I’ve set an editorial calendar. It has the day when I should be posting to each blog and the topic for that date with a set of points to be covered. Unfortunately, or not, outside events sometimes spur me to write something different. Since my calendar usually has a theme running from week to week, this causes syncopation.
Jazz is one of my favorite forms of music and syncopation is what makes it so interesting. Syncopation in writing is what causes those lovely plot twists that surprise us at the end. “Wow, I didn’t see that coming,” is one of my favorite phrases because, lets face it, the majority of stories are predictable to an experienced reader.
But Building a Platform for an Online Persona needs to have a predictable pattern. To gain readers, you need to either post daily or have a set schedule, so people know what to expect and when to come back. I am not efficient enough yet to post daily on every one of my four blogs, so I need a predictable pattern.
As a self-proclaimed freelance writer, I am trying to build solid work habits. As part of that, I have a weekly set of goals and each day, I check to see how I stand on follow up. See, that’s a big part of my problem. I am great on planning, not so much on follow up.
My procrastination usually means last minute scrambles to meet deadlines. It’s a family trait I share with my brothers and I’ve passed it along to my daughters and grandchildren. When one of us has a paper due at school, the running joke has always been, “Work on the paper, Why? It’s not due for (insert appropriate number) more days (Or hours, not weeks, we wouldn’t even be mentioning it that far out.).”
I had two outside commitments on this month’s calendar and I wanted to make sure I met them. So, I set aside everything else to accomplish that goal. I finished the first one effortlessly with time to spare and, thinking about my late entry on the previous Friday Fictioneers, I decided to go ahead and do the second one as well. Deadlines are met, but now I’m out of sync with my calendar. Not really behind, but not exactly on topic either. Syncopated.
Today’s scheduled post for this blog was supposed to be about Stay At Home Mothering (SAHM). However, it’s not ready. It’s not even started. I have an outline, sort of, but no content. 
Maybe I’ll find time to do it later in the week. If not, then the whole schedule will be shifted forward. That’s the nice thing about being a Freelancer. The schedule belongs to you. If you have outside deadlines to meet, it’s by choice. If you need to re-schedule your own calendar, the boss (you) won’t fire you for it.
Anyhow, I have experiences to relate, opinions to express, and lots of words to write about SAHMs. I will be doing it soon. Be sure to come back later, and read, consider, comment…I like conversations.
