I’m switching from typing blog posts to keeping a handwritten journal first, then scanning and transcribing the pages into posts here. It’s a simpler way to keep publishing regularly, since I never stopped filling notebooks even after the blog went quiet for years.
Three years ago, I built my personal website as a portfolio for work. Ever since it fulfilled its purpose, I stopped working on it. My website has essentially been sitting in maintenance mode these past years.
With recent developments at work, I now have more free time to work on my site. I decided to rebuild the whole thing from scratch. With a fresh new look on the horizon, it’s time to get working.
This time around, I’m changing my approach to creating content. I used to type out all the blogs I posted before, but that didn’t really work out for me. It felt like too much of a chore, and I couldn’t push out content on a regular basis. I need a different approach that actually works for me.
Moving to a Handwritten Journal Approach
Moving forward, I’m going with a handwritten journal style. I want my website to be a space where I can just dump out my thoughts, a place where I can talk about things I’m interested in until it reaches the right audience.
Instead of typing my blogs directly, I write them first by hand. My thoughts flow far more freely with pen and paper than when I’m staring at a screen. I’ll just scan them afterward and transcribe them into a document to post as a blog.
Why the Shift?
I got this idea after organizing my journals this year. It turns out I’ve finished multiple thick journal books over the past three years. My blog stopped publishing, but I never stopped writing. So, I thought: why not just do what I enjoy and find a way to digitalize my yapping?
I don’t know how effective this will be in the long run. I just know I’m never gonna stop writing with pen and paper. Might as well put it out there, because there’s probably someone who wants to hear what I have to say.
Plus, it’s kinda cool thinking every single blog post on my personal website started as a page in a handwritten journal.
FAQ
Why did you stop posting on your blog?
My blog went quiet because typing out full posts felt like a chore and I couldn’t keep up a regular schedule, even though I never stopped writing by hand in my personal journals.
How do you turn a handwritten journal entry into a blog post?
I write the entry by hand first, then scan the page and transcribe it into a document, which becomes the blog post you’re reading.
Do you still write by hand for every blog post?
Yes, going forward every new post on this site starts as a handwritten journal entry before it’s typed up and published.
Will you keep using this handwritten journal approach long-term?
I’m not sure yet how well it’ll work over time, but I plan to keep writing by hand regardless, so it makes sense to publish that writing here.