But, I have always had a place to put my professional blogging. As in, a place where I can talk about what people seem to want me to share the most about on a professional level: social media tips, content ideas, community guidelines… I always have had a place to blog about them outside of my personal blog.

And, those times when I didn’t have a place, I either didn’t have the time nor the inclination to blog about the topic. Or, if I really felt compelled enough, I figured a personal point of view is best anyway.

Maybe because there were times when I felt like I already do so much social media and talk about it for work that the last thing I really wanted to do was to talk about it some more here on this blog. I liken it to being at work all day, then coming home and doing more work at night, at the weekends, and on holidays. (Granted, I love my work so much that I do have the tendency to do those things anyway, but that’s beside the point… )

In any case, I know I have been meeting many people who seem to want to know more about what I have to say on these work-related topics. That’s why I started writing more and more about it here on this blog.

Unfortunately, I do realise that many of my friends and readers who couldn’t care less about content strategy and social media ROI wouldn’t exactly want to see those posts here at Studio Notes. And, those very people who wish to find out about my professional opinions on blogging or social media tools and best practices might not really give a toss about my latest baking or crafting creations.

Of course, I’ve always known that that was always going to be the case. My experience in messaging and strategy has taught me enough to know that the concept I have long held on to for Studio Notes would always pose as a challenge.

But, I have stubbornly held on to the concept of making my two different audiences mix due to several reasons. I kept insisting on throwing a party for my lifestyle friends and my professional contacts together because I couldn’t bear the thought of splitting two groups of people I really care about in different ways.

And, though I do have geeky type artistic blog friends and artsy professional colleagues, I knew that they were never going to completely mix. There would always be silos within the community that I am building if I insist on the approach that I have been doing.

So, finally, I gave in.

I will still write about general social media matters and geeky stuff here every now and then, especially dedicated to my geeky artsy friends. But, for any posts that are way too work-related (eg, how to grow your Twitter and/or blogging audience, best practices for community engagement, etc), they will now be placed in my new virtual office space at Enkindlers.

In a nutshell, Enkindlers is my new professional blog dedicated to igniting ideas for content, community and creativity for social good. It will be the “party place” for anyone interested in my professional work in the field of content, community, and social good. Here’s my welcome to the virtual office party, if you’re interested to read it. And, my good online friend and supporter, Mitch Mitchell of I’m Just Sharing did an interview with me about my web history as part of my “office warming party”.

So, for those of you who are waiting for me to complete The Great Twitter Follow Project, I will be completing this now over at Enkindlers. I will be transferring other relevant posts in there as well.

This way, hopefully, I will feel more free to share what Studio Notes readers have always seemed to enjoy reading about: my food, life, travel and creative adventures. And anything else that I fancy.

Don’t worry, though. I still have no plans of blogging things that I wouldn’t want my mother to read. Those types of topics would be reserved for Shai’s Super Shocking Memoir (release date to be announced, as I hope to collect more material for it; especially good to collect more that would rival a memory that I call “A Boy, a Girl, and a Transvestite” – long story! ).

But yes, if Enkindlers is my virtual office, then Studio Notes is my virtual home. I intend to write here, as if I was writing to friends and family about things that I care about.

And, if you care to know both sides of me – my professional and personal sides – then, please subscribe to both Enkindlers and Studio Notes.

As always, I am honoured and grateful to have you in my online life, wherever you might decide to meet me on the web.

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Well, perhaps.

Besides, as I said, I’m pretty sure 3-5 blog posts a week is possibly my realistic target anyway.

But, I don’t want to stop daily blogging today when I feel like I’m “entitled” to do so. It’s because if I start listening to that sort of thinking again, I would most likely go down that slippery slope of non-blogging once more. After all, I’m pretty sure that most days, I would have every reason and excuse not to blog. And, they would all be legitimate reasons and excuses too.

I’d rather just blog than try to find ways to justify my reasons and excuses for why I can’t blog.

After all, I can’t afford to think that way. You know… That trying-to-find-reasons-why-I-can’t-blog mentality.

It’s just that I know what it’s like to get out of the blogging habit. I know, for sure, that the longer I don’t blog, the harder it is for me to get started in blogging again.

So, I think until I come to a point where I really REALLY want to blog and I just can’t possibly blog anymore will I start letting myself off this schedule. I think only then will I know that blogging has truly become a habit again and it would be harder to find reasons not to blog, as blogging has become ingrained in my system and just part of my day-to-day life. Yes, indeed. That would be a nice place to be!

