A post about writing a post

I don’t know about anyone else, but I feel a certain amount of frustration when I see the amount of blog posts wading in the pile of drafts, just daring me to hit publish.

But I cant.  Because there’s just.  something.  missing.

Maybe it’s not useful or not entertaining enough, or it just sounds dumb when I read it back.  Whatever the reason, I do my part by ripping it to shreds and setting an unrealistic goal of perfection.

Then I stop myself and reflect on why I blog:

A.  I am thrilled if I can help a fellow writer through an issue by sharing an experience I’ve had and how I pushed through it or by letting them know they’re not alone.  Plus, it can be refreshing to try an alternative method when you are stuck with your current one.

B. I feel passionate about the topic.  This happens mostly when I am currently going through a major roadblock and can’t seem to do anything other than complain about it via blog post.  Then I simply justify my words by way of writer madness and leave it at that.

C.  I like to read fun blog posts, especially if they humanize writers.  Several of these types of posts are sitting in my drafts.  Enough said.

So, by understanding what it is I want to achieve and who I’m writing my post for, it becomes easier to focus on a topic.  It also helps me visualize the potential of the rotten drafts so I know what to add in order to make them functional in the future.

Because when you have a great understanding of what it is you want to achieve, it seems to take the pressure off creating the perfect post and allows for a little reward when you’ve accomplished what you set out to do.  Does anyone else struggle with this?