30 days <br>26K+ Followers <br>3 Million+ Impressions <br>43K Engagements
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30 days
26K+ Followers
3 Million+ Impressions
43K Engagements
30 days ago, on April 23, I decided to start writing again, just to catalog my thoughts and document my IAS journey and experiences.
For me, writing is an end in itself and the reward comes from the process itself. I never write to seek engagements or gain followers.
When a friend of mine inquired about strategies for gaining followers, I was struck by a sense of imposter syndrome. Despite my online presence, I realized I was unfamiliar with the digital marketing jargon he used. I don't have any content creation dashboard, no content calendar, or batch creation techniques.
But, here are a few things that helped me:
[1] I never have to search for ideas. Thanks to my role as an IAS, every hour I spend in service gives me a new idea to write about. For example, yesterday I visited a Self-Help Group in a remote village, which led me to reflect on the importance of risk transfer and risk mitigation through government intervention for effective value capture at community level. Later that same day, a visit to a model village prompted me to consider the scalability of these concepts.
[2] Detach yourself from the outcome. As mentioned, I never write to seek engagements or gain followers. It's an avenue for me to refine my thought process. It's fun, relaxing, and intellectually stimulating. The reward lies in the process itself.
[3] Never force yourself to write. I never follow a calendar or theme in my writing. I write when and what I feel like. This freedom helps me stay creative and keep the writing fun. Never let it feel like work.
[4] Don't edit or iterate too much. Due to a paucity of time, I usually post the first draft itself. I realize my posts are often not polished, but to me, they seem more authentic than posts produced after multiple edits and iterations. People and audiences connect with you when they feel something is coming straight from the heart.
[5] Write what you would want to read as an audience. Just a variant of Kant’s Categorical Imperative and the Golden Rule—do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
[6] Mix your writing styles—sometimes from the heart and other times with your brain. This helps break monotony and makes writing more enjoyable
I can't promise it will bring followers your way, but I can assure you, it will make you savor the art of writing and perhaps, fall deeply in love with it.
Who knows? Once you fall in love, the 'followers' just might follow!