So you cannot think what to write!
Generating fresh content on a regular basis is the challenge that faces every content creator whether it’s written, video, images, audio or even a combination of all these.
I have heard many online business experts mention the need for an editorial calendar but I had always dismissed them, as you cannot have an editorial process if there is nothing to edit!
This all changed when I started the Quick Start Challenge as it forced me to take a closer look at my online adventure and the inefficiencies I had created.
Over complication is the disease of the beginner.
Rather than add new platforms, apps or plug-ins into the mix, I thought it would be better to utilize what I already had and master each of them fully.
However the issue of what to write still remains.
With ideas coming from people you meet, random thoughts in your head, questions on forums, comments on your blog, incomplete solutions in online content and many more sources that are unique to you.
The real problem is catching all these great content ideas before they slip through your grasp.
As you saw in the last post, I often use scraps of paper however this is only due to the restrictions of where I work which is in the military aircraft industry. Bombs, ejection seats and mobile phones remain a banned combination for good reason on many military aircraft types.
If you do not have such a technology limitation where you work or spend the majority of your day, you can swap scraps of paper for your cellphone.
Thus when you have a content idea, you can record it in on your cellphone using the Evernote app.
Should the idea come from a site you have visited, you can add this page into Evernote with their browser extension.
Which ever option you choose, recording your ideas in this way means you can return to it later and develop it further ready for publishing.
So how do you use Evernote for post creation.
Take a look at the ideas you have recorded and arrange them into a logical content order for publishing, taking into consideration how well developed the content is.
You can then map this order into your time management platform, I use Teamwork for this and next weeks post is scheduled to discuss this service.
Next set aside, say 30 minutes each day for content development.
I never actually used to do this, due to a fear of wasting time in development rather than actual production.
How’s that for mixed up thinking!
Content does not create itself.
Thus fr me, it was always a mad rush on the Sunday night to get the post developed, proofed and scheduled for the Monday morning. In fact as it’s still early days for this routine, this post is being finalized on the Sunday night with one eye on the clock!
However by doing this routine consistently, you will eventually get ahead of your publishing schedule and be able to start making more polished and adventurous content. Even perhaps preparing for publication at the same time the complementary video and audio media, we know really stands out online when it’s all published together and interlinked.
With all this talk of Evernote.
Why not just do your writing directly in WordPress?
I have found over the years the WordPress admin area is too distracting for imaginative and focussed content creation.
This area is where you do your blog admin, whether that is responding to comments, approving updates, resolving site issues or all the demands that WordPress and your plugin portfolio create.
Therefore whilst you enter this area with the intention of developing new content you are all too soon drawn into undertaking all these other tasks.
Finally there is a technical issue with developing content in WordPress.
Every time you edit your content, you create a revision and each of these revisions is stored in your WordPress database. This means that when these become too numerous, your site could become slow to load or unstable in performance.
Returning to Evernote.
Here is a very quick overview of how I organize Evernote.
- I have NoteBook Stacks for my sites, personal stuff, my solutions and training.
- Inside these stacks are Notebooks, one for each site,topic, solution and courses.
- In each Notebook are the Notes containing the content ideas, in various states of development.
A blank page is as you know all too well, an intimidating sight when it comes to creating content, even when you have the seed of an idea for content in the Note.
Therefore to make my life easier, I now use a template to format my content creation.
With this template it becomes simply a matter of creating the relevant content for each section such that you get the best out of the entire post.
You can download this template using the link below
By following this strategy for content creation, you can develop better content in a more timely manner that can be re-purposed for multiple media formats.
Alongside this you may find you have more spare time to devote to other areas of your business.
And by using a system like this you can ensure all of your content ideas are captured regardless of where you are, ready to be developed further into valuable content for your readers.
As I said this process is still in it’s early days, so any suggestions you leave in the comments below on how to improve it would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Igor,
Again, very useful content especially for the starters with blogging. I haven’t got any expirience with Evernote – I have the app on my cell phone but never really opened it and don’t even know what’s it for. Now, I will look into it to find out how I can use it as a helpful tool. To completely understand your detailed help on how to use it I will have to put it in use myself.
And yes, I often get ideas for the blog while doing something else – they seem so reasonable and logical and so unforgetful so I don’t writhe them down, however, when I face the blank page – I can’t think of any idea that seemed impossible to forget initially. I decided to go old fashioned way – with pen and paper, but I might as well consider your advice on Evernote – Thank you 🙂
Hello Rino, glad I am not alone when it came to Evernote, I took a look at it several times and because it can almost be whatever you want it to be, I like you was never sure how I could actually benefit from it. Paper is great but it makes sense to have all of your ideas in one place where you can see the overall picture of your ideas and thus transferring from your paper into Evernote regularly is a good compromise.
Thanks for popping over once again and leaving a great comment
Hi Igor, interesting post. I keep hearing about Evernote and I feel I’m approaching the tipping point where I’m just going to have to take a closer look. I can’t suggest any improvements myself but take a look at heymalc.com. He’s someone else I know who’s using it and you may find this guy’s content useful.
Hello David, Evernote is one of those strange services that loads of people love but always struggle to give you a killer reason to use it. Thanks for mentioning that site, I took a look and he has loads of great content, have added him into InoReader so I can read his posts later.
Hello Igor… In my shiny object habit I purchased something on Evernote with all good intentions of using it. Like many of the bargains I purchased, I did not open it. Reading your post makes me think I should take a close look at it as it appears to be a very useful tool. I will also consider your comment regarding creating our blogs in wordpress. I have been doing that and yes, sometimes make an update. Will definitely change that process! Finally, thanks for the template!
Hello Barbara, thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Like you I have many solutions, bought, stored and left to gather dust. In fact I think in a previous post or comment I made somewhere, I mentioned I had deleted over 20GB of training just to forget about old purchases and focus on moving forwards. With regards to WordPress and content creation, each of us are different but I have always felt hemmed in when creating content in the editor which is why I now create my posts as described in this post. The template by the way was originally meant for video scripts but I found it works for all types of content.
I like this idea you present here to use Evernote to capture ideas. This is a tool that is new to me. I am an idea person. Ideas pop into my head all the time and some are ideas I want to save and perhaps act on later. But I have found if I don’t do something with them they disappear and I forget them. This looks like a tool I could use. Thanks Igor excellent post.
Hello Mark
I have the same problem, all too often I will get the seed of an idea that needs developing but I have no easy way to record it. However with the Evernote app on our phones we can record these seeds for later examination.
Thanks for popping over and leaving a comment.
Hi Igor, I am not familiar with Evernote. I will have to look into using it. I’ve just been recording ideas when I have them into my phone. Then I would replay the recording and write down what I said. That’s a bit of a pain, but it prevents me from losing those thoughts and ideas that I would generally forget by the end of the day.
Hello Christopher, great to hear from you and good to hear you have a system in place to record your thoughts before they are lost to the next idea to enter your mind.