Comments on: Does This Content Creation Killer Hinder You, Too? http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer Master New Media. Engage Your Market. Get Paid. Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:06:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Speaking Of Barriers To Creating Content... | MedSqod: Podcasting for Medical Professionals http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39395 Speaking Of Barriers To Creating Content... | MedSqod: Podcasting for Medical Professionals Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:19:31 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39395 [...] This post from podcasting guru Jason Van Orden leaped out and grabbed me by the eyeballs. [...] [...] This post from podcasting guru Jason Van Orden leaped out and grabbed me by the eyeballs. [...]

]]> By: Connie Crosby http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39146 Connie Crosby Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:02:17 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39146 I started life as a perfectionist, too. Getting started was the most paralyzing part for me, and evolved into major procrastination issues. My rule of thumb is now: just do a rough brainstorming/outline/draft first. Get thoughts down on paper, and then they can be made better later. For the purposes of a blog post, more times than not my rough work ends up being almost good enough. For something more formal (such an article for a more formal publication) I can then spend the extra time re-working it, reminding myself that an editor will also be going over it so if I miss something the editor will catch it. The other thing that has gotten me over it was supervising staff, and believing they should be allowed to find their own way to do things. Most times they do things differently than I would have, and I have forced myself to look past the things that are inconsequential that might not be "perfect" (to me) and apply my sense of perfection to the crucial elements. This meant giving up control, which is part of what perfectionism is about. Now perfectionism only rears its head every now and then, hopefully in the appropriate places. Cheers, Connie P.S. Don't ask how many times I edited this comment! :-P I started life as a perfectionist, too. Getting started was the most paralyzing part for me, and evolved into major procrastination issues.

My rule of thumb is now: just do a rough brainstorming/outline/draft first. Get thoughts down on paper, and then they can be made better later. For the purposes of a blog post, more times than not my rough work ends up being almost good enough. For something more formal (such an article for a more formal publication) I can then spend the extra time re-working it, reminding myself that an editor will also be going over it so if I miss something the editor will catch it.

The other thing that has gotten me over it was supervising staff, and believing they should be allowed to find their own way to do things. Most times they do things differently than I would have, and I have forced myself to look past the things that are inconsequential that might not be “perfect” (to me) and apply my sense of perfection to the crucial elements. This meant giving up control, which is part of what perfectionism is about.

Now perfectionism only rears its head every now and then, hopefully in the appropriate places.

Cheers,
Connie

P.S. Don’t ask how many times I edited this comment! :-P

]]> By: Dr Dan http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39141 Dr Dan Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:44:47 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39141 Hey brother I feel ya! I have been blogn off and on and had a lot of people try to talk me into editing my content so it is proper to their standards... If I did that then I wouldnt have time to create any content! I would have to charge for it. So I say make your writing like skinny dipping! and let all of your imperfections all hang out! You ARE a RockStar! Dr Dan www.MakeTheWorldYourStage.com Hey brother I feel ya! I have been blogn off and on and had a lot of people try to talk me into editing my content so it is proper to their standards… If I did that then I wouldnt have time to create any content! I would have to charge for it. So I say make your writing like skinny dipping! and let all of your imperfections all hang out!

You ARE a RockStar!

Dr Dan

http://www.MakeTheWorldYourStage.com

]]> By: ProseKnitic - of Words und Wolle » Food for Thought http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39092 ProseKnitic - of Words und Wolle » Food for Thought Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:40:31 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39092 [...] variety of knitting, spinning and weaving blogs I dally at some tech, sci-fi and writing locations. Jason got me thinking. Does the need for perfection in writing a post mean that you take so much time that [...] [...] variety of knitting, spinning and weaving blogs I dally at some tech, sci-fi and writing locations. Jason got me thinking. Does the need for perfection in writing a post mean that you take so much time that [...]

]]> By: Jason Van Orden http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39082 Jason Van Orden Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:56:03 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39082 Wow! These are great responses. First, I'm comforted to see that I'm not the only one who struggles with this. Also, these are great suggestions. @Megan and @Nikki, I really like the idea of momentum that you both talk about. As I think back, this has definitely proven true in the past. I think another trick there is to try and shut off the "critic" in your mind for that 15 seconds/minutes. Wow! These are great responses. First, I’m comforted to see that I’m not the only one who struggles with this. Also, these are great suggestions.

@Megan and @Nikki,

I really like the idea of momentum that you both talk about. As I think back, this has definitely proven true in the past.

I think another trick there is to try and shut off the “critic” in your mind for that 15 seconds/minutes.

