Tag Archives: Blogging

A typewriter and a cigarette in ashtray

#59 Blogging after a holiday

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Being stressed about something simple

Having not published any posts for two weeks made me frustrated.
“Calm down, nobody missed your posts anyway…” whispers my brain. It’s the low-self-esteem part of my brain speaking—the part that always sounds like that bully from high school we wished would break his leg in an accident… and he never fucking did!

BUT there is truth in what that part of my brain has been telling me. It’s actually not that big of a deal, if I skip some publications. Right?
Right!

I’m doing this because I enjoy writing, correct? I don’t earn shit when posting a new article, right?
Right!

And yet, my diligent, disciplined, and consistency-oriented side doesn’t want to let go of the disappointment stemming from losing the “weekly track record,” a self-made goal.
Maybe, deep down in the unconscious, this has something to do with my childhood, and a desire for predictability and control… Isn’t everything related to that? Our childhood.

Then there is the other part of my brain speaking—the part that justifies every single missed opportunity with nonsensical, misapplied Stoic-inspired quotes like “there is no right or wrong”, “everything happens for a reason”, or “keep calm, trust the process.” After all, even when I don’t post, I am devoting time to improve my work. I am working on new ideas, polishing my old posts, analyzing my content, trying to figure out the SEO stuff… And I have a list of open tabs in my head all the time. Things I want to do in my blog that don’t include writing. So technically I am always kind of working on this project.

And yet, unless I write and post something, there is a lingering feeling of non-achievement, stinging me like a mosquito, over and over.

This is why I’m coming up with this spontaneous reflection, which sounds more like a rant than anything else.
Let’s try to make the most out of it, though.

Planning the break

First, we have to act before it even happens: it’s important to plan.
Having a clear idea of how we will handle the blog break matters. Do we want to schedule a few posts in advance? Warn our audience (if we have one) about our temporary absence? Bring moleskine and pen with us and take some random notes from time to time?

And that, right there, was my first mistake. I didn’t prepare a plan, anything. Or better, I deluded myself (by bringing moleskine and pen) that I would prolifically write neat posts, which I would then transcribe and publish right away on my return. Well, guess what happened? I had fun on my holiday. I just relaxed and enjoyed it. And throughout the whole week, I had no intention whatsoever of being productive in any freaking way. As it’s supposed to happen. It’s a holiday!

The return and acclimatizing again

Key is keeping in mind the transition phase from holiday to real life. Responsibilities, day-to-day errands, the oppressing energy of the city, the change of seasons—all these things hit you hard.
Personally, I feel like shit the first two, three weeks after a holiday, as I would love to stay in it. Accept it, do things that make you feel better, and don’t take real life too seriously. At the end of the day, we are all hustling, trying to survive while enjoying life a little, without too many worries, especially when there’s a freaking season change in the middle. I can’t begin to explain how my brain is being fucked up by all these.

So, calculate a couple of extra weeks to acclimatize upon return from a holiday.

Restarting to write

Forget about the big projects and fancy posts—just forget about it.

Instead, wait until something spontaneous—something that feels true to you—comes up, then throw the words on paper (or on the screen) and start piecing together the puzzle as you go.

If you are blocked

Accept it and try to chill. It’s also a good chance to read what other bloggers are up to—what are they writing? Is there a topic you’ve been wanting to explore as a reader? Do you follow someone inspiring you’ve been wondering what they were up to? This is a perfect time for “stalking.”

What else?

Out of curiosity, I checked some articles on the same topic. I checked them after writing mine, as I didn’t want to be influenced by existing material, even though SEO experts suggest doing research before you write, to get a sense of what it takes to be on the top ranks. Screw that! Haha.

Anyways, here are a couple of articles that I found actually useful (and a very similar take to mine, even though more concise) and that I will keep as a reminder for the next time I will go on holiday.