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The great part: I blogged EVERY DAY for November 2011. And, I was compelled to write more than I have done in a very long time. In fact, I finally have a workable book that I already started writing. A nonfiction one that I’m quite keen to complete. And yes, I have more writing and blogging ideas than I know what to do with.

Now to celebrate my 30 days of my blogging and writing, I thought I’d share with you 30 thoughts that I have about this daily experience:

• It’s hard to blog/write everyday. Seriously tough. I’m sure that’s not exactly a surprise. But, I just have to say it because I can’t believe that I managed to do it somehow.

• The more I blog/write, the more I can blog/write. It’s true that blogging and writing actually ended up inspiring me to do more of it. Somehow, it’s like a muscle that once it gets used to do idea of getting utilised, it gets antsy when it doesn’t get used.

• Daily blogging and writing schedules certainly is the best cure for procrastination and perfectionism. It’s funny how the “artificial deadlines” actually do work for me. When I wasn’t doing NaBloPoMo/NaNoWriMo, I have a hundred and one reasons not to blog or write – and most of them, quite valid. But, at the end of the day, I have nothing to show for.

• Who was it that said, “The worst thing I ever wrote is still better than the best thing I never wrote”? I’d like to believe that holds true in blogging too.

• When I didn’t blog as much, I worry that I’m not posting enough. When I’m blogging everyday, I worry that I may be overwhelming people with too many posts. Yes, I worry too much. I really shouldn’t worry because I should just work out my own posting schedule. Whatever works for me is best. And, it’s just something that I have to help readers/subscribers to deal with.

• Having said that, blogging and writing less than once a week really isn’t the best for me. In an ideal world, I’d like to try and keep to almost-daily blogging, but probably average about 3-5 new blog posts a week.

• The less I blog/write, the more critical I become of my own work. So, I end up blogging and writing less. Yet, when I blog/write daily, I force myself to write and post something. Anything. More than half the time, I think that what I’m posting isn’t good enough. But, there were moments when I surprise myself.

• Those surprising moments in blogging and writing are gold. I want to increase opportunities for golden times.

So yes, even though NaBloPoMo / NaNoWriMo is going to be officially over, I’m considering to keep some kind of a daily blogging and writing schedule anyway. I know it will be a challenge to keep to this kind of schedule. Goodness knows how many times I’ve nearly given up over the last 30 days. But, I’m keen to keep some momentum going, so we’ll see how it goes.

In any case, I hope that you found the last 30 days of daily blogging useful and interesting somewhat.

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Yes, I actually do blog, write, and work for a nonprofit that serves other nonprofits. And yes, I present in nonprofit events about using social media for social good.

Each time a nonprofit worker or volunteer tells me that what I do helped them in some way, I get that wonderful rush that reminds me why I do what I do.

But, somehow, I still feel like I’d like to do more.

So, just as a very small step in that direction, I thought I’d share with you a presentation I did for YouLeaD Summit on Blogging for Social Good. It was shown to a group of social changemakers in the Philippines in September this year. However, I was told that there were many who couldn’t make it to the event due to the heavy rain and floods in Manila at the time.

Anyway, here’s the slide deck I shared:

Or, if you’re so inclined, here’s the video version of that presentation. Here you can actually view and listen to me giving the presentation (please note that I use Tagalog and Philippine references in this presentation):

Oh, and if you’re interested in this space, you might also want to check out the newly launched Community Blogging group which is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this group evolves over time. And hopefully, there will be more and more people interested in using their blogs for social good.

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Admittedly, I haven’t watched Oprah religiously. I’ve only seen a few dozen episodes of her show and read a handful of O Magazine issues. I’m subscribed to her email newsletters, but do not get to visit the site too often. I just read the occasional article when something catches my fancy. I’ve never posted anything on the site or sent any kind of adoring emails.

Yet, I do consider myself a fan of sorts.

I like the fact that Oprah has one of those stories that can easily inspire people to do their best and to follow their dreams, regardless of obstacles. I love how she is able to encourage people to do more and better.

And, having heard Oprah talk and having read about her, I reckon it’s worth following some of her lead in blogging and social media practice. I mean, if it worked for her, it should work for some of us too, right? Not that we’re aiming to be Oprah!

But yeah, I suppose, you can say that having Studio Notes is like having my very own Oprah show. Well, okay, maybe not. But, you get the idea. Heh.

So, what are these things that I like about Oprah that I intend to implement (or to continue implementing) in my own practice in blogging and social media?

1. It’s okay to be interested in many things. Your brand is you, not your subject matter.

When it comes to covering a wide variety if topics, Oprah’s show covers just agoit everything. She talks about food, travel, shopping, health, entertainment, and many other things. Yet, people still want to listen to her and know what she is interested in, regardless (or maybe especially because?) of the variety.

