If you’re a passionate writer or blogger who dove into the Steemit ocean thinking that this was the place to make it, you are in the right place. Though the make it part leaves room for interpretation.
Some of you registered for the incentives, being tired of changing editors or knocking on new doors each few months. Or maybe you realized there was more to Steemit than the regular social networks. Others may have done it out of boredom, thinking it would be fun to try out a new thing, or simply because they were looking for a different type of audience.
Whatever the reason that made you embark on this journey, at the end of your first month, you asked yourself if it was worth. You had at least one of these questions popping in your mind:
Why should I continue posting on Steemit? What are the things I like or dislike about it? What have I achieved so far? What am I doing wrong? What type of posts are getting more votes? How come my posts are not getting into the order of hundreds? How do I get more followers?
There are some great posts on Steemit addressing all of these questions. Have a look at some of the tutorials written by other Steemians such as:
@Katrina-Ariel wrote a great blogging tutorial,
@itwithsm revealed tips on how to beautify your posts,
@techslut offered some great tips on how to cure your upvote shortage ,
@ameliabarlett covered the topic of earning real money,
@ethandsmith explained curation trail bot.
These are only a few from the multitude of posts that shed a light on how to navigate on this ocean.
I won’t try to add anything on that. My goal is to change your perspective on things and make you see Steemit in a different light. Indulge me and try for a few minutes to forget everything about the rewards, incentives or whales.
You may have years of writing experience under your belt or you may be a newbie. It does not really matter. When you start on Steemit, you have to understand that what really counts at the end of the day is the community feeling, the help and encouragement you find in abundance, not the value of Steam dollars you have in your wallet.
As a ghost writer, I found several reasons to continue posting here. They may not apply entirely to you, but I thought of giving it a shot, sharing my thoughts with you.
FREEDOM TO CHOSE YOUR OWN TOPICS
Besides the fact you own your content, you get to chose your own topics, your own keywords. You can write about any of the things that you are passionate about. As long as you produce quality content and you speak from your heart, people will read your posts.
RECOGNITION
As a writer (by this I also mean ghost writer, content writer, blogger, poet) you give voice to so many characters, you explore different personalities and worlds. You leave something from you into each piece of paper that you write. In real-life, some of your works may see the light of day, while others won't.
On Steemit, you can publish your work without fearing it might not make it to the top. Worst case scenario, you'll not get a lot of up votes. But it will be there, published, waiting to be read by someone interested in that topic. That's beauty of blogging!
Each time you create a post here, you get all the credit. It does not matter if you chose your real name or a pseudonym. If you craved to see your name at the end of that article, poem or column, this is your chance to shine!
In addition, your story will be preserved (yeah, you can't delete it!) for as long as the blockchain will be standing. You have an amazing opportunity to get your name next to other great writers. Did I mention it's all for FREE?
REAL-TIME FEEDBACK
Real-time feedback for writers is a dream come true. Gone are the days when you had to wait for your editor's call. No more manuscript or article submissions! The middleman is out! There's you and the ocean of Steemit.
Once you clicked the post button, your post will be read by a diverse audience. Don't be surprised when you get a kick-ass 20 lines feedback comment from a notoriety in your field! As a side note, keep in mind that you should reply to all comments you receive for your posts, even if they were not written by subject matter experts.
That being said, give your best, pour out your heart and soul, make your fingertips sweat while typing. Let your work inspire others.
EXPOSURE TO A DIVERSE AUDIENCE
On Steemit you get the greatest exposure ever. As any other writer, you may have dreamt at least once of having one of your best works landing on the desk of a publisher. Now, things got even more easier. Your dream of getting noticed is literally one click away.
There are many artists, musicians, film makers, publishers on Steemit, scouting daily for new talent. Whatever your niche is, ensure you are always creating quality content.
GREAT SUPPORT NETWORK
Building connections with other Steemians is not only a gateway to forging new friendships, but also a bridge to new projects into various fields that you would have not dared to venture yourself. Challenge yourself at least once a month to do something new.
Embracing change leads to enhanced creativity. Get out of your comfort zone and create a post that combines your writing skills with some of your passions. Here are some Steemians whose posts you'll enjoy reading: @quillfire, @dswigle and @c0ff33a.
FREE ACCESS TO COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
Almost each day there is a new post regarding a collaborative project that you could jump on. All you need to do is to scroll down through your feed or navigate through the Discord channels you have joined. Whatever your field is, there's something for you in there.
Collaborative projects play a key role in one's personal and professional development. They boost creativity and improve communication.
Did read the post on the launch of Steemit collaborative fiction, The Artist Imprint Series? You should give it a read!
If you still have no idea where to start meeting people, join one of the following communities on Steemit: The Alliance , theSTEEMengine , TribeGlobal-Love or W.O.V.E.N. (Women of Victory Excelling Now), PoetsUnited , TeamGirlPowa or any other one that appeals to you. Isle of Write, The Writer's Block have some amazing workshops where you can learn a thing or two.
Just click on the Discord channel link appearing on the upper part of their page. Go on Discord, you'll meet new users and chances are high on stumbling upon some that you'd like.
To wrap it up, you need to write because you feel compelled to do it, not because you expect to see your posts taking off.You can't be everyone's cup of tea. Forget the whales and the incentives, focus on making your dream a reality! Write from your heart!
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to resteemit or upvote it!
Please leave your feedback in the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!
@2018 LaviPicu aka The Lyme Poet. All rights reserved.
art and flair courtesy of @PegasusPhysics
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