1) https://www.exprance.com/how-to-return-to-blogging-after-a-break/
2) https://www.productiveblogging.com/how-to-juggle-blogging-and-holidays/
3) https://www.nosegraze.com/vacation-post-or-not-post/

One last thing

At the end of the day, blogging after a break isn’t about punishing myself for lost momentum—it’s about embracing the reset and letting creativity return at its own pace. Next time, maybe I’ll plan a little more, or maybe I’ll just let the holiday do what holidays are supposed to do: help me enjoy life, recharge, and come back when inspiration strikes.

#42 Your posts are automatically copyright-protected, however…

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…there are some things to keep in mind.

Works from others that we may utilize—like photos, quotes, videos, and so on—don’t become our own just because we repost them. Sounds obvious, but in today’s world… I don’t know, man, I think it’s always worth stating the obvious, even at the cost of sounding redundant.

So yes, this general copyright rule applies here as well: one should always quote someone else’s work—always!

Then there’s the AI topic, which complicates things a little. Without diving into specifics about jurisdictions and what different countries allow, I’ve gathered from some sources I’ve consulted that AI use is permitted as long as it’s not used for major modifications or to generate content from scratch. Which absolutely makes sense to me.

As long as we use tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and DeepL to correct grammar and improve clarity, it’s fine. It’s like having a personal proofreader at your disposal, which speeds up the process. And that’s the coolest part of these tools. Even though, to me, they’re the most diabolic invention ever; but I don’t want to unpack this topic. It’s just depressing, especially for us creatives… But hey, the proofreader part is pretty cool. I know this sounds inconsistent and opportunistic, but one has to adapt somehow.

So, to conclude: the original content we publish on our blogs—articles, essays, poetry, short stories, novels, photos, illustrations, videos, audio; in general, any creative piece of work originating exclusively from our own brain that doesn’t plagiarize existing material or wasn’t generated from scratch by a freaking AI tool—is ours. A bit like it would be if it were published by a traditional editor (for writers)—with the pro that there’s no transfer of rights, and the con that we make zero money from it. If you do (make money), please share some tips—hehe. The right to reproduce the work, distribute it, display it in public, create derivative works, and so on, belongs to us—the creators who published it on their own page.

Another thing to keep in mind is to display a copyright notice on your website, like I did on my homepage (BLOG). It’s an extra layer—a bit like a bulletproof vest working as a disclaimer—which could offer additional protection in case of a dispute.

There are endless sources on this topic out there, and it’s a complex one since international law is involved. If you’re an expert on this topic, please feel free to call out any bullshit I may have said—or share any useful tips or insights that could be helpful for the community.

Here are some quick sources I used:

https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/running-business/intellectual-property/copyright/index_en.htm

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/artificial-intelligence-and-ip

https://www.iubenda.com/en/help/43711-how-to-copyright-a-blog

#31 What I don’t want to write about

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This week, I tried to write a post several times, failing miserably at each attempt.

Initially, I wanted to write about my holiday in Portugal. I managed a few paragraphs and even came up with a title I really liked. It felt simple, catchy, and fitting for the overall topic I had in mind: “The importance of taking a break.” But by the time I reached paragraph five, I had already lost the plot. I was writing about anything but the importance of taking a break.

Instead, I found myself rambling about the thoughts that had accompanied me during my vacation in Portugal—things like “I’m grateful for this…”, “I found that so annoying…”, “That person was a creep”, “That other person was so nice”, and so on.

I read the whole thing out loud again, and it irritated me. I didn’t want to put anybody else through that unexciting, boring collection of random thoughts. So, I deleted it and started all over again.

My next idea was to talk about a project that I’ve had in mind for a while now: reading extracts from books that taught me valuable lessons. This time, however, the title I came up with was disastrous: “A reading project.” Just for the record, I think it’s important to come up with the title at some point during the writing process. It gives me clear direction—an answer to the quintessential writer’s question: “What do I want to write about?” But no, “A reading project” didn’t strike a chord. It was too broad, and somehow I ended up talking about childhood dreams I had long forgotten.