Oprah is the brand, not the topic.

For a very long time, I struggled with the idea of having to give my main blog, shaicoggins.com (Studio Notes), a niche area. People keep telling me that I won’t get enough pull if I don’t have a specialty, an area of expertise.

Looking at the vast world of the web, they’re probably right. Most of us won’t stand out from the rest of people can’t associate us with a specific point of topic. We must either be just a food blogger, a mum blogger, a business blogger, an art blogger… You get the picture. If you’re going to be a personal blogger, then be prepared to be a REALLY PERSONAL blogger.

As you can see, Studio Notes is NOT just any one of those things. I blog about whatever topic that comes to mind. I have both my personal and professional face on when I blog here. And, even though that used to bother me, I feel much comfortable with it now.

2. The important thing is to have a focus for your brand.

This may seem like the complete opposite of point number one, but it’s true that even though Oprah talks about a lot of things in her shows and her magazines, which shows the different facets of her personality, her brand has a focus:

Oprah is all about making the world a better, happier place, especially for women.

That focus may be achieved through a variety of ways – from finding great books to read and supporting worthy causes to shopping for cool things and personal development. It all goes back to her tag line of “live your best life”.

For Studio Notes, it was a long and completely random journey. I just did things that felt right at any given time.

It took me over half a decade of blogging before I finally realised that my focus is: Creative Geek Lifestyle. It may or may not be catchy enough. But, these words helped me a lot to focus and to accept the direction I wanted to take for this blog.

I love art and craft, cooking and baking, photography, writing, literature, style… All things creative.

I love gadgets and technology. Social media and the web. That’s the geek part of me and my work.

And yes, I like finding the best possible way to live a balanced, blissful lifestyle – from travel and fashion to education and personal development.

If I can mix all these in one place, great.

Understanding these things helped me to see the method in my blogging and social media madness.

3. It’s never all about you. Or me. Shine the light on others.

Oprah may talk about a lot of things, but she never professes to be an expert in most of them. In fact, she often invites guests and experts to shed better light on the subject matter. And, not only does she invite them, she helps to make stars out of them too. Heard of Dr Phil? Martha Beck? Dr Oz? Yes, they all can say thanks to Oprah for helping them to give them the best exposure.

And now, Oprah has completely taken this concept in to another level by converting her show in to the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

In Studio Notes’ case, I may not have access to a lot of extremely famous and talented people to showcase. But, I do enjoy trying to feature some of the best folks I encounter… Either by reviewing or highlighting others’ work here, by providing quotes and anecdotes, and/or by doing interviews.

This kind of thinking is actually what inspired me to start blogging projects here like 52WoC or Tell Me About You / Meet My Readers. It’s also the source of inspiration on how I started a blog network many years ago.

4. It’s okay to have an opinion that goes against the flow.

Oprah doesn’t always follow what everyone expects of people in general. Like choosing not to have kids. And, she is open and honest about these things, even though they may not always prove to be something people will accept or understand.

There are many situations where I refrain from blogging and posting on my social media accounts, simply because I think that my point of view doesn’t go with the flow. I worry about the backlash.

Slowly, however, I am working on getting better at expressing what I think, even if it’s not always reflective of what everyone else is saying or thinking.

5. Whatever you like to do, use it for good.

Out of everything Oprah does, one thing that really resonates well with me is the way she has used her influence and wealth for making the world a better place. Regardless of what critics and naysayers say, I’d like to believe that Oprah has been influential in improving many lives. Even to inspire people to do good too… To “pay it forward” so to speak.

And, I want to be able to do just that. Even though the scale may not be as huge, I want to know that I’m able to make some kind of difference in this world. And, if I can do bits and pieces of that through Studio Notes, then, I’d like to think that this blog is then doing what I’d like it to do.

Oh, and yes, an extra lesson with this in mind: It’s okay to be fabulous, and still be socially conscious*.

* Partly inspired by @RichendaG.

Oprah’s photo: Screen shot from Oprah.com

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But, I won’t.

You see, I have a 2,000-word essay to write and I still have to get up early tomorrow morning to help to look after kids and get to work.

So, before I make another blogging mistake, I decided that it’s best to hold off for now.

After all, there is a real danger that I won’t blog about this topic that I’m busting to write about, in a way that it should be blogged about: honest, straightforward, but not overly emotional.

Yes, I know I can easily make this mistake.

