Whoa… it sure has been 100 weeks of steady learning. And thankfully, it was in the direction I had wanted because I was learning exactly what I wanted to. Of course, mistakes have been made, but then that also means that lessons have been learned. After all, if we don’t make mistakes from time to time, how then do we really learn? How then do we get better?
One of the basic tenets of the Featured Edition Program is that it challenges the writers. No matter how simple or complex the topic is, you’d have to sit for a while and think about what you want to pen down before you start anything. Because having an idea in your head is one thing, but then writing it out in a way that will provide a good reading for everyone else is a totally different ball game. This is one of the things the program excels at; making writers look inward and realize that they can do just about anything they want.
Prior to the start of the Featured Edition, I had just made the decision to cut down on my story writing and try out more articles. But for some reason, the transition was not as easy as I had hoped. Writing became so hard in a way I didn’t expect it to be. I could write a story of two thousand words without even getting up from my chair, but I was finding it hard to write up to 300 words without adding fluff and fillers.
It wasn’t easy because I was beginning to be terrified that stories were the only thing I would ever be able to write. I wanted to do more, and I wanted to be more, but my limitations were just too glaring and at a point it was frustrating.
Thankfully, Featured Editions started right around that time and each topic was uniquely crafted in a way that would be personal for every different writer. All they required was for you to be real and to be yourself, and I came to realize that being real was something I was already good at. The first few topics were not that easy because I was still struggling with my proficiency in article writing. But then as time passed, I realized that I got better and better.
Soon, it got to a point where I didn’t really have to do a lot of preparation before sitting down to write. I just boot up my laptop and start writing, trying to see where the spirit would lead me. I don’t always employ this method because it always causes me to stray from topic to topic and before I know it, I have over two thousand words of various topics all mashed together. And this takes a longer time for me to edit them.
So, you see? The Featured Edition was highly instrumental in getting me to this point and it’s something that I’ll always be grateful for. It also taught me more about myself and that was how I developed the habit of talking about my daily life. My posts that are not related to FE are usually about my life and how certain things affect me, which is basically what the FE still does.
And then, when we talk about achievements, I’m thankful that I’ve come so far. I think the greatest achievement for me has to be with how far I’ve come with regard to writing. It has helped me not just online, but in my other jobs as well. Previously, I only ghostwrote fiction, but I worked on a non-fiction book not too long ago and the client really liked the work I put out. I don’t think that feat would have been accomplished without having FE in my life.
And like I said at the beginning, mistakes are bound to be made, but that’s how we learn, right? Well, one mistake I made was slacking off when it came to engagement. There was a time when I used to make comments, but after a while, that died off and it was bad because I saw how it affected me in a number of ways. Thankfully, I realized my mistake and resumed engaging. I’m back in the game because engagement is like the bind that holds us all together in this fast-moving train we call the blockchain, the moment you let go, you’re left behind. And the funny thing is, you won’t even know!
So far so good, one can say that I’ve come full circle but in a stronger and better way. First, I was writing only stories, then I was writing only articles. Now, I’m writing stories, articles, and movie reviews. Hell, I could even start publishing recipes on Creative Sunday! That’s to show you just how much this has changed my life. I’ve gotten better and the difference between Bruno Kema of today and the one of 100 weeks ago is as clear as night and day.
And this growth is what I’m looking for more of. It’s why I’m looking forward to another solid 100 weeks of Featured Editions. Who knows what I would have achieved by then?