My Blog Writing Process: A Blog Tour

Did you ever have one of those moments,

when you wish you could hit the rewind button?

Friday morning was one of those times I'd like a do-over.

I just sat down to begin writing this post,

when I spilled an entire mug of coffee all over my laptop.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! 

 (Insert many un-lady-like expletives here).

My laptop is dead as a doornail.

I feel like I am missing an appendage. 

So, let's start with the fact that as of now,
my blog writing process is sans laptop.

I was thrilled that Claire, from a little CLAIREification,

asked me to participate in this Blog Tour,
where I get to tell everyone about my writing process!

 But then, I realized...oh, crap, I don't really have one...

and not only that...I'm up after Claire?

Uh-oh.

Those are some big blogging shoes to follow!

If you haven't visited a little CLAIREification,
please hop on over. 
Claire is always cooking up something easy and delicious,
or making some awesome craft.
She has a terrific sense of humor, a great down-to-earth writing style,
and never fails to make me chuckle.

Oh, and she may actually love cheese even more than moi :)
You can read about her blogging process here.
 
And now, on to the four questions...

What Am I Working On?

1. Becoming more structured in the way I present content.

I've always got a gazillion things percolating in my brain, 
and a list of ideas from here to Claire's house in Florida.
  

Sometimes, I feel like my blog is 
one big hodgepodge of randomness, and I need to reel myself in.

I'm now starting to organize my posts on an editorial calendar.
I'm aiming for one "food" post, one "home" post, 
and one "other" post each week. 

You've noticed, right?

Oh. Okay, anyway...

 The calendar keeps my brain from wandering in a million directions.
I'm constantly re-arranging it, but it makes me feel 
more in control to have a kinda-sorta plan. 
It's way better than having my ideas 
 swimming "free-style" around in my head. 

2. Writing a multi-part series on a Mansion tour.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the mother of all home tours

at one of the top 20 largest homes in the US, and it was fabulous!

My poor friend who went with me had to suffer through my 
endless photography of 38 rooms and outdoor spaces.

I think I saw her write a note to self:

"Never go on a mansion tour with a blogger!"

I've got hundreds of photos to sort through and edit, 

so it may be a few weeks before I launch it,

but I promise there will be a lot of home decor eye candy to ogle!

3. Thinking about using guest bloggers.

I've been bouncing around an idea in my head
that would feature a different guest blogger 
maybe once or twice a month.

I need to nail down the concept,

and figure out how it fits into my editorial calendar (see #1).

And then, I have to work up the nerve
to ask you all if you'll do some writing over at my place.
I'll make dessert :)
 

4. Focusing on non-blogging stuff!

On the home front, I'm knee-deep in packing 
Junior Goo Shoes' trunks for sleepaway camp...

and working on a little "secret garden" in my backyard.

You know that these will turn into blog posts, too, right? 
Nothing is safe from becoming blog fodder, 
I tell you...Nothing!

 

How Does My Work Differ From Others in its Genre?

Ironically, what sets me apart is what every other blogger has, 

each in our own individual ways...

Voice   Expression

Passion   Enthusiasm

Heart   Dedication

Oh, and a thesaurus.

My blogging mantra is to not take myself too seriously.

I'm not an expert in anything, and I don't pretend to be on my blog.

My approach is more like,
 Hey, I just tried this...
it came out okay...
If I can do it,
you may want to try it, too.

I also try to keep things light,
 throw in a bit of humor when I can, and keep things real.

By injecting little stories from the homestead,

hopefully the "me" comes through
to make my blog just a bit different from the "Next Blog>>"
(That's a little "Blogger platform" humor). 

Why Do I Write What I Do?

Phew, finally an easy question.

I write about what I love.
 

I spent over 30 years focusing on my career,
and never had enough time to spend on my interests.
Now, I am making up for lost time!

Friends always ask me why I started blogging.
I tell them it's a way to satisfy my  passions...

Photographing
 Decorating 
Traveling
Writing
   Baking  
 
...all in one place!
   

How Does Your Writing Process Work? 

Oy vey, my process? Really?

I usually write the first rough draft of my posts in my head.
Yeah, I do. 
This happens mostly when I'm walking my dog,
or driving into NYC,
or talking to my friends on the phone.
OMG, I did NOT just say that!

Truth be told, I do a lot of under-cover work.
My creative juices start flowing when my head hits the pillow,
so I am  constantly reaching for a flashlight
to jot down notes under the covers.

When I do sit down at the computer, 
I write whatever comes into my head,
just to get the basic framework down, and jazz it up in later drafts. 
What works best for me is to step away for awhile,
and come back to it with fresh eyes.


I photograph EVERYTHING...
because I never know what might become a future post.
My family and friends know now that it's "photos first..."
before a bite is taken, or the festivities begin.

Ideally, I like to have my photos done in advance, 
so that I am not writing and shooting at the same time.
But, there are plenty of times when I am frantically trying to get 
that perfect shot minutes before I hit "publish."


Even with my new editorial calendar,
I never seem to be able to have my posts written in advance.
Nope, I am a down-to-the-wire kind of girl...
but I sure would like to get to that point, 
where I've got them stockpiled on a shelf,
 and can pull them out when I need them, 
like canned goods in winter. 
Yeah, that'll happen.

********

And now... I am off to swim across the great Atlantic Ocean,
so I can pass the Blog Tour baton to Poppy from Poppy View. 

Poppy blogs from the island of Crete in Greece.
When I first started reading blogs,
I wanted to find bloggers from places I'd been to.
Luckily, her blog popped up on my radar,
and although I have not been to Crete,
Poppy's "view" of it has pushed it high up on my bucket list.  

Poppy's writing is guaranteed to make you smile.
Her prose is filled with sunshine and olive groves;
 flowers and vineyards.
The views from her balcony can bring you to your knees. 

Here is a sampling of her posts... 

My "Happy" Kitchen 

 Launching My Blog Amid Feminine Brain Fog

Prince Richard, the Cat: Public Relations Expert

Don't forget to head over to Crete
and check out Poppy View! 

I thank you for indulging me,

and reading about my so-called blog writing process.

Have a great day!



You may also like: 

You Can't Frost a Cake With Mod Podge...and Other Things I've Learned From Blogging