]]> By: Maree Harris http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39078 Maree Harris Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:02:27 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39078 Jason, I could have written your post. It is exactly me. I also haven't written to my blog for ages, but you've inspired me to do that right now. The irony of this perfectionism stuff for me is that when I do what you suggested above and set a time - or tell myself to just write and edit it afterwards - I read back over it and actually think it is pretty good. But I really have to fight the inner demons to do that. What usually happens is that I craft each sentence as I write it and don't move on until I get it right. I take ages to be happy with my starting point and begin over and over. There's a real value, isn't there, in us sharing these issues in our blogs, just like you have done. The fact that other people go through these same difficulties and it's not just me, is very empowering and I feel quite liberated by the discussion. So thanks for putting yourself on the line. Jason, I could have written your post. It is exactly me. I also haven’t written to my blog for ages, but you’ve inspired me to do that right now.
The irony of this perfectionism stuff for me is that when I do what you suggested above and set a time – or tell myself to just write and edit it afterwards – I read back over it and actually think it is pretty good. But I really have to fight the inner demons to do that. What usually happens is that I craft each sentence as I write it and don’t move on until I get it right. I take ages to be happy with my starting point and begin over and over.
There’s a real value, isn’t there, in us sharing these issues in our blogs, just like you have done. The fact that other people go through these same difficulties and it’s not just me, is very empowering and I feel quite liberated by the discussion. So thanks for putting yourself on the line.

]]> By: Tim Sullivan http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39077 Tim Sullivan Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:14:56 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39077 Jason -- I share your desire for perfection, but after trying to record the "perfect podcast" or post the "perfect blog post" and finding myself working on the same 250 words for over EIGHT HOURS with no results, I realized I had a problem. I remembered the rules of writing from Robert Heinlein: 1. Write. 2. Finish what you write. 3. Sell it. The point is: content is king, perfect quality is secondary. So now, I schedule deadlines for myself in my Outlook calendar, and stick to them. This has resulted in less than perfect podcasts or posts, but I take comfort in the fact that they are OUT THERE, where they have real value. That has enabled me to keep up a fairly regular posting schedule. No one really cares if there's a little background noise in your podcast, or if there is less than perfect grammar in your post. Jason — I share your desire for perfection, but after trying to record the “perfect podcast” or post the “perfect blog post” and finding myself working on the same 250 words for over EIGHT HOURS with no results, I realized I had a problem. I remembered the rules of writing from Robert Heinlein: 1. Write. 2. Finish what you write. 3. Sell it. The point is: content is king, perfect quality is secondary. So now, I schedule deadlines for myself in my Outlook calendar, and stick to them. This has resulted in less than perfect podcasts or posts, but I take comfort in the fact that they are OUT THERE, where they have real value. That has enabled me to keep up a fairly regular posting schedule. No one really cares if there’s a little background noise in your podcast, or if there is less than perfect grammar in your post.

]]> By: Carrie http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39076 Carrie Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:28:45 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39076 There are two ways to go when you come to a crossroads--the start of a project: 1) You can stand there and analyze, and consider, and PERFECT your plan to the point of exhaustion and end up paralyzed and stuck OR 2) You can give it some thought and then decide to go left or right..and then GO. If you go right, and it ends up not being the best choice, move over to the left, but just MOVE...make a decision and go forward. I struggle with the perfection trap Jason speaks about, especially with this podcasting endeavor. I had a good friend and mentor Tom Royce (www.therealestatebloggers.com) encourage me to "just put it out there" when I was obsessing with the mistakes of my first podcast. He told me to just START and strive to improve with each subsequent post/podcast. Sometimes, it drives me crazy when I listen to my podcast and hear the mistakes I made in interviewing or sound quality/editing, but I just resist the self-chiding and resolve to do better next time...keep moving forward. There are two ways to go when you come to a crossroads–the start of a project: 1) You can stand there and analyze, and consider, and PERFECT your plan to the point of exhaustion and end up paralyzed and stuck OR 2) You can give it some thought and then decide to go left or right..and then GO. If you go right, and it ends up not being the best choice, move over to the left, but just MOVE…make a decision and go forward.

I struggle with the perfection trap Jason speaks about, especially with this podcasting endeavor. I had a good friend and mentor Tom Royce (www.therealestatebloggers.com) encourage me to “just put it out there” when I was obsessing with the mistakes of my first podcast. He told me to just START and strive to improve with each subsequent post/podcast. Sometimes, it drives me crazy when I listen to my podcast and hear the mistakes I made in interviewing or sound quality/editing, but I just resist the self-chiding and resolve to do better next time…keep moving forward.

]]> By: Marc http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39074 Marc Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:47:35 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39074 I try to remember that the most important opinion I have is the opinion I have with myself. And the most important conversation I will ever have is the conversion I have with myself. I didn't say that Zig Ziglar did and I try to live it. I try to remember that the most important opinion I have is the opinion I have with myself. And the most important conversation I will ever have is the conversion I have with myself. I didn’t say that Zig Ziglar did and I try to live it.

]]> By: Richard Farrar http://jasonvanorden.com/content-creation-killer/comment-page-1#comment-39073 Richard Farrar Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:44:05 +0000 http://www.jasonvanorden.com/?p=298#comment-39073 Well I'm glad to hear that it's not just me. I try and do one post a week, but with researching, cross checking and double checking, it often takes the best part of a day to produce something I'm vaguely happy with, which becomes quite a commitment. I think your point about having errors in which stimulates discussion is very interesting, I'm just not sure my pride would allow for that just yet. Clearly something I need to work on. Well I’m glad to hear that it’s not just me. I try and do one post a week, but with researching, cross checking and double checking, it often takes the best part of a day to produce something I’m vaguely happy with, which becomes quite a commitment.

I think your point about having errors in which stimulates discussion is very interesting, I’m just not sure my pride would allow for that just yet. Clearly something I need to work on.

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