I mean, I think I haven’t done a lot of these overly emotional posts on blogs. The same way I haven’t had too many public emotional breakdowns.

But, I must admit that I’ve written way too many overly emotional emails that perhaps could’ve used some “waiting time”. I’ve even done a handful of Tweets and Facebook posts that are perhaps way too ranty than I would’ve liked. The same way I’ve argued and had heated emotional discussions in real life.

Sometimes, they’re called for. Other times, I can be way out of line.

Indeed, I’m a real person and I don’t always do the right thing. I get upset. I get emotional. Often, when I’m upset, I just shut down instead of fighting and arguing. At times, some people tell me that I should learn to wear more of a poker face. I wish I could. Other times, I get told that I should also learn to tell people where to go. I’m working on that, in the best possible way.

But yeah, I am real. It’s not always easy being real when you have a public persona. People are only too willing to pounce on you when you make mistakes.

And, we all probably make the most mistakes when we’re all emotional.

Since I’m all that right now, I better end this blog post right here.

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It’s always a challenge to start and complete projects or challenges. That’s why joining group initiatives make these things a bit more doable.

Take the NaNoWriMo / NaBloPoMo challenges for instance.

At any given time of the year, my life is just way too busy to consider writing or blogging daily – on top of a full time job, domestic commitments, studies, travel, and everything else. Yet, when I decided to join this challenge at the beginning of this month, I have been quite faithful to the practice of writing and blogging.

To me, the “winning” doesn’t really matter too much. I just like knowing that I can challenge myself to do something and to work on it.

And, even better when I am able to do it with a group of people who would like to see me succeed.

For NaNoWriMo / NaBloPoMo, a few of my Twitter/Adelaide buddies and I decided to become each other’s cheerleaders… @dileeshus (blog), @kamtiger (blog), and @danaesinclair (blog). We ping each other with new posts, we comment on each other’s blogs, we ask how we’re doing with things… As regularly as our busy lives can allow us to do so.

I think it’s the first time that I am working closely with ‘buddies’ for NaNoWriMo / NaBloPoMo, and I think it’s great.

But, to be honest, when it comes to Studio Notes, I do think of YOU, regular and semi-regular readers and subscribers of this blog, as a part of my blogging cheering squad. That’s why when I haven’t blogged for a while, I think of you. Even when you don’t poke me or ask me where I am, I still think about wanting to reach out to you through a new post.

That’s why I keep coming back… And blogging… Regardless of busy schedules and other challenges.

That’s why I’m working on blogging more, better…

And yes, I like to imagine cheering squads in different aspects of my life because I know that even though I may not always hear about it, I am aware that there are a number of people who care enough to wish me to succeed at work, at home, and just life in general.

I wish to be able to acknowledge and thank my cheering squad every chance I get.

So, after 15 days of daily blogging this month, I wish to say THANK YOU, my fellow NaNaNoWriMo/NaBloPoMo folks… THANK YOU, dear Studio Notes readers and subscribers… THANK YOU, family, friends, and colleagues who’re always there for me, whether I know it or not…

I appreciate you and what you do.

I hope I can serve as part of your cheering squad too.

Image source: MarkoFRA via sxc

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Just before I wrote the post, I was completely and utterly knackered at the end of the day. But, because I committed to blogging daily, I was adamant about doing it no matter what.

Never mind that my brain was so frazzled it could barely string two words together, let alone create a coherent blog post.

Never mind that that same brain was telling me just to share a photo and a quick line. Or perhaps, a doodle and a quote.

With how I was feeling, the last thing I needed was to attempt at being clever, funny, or interesting in writing.

But, I blogged anyway.

My commitment to daily blogging/writing may be commendable, but it wasn’t the right thing to do at the time.

When I read the post I shared the next day, I was completely horrified. It was beyond just ‘mediocre blogging’. It was downright incomprehensible! In fact, I couldn’t even understand what I was on about.

That’s why I immediately rewrote the blog post first thing in the morning.

How many people read the original post? Who knows. All I know is that I hope it wasn’t too many. And, I do apologise to those who may have encountered the horrid thing.

Now, under similar circumstances, what should I do to make it better?

1. When extremely tired, don’t blog at all. It’s not worth posting gibberish!

2. If I still wish to blog due to a commitment, but my brain can’t quite string the right words together – just post something light. Preferably, something not so text-heavy. Like a photograph, a quote, a oneliner, a doodle or sketch… Anything but full blown blog posts!

3. Blog anyway – but make sure not to share it in public just yet. Sleep on it and retroactively post the blog piece, all edited and nice.

How about you? Have you committed a similar faux pas? How did you handle it?

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