Start Scrappy: Lessons from a Solopreneur's Evolution in Content Creation | Confessions of a Ghostwriter Part #9

FRIEND: You're a carousel queen!

ME: Oh gosh! You should've seen how horrible they looked when I first started.

A fellow solopreneur recently reminded me that starting scrappy is a good thing.

Why? It's the first step in the journey toward mediocrity and later excellence.

I'm figuring out this whole short-form video thing because - well, UHM Instagram, YouTube, and every other social media platform are embracing the video content revolution.

It's one of those get-with-the-times-or-get-left-behind things and I hate every 10-second video I make even though they're getting views on YouTube. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy creating the videos. It just feels like a hot mess.

See, I have this vision for the video content I want to create, but I'm a long way from reaching that standard.

That's okay, though, because when I started sharing carousels on Instagram and LinkedIn, those were a hot mess, too.

Still, I experimented, watched a ton of Typography 101 videos (thanks to Chris Do and The Futur community), and focused on making incremental improvements over time.

So, I need to take the same approach to the video thing.

Get Started

The first step is starting and creating consistent content without looking at results. When you're just starting out with a new skill, focus on completing a post and publishing it - even if you think it sucks. See, fear of failing or imperfection tends to keep us from sharing work online. However, every time you click publish, you weaken the hold fear has on you. That's the goal in this phase.

Get Consistent

Next, focus on consistency. If there's anything content creators agree on, it's the importance of consistency. You don't have to post daily or even weekly. Find a flow that works with your schedule in this season of life. One way to stay consistent is by batch-creating your content. Let's say you want to post a weekly blog. Well, you can schedule some time every fortnight to write two blog posts. Batch-creating content can help you stay ahead of schedule and removes the pressure of having to do one more thing every week.

Get Better

Finally, it's time to level up your skills. When I started creating content, I focused on improving one element at a time. First, I worked on typography, then I learned to work with color and images, and currently, I'm learning to work with "busy" graphics. There's always more to learn and room to grow. With video, I'm still in the get consistent phase. However, the first skill I'll work on once the time comes is lighting, then framing shots and you get the picture.

On paper, it seems like a slow process - and it is. However, when you add the process into the rest of your life, tackling one improvement at a time becomes manageable, figureoutable. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to see your progress as you implement lessons, techniques and hacks.

And one day when someone compliments your work, think back to this day. This day of scrappy starts and sucky content and remember that mastery takes practice, talent, and time.

What new skills have you learned since starting your journey? Let me know in the comments.

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