I’ve got into the
habit of writing my blog too late in the day recently, which can leave me disappointed with the results.
The process has certainly changed over the years. When I first started it as an exercise
to improve my writing ability (with the hope it would be a springboard for
stand-up material), it would take up a lot of my time each day. It just so
happened I wasn’t working much at that point, so I was able to devote the time
to covered topics in more detail, while perhaps agonizing too much over getting
the content as tightly composed as possible.
As with anything you
stick with, it can veer in and out of being easy and / or fun. Once I’d got a few
months into writing every day, there were times when it would loom like a
weight over my head if I hadn’t yet posted something. I was particularly strict
with being daily for the first year, which was an achievement that teetered on an obsession, and a self-imposed pressure that could sometimes be a
little too much.
Now I’m a few
years in, it’s easier to build it into my day, without sweating too much
over it. That said, I’m still very critical, particularly on those occasions
when I feel like I’m laboriously filling a page for the sake of it.
Whether I write something I’m proud of or not, it’s always much harder when I’m
tired, and more likely to be littered with mishtakes (sic).
One thing’s for
certain, keeping it up was worth it. It’s been an essential resource when
putting together my shows or my work with Glyn (both live and on our radio
show). The stand-up show I’m working on now is a case in point, as big chunks of it
started life here almost verbatim. I just wish I didn’t leave it so late to
start my posts, as I did tonight, if only to ensure I have material worthy of a new show in 2018 too.