Writing Dailey

Welcome, to Organized Rambling, a blog that has every intention of creating value and breaking rules along the way.

I should’ve started sooner. Should’ve, but didn’t. I had all the intentions, and yet, none of the motivation to kick off this blog. Great hook, right? I’m sure you’re dying to read on about my woes of lacking drive, self-doubt, and creative slump. But, life, and all that it entails, will rend you of motivation from time to time, derailing our timelines and schedules. That whole “best-laid plans” saying we’ve all heard and responded to with rolled eyes. And for a planner like me, I have a difficult time accepting when plans go awry.

Whether nature or nurture is more to blame for my planning proclivity is irrelevant; planning is like breathing for me–ingrained and involuntary. Well, not wholly involuntary–planning takes a lot of time and effort–but it’s always been a part of my life and how I function, perhaps, even, to some’s displeasure. I probably should be more flexible and spontaneous but should is a slippery slope into the crippling depths of guilt, a lesson I’ve learned from therapy, anxiety apps, and books on dealing with grief and disappointment. So, sure, I should’ve started this blog endeavor back during the summer when I had intended to; I should be more free-flowing and easy-going, and even though I didn’t and haven’t, that’s changing now. 

I don’t know how much you know about blogs, but from my research, there are a lot of shoulds attached to this creative process and outlet. For example, blogs should be posted on the same day of the week or month, each week or month; blogs should be posted at the same time, every time; blogs should have an apparent and overarching theme that connects all posts; blogs should be 1,500–2,000 words in length; blogs should have photos, graphics, links, compelling titles, subheads, calls-to-action, and as many keywords as you can cram in to boost traffic to your website – lots of shoulds, right? 

Honestly, I think these shoulds were a part of why I held off on starting my blog. It’s a bit overwhelming for a creative writer who’s trying to carve her path as a freelancer with limited understanding and actual interest in things like, oh, I don’t know, SEO. Not to say that SEO isn’t important–it is–but I’m not writing to gain millions of followers. I’m writing because I need a creative outlet and because every once in a while, I think I have some entertaining things to say. Heck, I may even make some people laugh with my combinations of words.

Then again, maybe no one will read what I write, and my thoughts will just sit in the never-ending ether of the world wide web collecting digital dust. I have no preconceived notions of how this venture will pan out, mainly because I have no intention of following all of the shoulds ascribed to blogging. There are so many articles and resources on how to craft a successful blog post or create a successful blog, and I hope these are helpful to other writers, but I’m going to ditch pretty much all of the rules and just write.  

Shifting from structure and regiment to a more relaxed approach, I make no promises about when I’ll post new blogs. I’m aiming for monthly, and maybe that’ll change to bi-weekly eventually, but don’t hold me to it. Life has an uncanny knack for intervening with an expertly camouflaged speed bump or deadly round-about when you least desire it. I feel like nowadays, we should’ve seen any and all hurdles coming and planned for them, but we didn’t and usually don’t. 

So, what can I promise you if you plan to stick around and read my musings and ramblings? Light-heartedness and humor mixed with a bit of reality’s gravity and self-deprecation every so often. Definitely pop culture references, takes on books I’ve read, random cyber searches, interactions with humans, perhaps a rant pondering why people don’t wear hats anymore, updates on my striving to become a novelist, and nothing off-putting, unless you have incredibly rigid views on films, what you consider to be literature, and you find my attempts at creating joy and happiness unpalatable.

I won’t be offended–I know I’m not everyone’s type of writer. You might find my “voice” annoying or grating, and maybe it is. But, I have it on good authority that my in-person voice is actually a bit manly, thanks to a mocking comment from my sophomore English teacher–fifteen-year-olds are pretty impressionable, and that teacher should’ve known better. At least I can laugh at it now, or should be able to anyway.

Palavering aside, the common theme for this blog–Organized Rambling–is writing, and me, and my weird ideas, commentary, and adventures as a freelancer and aging millennial. It should be simply fascinating. 

Coming up next:

Riffing plot points
Popcorn-reading
Hallmark holiday films