X, FB & my other socials regularly throughout the day. Haven’t looked since I got into SN, it’s all been replaced in a short time! I’ve only posted once so far but it happened because of some thoughts coming out of discussions I had seen, I quickly had to post something. Would like to take more time to post once I’ve had time to develop some more coherent thoughts!
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Welcome to SN! Will check out your post(s)!
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Initially, I used to do it anytime, almost anytime but after sometime I realised that its better to talk and post content at the peak time as it usually gets more views.
Talking about routine, I am not so religious in anything. I do it as soon as I have formed an outline about what I wanna write or share.
Length? I don't think of it too much. If an idea requires more words, they will automatically add up. If it's short, the words must be minimum.
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So what are the peak times? xP
I should probably post more strategically but I’m more of a I-need-to-get-this-off-my-chest-NOW kinda writer haha
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For now I only post when inspiration comes to me, which is sometimes a bit complicated, although I am working on creating a routine focused on being more consistent both in posting and in commenting on other interesting posts that I find.
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Have you narrowed down to the best times to post within a day? Good luck!
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I try to stick to the at least one post a day routine, trying to keep the streak going as I'm writing this post :)
There is so much great content that I don't open topics. Just reply to the existing ones.
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Well done. It takes 66 days to internalise a habit, so stay consistent!
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Thanks for the encouragement:-) 66 days is quite a bit of a time. Where does the figure come from? I bet it takes lower than 66 days for an ex-smoker to re-internalize the habit of smoking!?! ;-) but I guess we're more talking about addiction here, rather than habit
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I'm just starting now but feel like a regular routine of 10-15 minutes/day at a set time will help keep my cowboy hat🤠😅
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Omg I was once obsessed with trying to keep my cowboy hat too haha
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lol yeah no way I'll keep it. Np just here for the plebs
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I post when I have something to say. I don't post for the sake of posting. I think y'all deserve better than that.
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Commendable!
I find that what I sometimes post for the heck of it generates more traction than the ones I invest a lot of energy and effort in. This is why these days, I don’t really censor myself haha
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Fabs 9 Apr
This.
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A lot of my posts are just links (with descriptions or at least a teaser) to whatever I happened to have watched or read throughout the day.
Sometimes when there's a post I know I want to write, I'll get it started with a little outline or a few points I know I want to hit, then I'll just leave it alone until I feel motivated to write it up.
Most of the time, I "drop everything and type furiously when inspiration strikes". Sometimes this will be a post I've been thinking about for a while and sometimes it will be something that just popped into my head.
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I think I need to develop a more low time-preference in terms of writing. I usually bam everything in one go because I fear that I won’t come back to the writing if I leave it incomplete (which is true but disciplining my wild mind is another post for another day). Getting myself to do an outline first could help me be more patient n write more well thought-out posts
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39 sats \ 1 reply \ @suraz 9 Apr
I am new here so i am posting when i feel like i should. If it's good, people will understand. Posting everything everytime can make people think that you are here for zaps only 😂
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Well I’m here for the zaps and knowledge. I don’t think I need to separate them, especially when I use the zaps for beer money 🍻 haha
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I don't really have any routine, I just go in and read the posts that I find interesting or in which I have something to say when I have time, I find it interesting to do it that way so I don't have any pressure
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I’m offended that you haven’t subscribed to Sensei yet 😝
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Hahahaha, subscribed already
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