Ask and you shall receive. I thought I would ask fellow authors about their writing routine so that I might “steal” some tips to hone my processes. And in an act of reciprocity, I will post about mine. :p

When to Write

Do you have a fixed timing in which you plonk yourself down in front of your laptop and start churning out words? Perhaps writing articles on Publish0x is an indispensable part of your morning routine. I can imagine some of you sipping your coffee or tea, engrossed in your thoughts and chewing over the best words to use next. As for me, while I would ideally love to write in the morning so that I get my most important task done and dusted ✅, I have come to realise that I’m not always in the mood to write first thing in the morning. Sometimes, I’m distracted by pesky work matters, which disrupts my concentration.

This means that my writing time is fluid. When I don’t feel like writing in the morning, I will usually do some writing on my commute after work or when I go to fetch my boy from the childcare centre. You may be wondering, how do I get the energy to write after a long day at work. Well, because I have already mentally committed myself to posting something on Publish0x every day, my muse will gnaw at me if I wish to take the easy way out and not write. In fact, I’m writing this on my phone while waiting for my wife to finish grocery shopping. No rest for the wicked!

What to Write

I think we can establish that Publish0x is a wonderful blogging site that allows us to blog about everything under the sun. We also know that crypto-related articles typically earn more tips than non-crypto ones. So, for those who exclusively write about crypto, does it just happen serendipitously that you are stirred to focus on crypto topics? Or do you have to “condition” and “discipline” your muse into submission so that your mind only generates ideas about crypto?

I think my mind is akin to a galloping horse because while I’m interested in crypto and relying on it as another source of income, I don’t necessarily want to write about crypto all the time. If you ask me, I would love to carve out a niche as a writer that specialises in Japan because not only did I spend two glorious years there, but I also met the love of my life. I think I would be more engaged if I were to write solely about Japan. That’s why I sometimes randomly post stuff about Japan. ;)

So, there’s this creative tension within me. Which direction do I want to take in my writing side hustle? Do I spend more time writing about crypto and specialise in it because there are many Web 3 platforms that cater to crypto enthusiasts and pay out in crypto? Or do I concentrate on my first love - writing on Japan - even though it’s a saturated market? I don’t have any answers now. But I guess struggles like this are what makes life interesting, right? 

Where to Write

Do you have a designated writing spot? Maybe it’s your favourite spot in your house or even your work cubicle. Though tread with caution if it’s the latter because you won’t want to be caught doing personal stuff during work! Do you need to get yourself into the mood for writing by propping yourself in front of the laptop, with a cup of coffee/tea in tow? Or perhaps you prefer to type out your thoughts on a comfortable couch while multitasking? Netflix comes to mind.

I have to admit that I used to adopt a rather serious attitude towards writing. I would have articles like “8 Basic Facts About Solana” and be engrossed in front of my laptop for an hour or two, laboriously doing research and compiling all the links. Then, I realised that maybe you guys don’t want to read academic-sounding articles. After all, I’m no expert, so even if I painstakingly curate all these sources of information, there will be many people who can write this kind of article better than me. Once this paradigm was shattered, I found myself pivoting to blogging about my personal triumphs and mishaps on my smartphone. I can’t tell you how liberating that feels, because this means that I can write articles on the go. In fact, I’m typing this out as my school bus inches its way to school due to a traffic jam caused by a downpour. No more agonising about lost time since I spend it productively here, heh. 

Closing Thoughts 

Writing articles on Publish0x makes me feel good about myself because no matter what shitty things happen on that day, I still have the will and ability to write something. It’s like pointing the erhm middle finger at life’s curveballs, you know. I can’t express enough how my life has been enriched by reaping some monetary rewards from my humble writing. I guess what I can do to reciprocate is to work harder on myself - be a wiser, kinder, more informed and resilient person - so that I can uplift your spirits as much as you raise mine. Cheerios!