Writing for an online blog or forum may seem like it's nothing much. Looking back on before I used to write for the Odyssey, I think about how often I would take weekly articles for granted, in a sense. I love reading articles on places like Facebook and twitter, especially articles like the ones you find on BuzzFeed. And while you come across them just by scrolling down your timeline or feed, there's a lot more that goes into those articles when they are written. Now you may be thinking "Uh, yeah duh. Anyone could tell me that," but truthfully, I think it is hard to understand just what it takes to write an article each week, until you actually do it yourself.
The longer I've continued to write for the Odyssey, the more I've come to realize that the articles that pop up on your feed whenever you're online, took a lot of work and dedication to get there. Each week, I start thinking about my articles and writing them on Monday and Tuesday, and by Friday night they're usually submitted for editing to go live on Monday morning. That means that I'm essentially working on my article five days a week, like a second job. Even though the actual writing of the article may not take more than an hour or so, the thought, research, and consideration that goes into it can often extend past that hour of writing.
Not to say that I am complaining at all. I enjoy writing my articles and posting them every week to share with my readers. In fact, that's what keeps me doing it, as I've said before. However, it does make me appreciate the fact that articles are not just something that magically pop up on your feed each day. In fact, as you're reading that article on Facebook right now, the author of it is probably jotting down new topic ideas, or looking online for some inspiration for next week's piece. It's an ongoing process, which is ultimately something that I think I love the most about writing. Writing is never a complete and finished task. There's always something that can be done to improve your writing, and there's always something to be thinking about for your next piece.
So the next time you're reading that article from BuzzFeed, or your favorite blog, just remember that while you're enjoying what may seem to be a simple piece, the author is already most likely working on next week's edition. Writing is an art form that allows you to express your thoughts and ideas in ways that no other medium can. Opening up through your writing can let you connect with your readers in ways you never thought possible. That's why writers enjoy what they do so much. But for all of that, it is a dedicated art form that requires more from the author than what it takes to read the article itself. It's researching, editing, reviewing, and finalizing to make what you see every week something enjoyable and worthy of your attention. So please, enjoy the writing of other's, but don't forget what it takes to get there.