Today, three hours of my precious time went by between unexciting meal prepping, interrupted second-season episodes of Fleabag, chips, large cups of coffee, and random words written on WordPress. All this while the sun was shining brightly outside. And there I was, thinking, Well then, when it’s raining you can’t really complain about it.

At that point, I was ready to give up. I was starting to feel like a fraud, questioning my skills, creativity, attention span, life—while also feeling deep guilt for wasting a sunny day. WTF?!

Then I realized something—or better, I found something to blame for my lack of ideas: society, once again. Of course! In these times of uncertainty (I think this is one of my most used words lately), insecurity (this is my second), and lack of collective purpose—other than worrying about war, having a stable job, and how crazy we’re all becoming, ignorant, and trapped in a vicious cycle of extreme events (which, in my case, feels like the beginning of a new Middle Age).

But again, no. That has nothing to do with my writing skills, creative process, and so on. I’m just in my own process. I’m realizing, once again, that I don’t have to figure out what I want to write about. Instead, I just need to go with what’s true to me in a specific moment—which, in itself, is a challenging endeavor.

So, in the end, I would conclude by saying that there is no magic formula. For me, every post is a new, very different experience. The only thing I can do is try to look into myself honestly and figure out what’s true to me in the moment.

What we want to write about sometimes comes by excluding what we don’t want to write about. Hence, letting go of what doesn’t resonate with us in a given moment and leaving space for what does.

#21 Work, stories, and beyond: redefining my blog’s direction

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I started this blog on impulse. I’ve been experimenting with it for a few months now, but I still don’t have a clear idea of where I’m heading.

If I had a clear path for where to take this blog, I would narrow down the topic to something that really thrills me. But since that’s not the case, I decided to broaden it. I definitely want to keep writing about work, as I genuinely believe that in the society we live in, work defines our existence and who we are—whether we like it or not. Work propels everything around us; if we or our machines weren’t constantly working like little bees, our world would collapse. Yes, we should strive to improve work conditions and make them more sustainable, but we can’t stop working.

If you read any book, any short story, or watch any movie, work is always a pillar of the narrative. It defines characters, sets the scene, and shapes time and space—whether it’s in the background or at the forefront of the storytelling.

However, I don’t want to limit myself to writing only about what happens in my work life. I want to explore short stories, random reflections, and maybe even share one-paragraph posts inspired by things people tell me. And while I enjoy the topic of work, I won’t write solely about it.

I’m trying to step away from my usual control-freak tendencies, where I plan and define everything. Instead, I want to lose control and discover something unexpected and new.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to change the name of the blog from Work Thoughts to Beyond My CV. It aligns with my website name, fits the broader purpose, and creates a mini personal brand. Plus, someone else already has a blog called Work Thoughts, which annoyed me quite a bit.

#17 Using AI prompts to edit my blog posts

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Before I share the tricks that help me polish my posts without distorting what I originally wrote, let me confess that I’ve cut a few corners in the past using AI prompts.

The most questionable trick I’ve used was asking ChatGPT to draft a conclusion by feeding it only two-thirds of a written post. There’s no excuse—I feel bad even admitting it—but at the time, I was overwhelmed with life and couldn’t come up with conclusions. Later, I realized that not every post needs one. Sometimes, the post is complete when you’ve run out of meaningful things to say, and it reads perfectly fine without moral lessons, unsolicited advice, or redundant perspectives.

The reason I felt guilty—if it’s not obvious—is the deep respect I have for the craft of writing and for writers of all kinds, those who carefully consider every word they use. It felt like a betrayal of my principles and my own creative process, and it’s not something I ever want to repeat.

That said, I won’t entirely dismiss the power of AI-driven tools to help proofread and refine my writing or to catch inconsistencies and inaccuracies that my own eyes might miss—especially given how little time I can dedicate to this time-consuming activity.

Here are a few helpful, ethically sound (by my standards) and simple prompts I’ve developed over time:

Proofreading

Writers know that no piece of writing—regardless of its audience or purpose—should go public without at least a second pair of eyes reviewing it. Proofreading styles vary greatly: some people practically rewrite your work, while others stick to spotting typos and fixing orthographic issues.

