My Writing Process: A Blog Tour

Jackie from Indecisively Blogging put out an A.P.B. about this on Twitter. I was intrigued and asked for more information. When she sent me the email, I was totally on board. You can read all about Jackie and her writing process here.

My Writing Process

1. What am I working on?
I always have several posts in draft. I like to prepare and schedule them out about a week or so in advance, when possible. Currently I am trying to get some pictures from my mom for the weekly link-up I host, well now co-host, called Throwback Thursday Stories. I loved the idea of the Throwback Thursday posts on Instagram and Twitter, but often find myself wondering about the story behind the photo, and so the link-up was born! You can get all the details about how to participate on my Throwback Thursday Stories page.


2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?
This question is, by far, the hardest of the four to answer. I suppose my blog would fit into the "Lifestyle" or "Personal" genre, but like Jackie said in her post, every blogger is so different from one another that it's difficult to compare. I honestly don't think I stand out much from the other bloggers, but I do try to provide entertaining and engaging content for the few who do read my blog.

3. Why do I write what I do?
Mostly, I write for myself. I write what I know and what I feel. I express myself more clearly when I write it down versus speaking off the top of my head. So, I write to let go, to convey my crazy ideas, to share a delicious recipe, or to tell a funny story with hopes that my readers are laughing with me, not at me.

4. How does your writing process work?

It starts with an idea for a topic that usually comes to me when I'm trying to fall asleep. I'll jot that down in the Evernote app on my phone and then give myself some bullet points to remind me what it was exactly that I was going for. Over the next few days, I'll flesh out the details, makes notes of any pictures I'll need, and sometimes I pitch it to Philip. I like getting his input for certain topics.
I use a planner to keep track of my posts. Until they go live, my posts titles are on a post-it note, just in case I need to re-arrange them to accommodate an impromptu post I want to publish earlier. The last things I do are add links and labels, then format any text I want to stand out. One last preview and that orange Publish button finally gets some action.

Next Monday on the Tour:

Kathy from Him and Me, (But Mostly Me)
She's about to get married on April 26th and has just bought a house with her fiancé! Although she's been blogging for over 10 years, she's made a fresh start with Him and Me and is working hard to "make it more than just an online diary." I'd say she's doing a pretty good job! I just adore this lovely lady and enjoy getting the inside scoop on her upcoming nuptials and all the crazy events leading up to it! Kathy is so down to earth and easy to talk to, you'd think you've been friends forever!

Jack and Jill from Frisky in the 916
I hold this couple near and dear to my heart. They have became close friends that grew with me over two years and my little quartet of blogs. While I was experimenting with my writing and my personal life, these two (Jack especially) were there for me. They helped me embrace my inner goddess and to be brave enough to tell the world all about it. Frisky in the 916 is not for the shy or easily offended. Jack and Jill bare it all and recount their "frisky" encounters with such elicit and beautiful detail that you can't help but live vicariously through them.

Melissa from Crazy Camp Camacho
She blogs about the comedies of her daily life: the struggles in raising two kids (and a husband), finding the time and energy to workout, and delicious healthy recipes! Her goal is to inspire others to get fit even with a busy schedule, and gives them tips on how to do so. She shows that her life is not always happy go lucky, fun, and sunshine because let’s face it- no one's life isn’t always like that. Melissa is also a very old and super good friend of mine from way back in the day before blogs, smartphones, and twitter were part of our daily lives. She's also my new co-host for Throwback Thursday Stories! So be sure to check back on Thursdays to read tales from our awkward and nerdy glorious youth.

I want to express my gratitude to the three bloggers above for accepting my invitation to participate in this nifty blog tour. It's not always easy to interrupt a blog schedule to answer hard questions and reach out to your favorite bloggy friends and try to convince them they should too! So thank you so so so so so so so so so much! I love you all!