I have always considered myself to be an idea person. Having ideas certainly helps in my ability to write, not just in coming up with new themes, but in variety of writing styles. Generally in my most personal pieces, I tend to go through the process completely alone. The full written piece is just mine. But there are other pieces I write that with collaboration from others (mostly only my husband), become even more effective, and I feel more appealing to a greater audience.
At times I feel like something may be missing from one of my written pieces, or that my presentation is just not on the mark. I am very appreciative, in these cases, when my husband gives them a read through. He’s an outstanding editor, a far better editor than me. I think that he is also a great writer, but he takes far longer to write similar length pieces than I do. He’s very strategic, and I think even more artistic than me, in some ways. Ideas just pour out of my head, and since I’m a fast typist they flow as quickly as I think them onto the computer screen with very few pauses. Before I know it, the post is done. Then I need to look it over to figure out what in the heck my brain was spewing out.
When I read back my posts to myself, I inevitably make changes, but sometimes I still only see the piece in a singular way. When my husband edits one of my posts, he leaves the meat of the post alone (he always seems to like my ideas), but has a brilliant way of adding subtle bits here and there, and some “artistic” touches that accentuate the piece. He’s also a grammar hound, and shuffles some sentences in ways that make them even more effective. And yes, he does occasionally add an idea or two.
I used to do marketing writing for a job in the past. I feel that collaboration can definitely be highly beneficial for that type of writing. Not only in the ways I mentioned above with my husband, but also in idea brainstorming. Though idea brainstorming can be helpful from small or sometimes even large groups, I find blog post and certain other types of writing collaboration best done with one other person max. Yes, in some cases there can be too many hands in the cookie jar, so to speak. This is especially the case when you want your own voice to shine through in a written piece. Since my husband fully understands my voice, he never edits it out or changes it. He knows me well. I suppose if you are a serious writer working with an editor, it would also be crucial to find someone who knows you well enough not to change your voice. I suppose that attribute would also be the mark of a good and effective editor. With the wrong editor I could see conflicts arising. Who wants to see their written work changed to the point of unrecognition? I would see that as deflating, and even angering.
Do you ever get another person’s feedback for your blog posts before publishing them? If not, how about other things you have written? What have been your experiences collaborating with others? What made it effective and helpful, and what may have made it frustrating?
Bird Flight 
I can think of back to my assistant manager days when I had to do performance reviews or do a write up on an employee for an award. I have an idea of what I want to say but I”m such a blunt person sometimes that I would usually have a colleague read it through and fix me if I’m being too harsh or over exaggerating for the sake of being nice. It was tough!
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Nel, that’s a great idea! I know I’ve also needed that feedback from someone before submitting/sending certain letters or other documents.
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For my blog posts I don’t have anyone read them before I publish them but with other papers I’m writing I do have other people check them over. I think that it’s important to have other people check over your papers because everyone has a different outlook on things and they could see something that maybe you didn’t.
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I can see that. I know most people don’t have others read over their blog posts. Normally I don’t unless it’s one I’m really particular about. Thanks for sharing.
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No problem!
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I generally publish my blog posts without anyone else reading them because I’m alone in the mornings when I get my writing done. Still, I have to read over them three or four times before I’m happy enough to send them out into the universe.
For other things, however, I always use my husband as a first reader. He is not a writer, and actually not an avid reader either, so in a lot of ways his feedback is uniquely valuable because of his distance from the craft.
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I, too, have to read my blog post drafts over more than a couple of times. It’s amazing how many things you keep wanting to change. I usually only have hubby look in certain cases, but he really does give good suggestion.
You make a good point that distance from the craft can be helpful.
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Enjoyed your article. I’m a perfectionist; I rarely post anything without going over it at least half a dozen times. I could probably use a beta reader even then, but don’t have one handy.
Sounds like you have some interesting posts up! By the way, you could have tagged this one Personal and Articles as well, to send it more places. Word Press allows up to fifteen Ts & Cs. I’d suggest you wipe out the Uncategorized as your default category, as it does zilch. I’ve made Reflections my blog’s default category.
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Thank you so much, Christine. And thank you for the suggestions for the tags and default category. To be honest, I’m not really that knowledgeable about what tags are most effective. Perhaps I should google an article about that. I’m sure there are a few out there.
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You can check out the Tags at https://en.wordpress.com/tags for some of the most common ones.
Choose general topics of interest. Some people tag their posts with things very few people will ever look up in Word Press, like “orange is my color” or “living my life” which is a waste, IMO.
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Thank you so much, Christine for the weblink. I’ll study the tags tomorrow morning.
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I was hooked by your opening sentence. Ideas person. No man is an island and I think at least the initial stages of brainstorming with others allows the ideas to flourish. But at the end of the day, I find writing most effective when done alone… 🙂
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Thank you, and I agree with you Jolene. Though I do appreciate my hubby’s input, and do use some of it gratefully, I make sure it’s all mine in the end.
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I made my 2 very close friends read my 1st post before publishing it.
They didnt suggest changes and supported me moraly.
Now i just write and post from my laptop then i read it again once on my phone, as a different screan does highlight a few errors at times
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Thanks for sharing, stoneonarollercoaster. I’m glad you got good support.
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You’re welcome i am very lucky to have such friends 🙂
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You’re so sweet. I’m lucky to have WordPress friends like you, too.
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The feeling is mutual 😊
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great idea for self-editing, thanks!
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My pleasure.
You can even schedule the post from your laptop. Proofread it from phone and then publish it.
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I certainly love some positive feedback before I post something on the Internet that potentially makes me vulnerable. I haven’t had anyone edit my blogging but can certainly see how it would be helpful, especially during one of my manic write-faster-than-i-can-breathe-must-get-the-words-out-now! moments.
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Oh, I can so relate to needing editing during my manic moments. My writing goes crazy. My manic writing may seem creative in some ways, but often becomes disjointed.
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Never really collaborated with anyone on my blogs or anything like that… honestly wouldn’t know how to start lol but writing sounds like your passion… great work
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Writing has become my passion. Even if it’s not perfect, I get so much out of it. I hope you do, too.
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Absolutely 👍👍
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