But here’s the thing—those “second eyes” require time, experience, and they’re rarely free (unless you know a benevolent soul whose sole priority is helping you improve). This is where ChatGPT can be incredibly handy. My prompt for this is:

  • Correct any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
  • Ensure clarity and consistency without altering the intended tone or writing style.
  • Preserve the structure and flow of the text unless minor adjustments are necessary for readability or coherence.
  • Highlight unclear sections or sentences that could benefit from rephrasing, while suggesting minimal, non-intrusive edits.

Fact-Checking

So far, I’ve written only a few posts that required this prompt. It’s for posts where I reference studies or attempt a journalistic analysis of societal issues. I aim to research thoroughly, check sources, and quote or paraphrase without inaccuracies.

This is something I’d like to focus on more, but it’s not a top priority right now. Here’s the prompt I use for fact-checking:

  • Offer concise feedback for maintaining journalistic integrity and readability.
  • Identify any claims, data points, or studies that require verification.
  • Suggest credible sources to verify the information or correct inaccuracies, if any.
  • Highlight sections where citations or additional clarity could improve reliability.
  • Ensure quotes are accurately represented and properly attributed.

SEO

I wish I could say I’m passionate about SEO, but that’s not the case—yet. Despite reading books, taking courses, and watching videos on the subject, it hasn’t fully clicked for me. Maybe one day!

For now, I use this prompt to tackle SEO-related tasks:

  • Propose broad categories that accurately reflect the main themes and context of the post, ensuring they fit a typical WordPress blog taxonomy.
  • Suggest relevant tags to help readers and search engines quickly identify key topics or concepts discussed in the post.
  • Write a max 100 characters, human-readable excerpt summarizing the core idea of the blog post in an engaging and SEO-friendly way. Aim to capture the reader’s interest while reflecting the content accurately.

There you have it—my secrets. I hope you find them helpful! Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any tricks to share, resources you recommend, or books and authors that have inspired you.

#16 A spontanous reflection after a long day

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I had forgotten how, at the end of each day, work can deplete us of the energy to create anything beyond what we are expected to do at the office. This is not a complaint—it’s just an acknowledgment of reality. As I write these words, I’m squeezing my neurons to produce something meaningful, even though I know it might be a failed attempt.

I usually write my posts well in advance, which allows me to reflect on what I wrote and polish it if necessary. I focus on a specific topic that I’ve had in mind for a while, or sometimes on something that comes up spontaneously. Regardless, I usually schedule the post to be published on Fridays. Today, however, I’m writing a very spontaneous post on no particular topic, which I will publish immediately.

I’m not sure why I feel this need to justify myself—to whom? What I write is barely read by anyone. Even my girlfriend and a really good friend—whom I forced myself to send links to a couple of posts—aren’t particularly interested in my “work thoughts,” and honestly, I don’t blame them. This can be an exhausting topic and difficult to follow purely on a personal impulse, as I tend to ping-pong here and there without a precise plan, guided only by my love for writing. But I love it the way it is. I don’t seek much visibility; I really enjoy my “wannabe” blog/personal website that never quite takes off, with its occasional visitor who drops by briefly—and the rare reader who shows appreciation with a like.

I guess I’m not justifying myself but rather reflecting on this nonsensical train of thought on a very long and tiring Thursday.

There are a lot of topics I want to discuss in my future posts, including the following draft titles that I have in mind:

  • A good manager and a good team are the most important things in a job
  • Understanding that I can overcome any struggle helps with challenges (I think I will repeat this topic over and over, as it’s some sort of “resilience-building mantra” for me)
  • Perspective and free writing
  • How I use AI in my blog posts
  • Reflections on the end of the year: a tough one

So, for my courageous (or imaginary) readers, stay tuned, as 2025 is going to be filled with boring, probably badly written, and unexciting topics.