I thought this was worth sharing from a recent email from Shawn:
Here are some of the lessons I have learned, presented merely as an unordered list without commentary.
- Show up every day.
- Give yourself permission to stink.
- As your talent as a writer grows your own perception of your writing will likely stay the same.
- I still get a little bit nervous every time I post anything, even a trivial link. And I think that’s OK because whatever goes on the internet is instantly global and permanent — don’t write something you wouldn’t want your mom or son to read.
- Saying no to opportunities and ideas is very important.
- Go to conferences and workshops.
- Build relationships.
- Being “Internet Famous” is like owning a semi-successful coffee shop on the corner of town. It’s not so much about being popular but rather that you have a sustainable customer base to keep the lights on.
- Always be honest.
- Always be sincere.
- There are a lot of people with similar interests as you. Your honesty about your opinions is what will help set you and your work apart.
- Hold fast to your values and viewpoints.
- Build your website on trust.
- Don’t be rude.
- Attention is far more important than pageviews or subscriber counts.
- Sensationalizing your work reaps no worthwhile long-term benefits.
- Take your work seriously.
- Don’t take yourself too seriously.
- Lots of amazing and interesting people have low follower counts on Twitter.
- Read.
- Go outside.
- Work hard, but don’t work nonstop.
- Don’t be embarrassed about making money doing what you love.
- Fiddling with your setup is also known as procrastination.
- Inbox Zero means not allowing the incoming to dictate your priorities.
- Send short emails.
- Send shorter emails than that.
- Admit when you’re wrong.
- Never pretend to know more than you actually do.
- An article doesn’t always have to be published the moment after you’ve written the last paragraph.
- Think about it.
- Have an ideal reader.
- Find an editor you trust.
- Don’t use cheap web hosting.
- Encourage others.
- Family always comes first.
- Producing a great project requires a lot of time and attention to detail.
- Know your definition of good enough. Make your work great, but know that it won’t be 100-percent perfect and it’s more important to hit publish.
- Give credit to your readers; they’re smart.
- I have never liked the word “blog” but it’s making a comeback these days.
- You’re not a blogger, you’re a writer.
- Thinking about writing is not the same as writing.
- Reading about writing is not the same as writing.
- Tweeting about writing is not the same as writing.
- Having a conversation about writing is not the same as writing.
- Break your broken workflow habits.
- Modern Art: “I could have done that.” “Yeah, but you didn’t.”
- Blogging: “I could have written that.” “Yeah, but you didn’t.”
- Trust your gut.
- Take risks.
- Learn something new every day.
— Shawn Blanc
Blanc Media, PO Box 9771, Kansas City, MO 64134, United States