Documenting is Completely Different Than Creating

Our creative careers can extend out farther than we think. The process of creating content doesn’t have to involve hours of idea juggling when the best piece of content was our personal experience the entire time.

Famous entrepreneur and my hero, Gary Vaynerchuk preaches the philosophy of “Document, don’t create” day in and day out.

Gary says “don’t get confused — just because you’re “documenting” doesn’t mean you’re not creating content. It’s just a version of creating that is predicated more on practicality instead of having to think of stories or fantasy — something that’s very hard for most people (including myself).”

The past month or so, I’ve been documenting on Medium. I’ve gone from writing about how to work with publications to taking your sleep more seriously. The content is mostly non-fiction, but this makes it my truth and easier to write.

I’m not saying that taking the easy route is the way to go.

Instead, I’m saying that by speaking on challenges you currently face are going to be way more valuable to readers going through the same scenarios.

“People aren’t starting. They’re just thinking, pondering, strategizing, and debating.” — Gary Vaynerchuk

Transparency and Authenticity Always Win.

Want to know why Gary Vaynerchuk is so famous? He is down to Earth and transparent. There is little to disprove that he is a caring individual who has come up from nothing thanks to his philosophies. If you browse through his content, you’ll find pieces about the ups, downs, and everything in-between.

You know how you sometimes hit a writing wall and struggle to get started? I do too. We all do. The only difference in my content creation strategy is to think about current challenges I’m going through and writing about them.

Oftentimes many other people are going through the same struggles or are curious about how to tackle the issues.

Try not to overthink the concept of documenting and not creating. Just imagine you’re in the Truman Show and everyone is able to follow along with your behaviors, ups and downs.

“Be as open as air. Unrestricted and rid all insecurities. Transparency wins hearts.”

Content that is Relevant and Personal Contains Value

The content doesn’t always have to pertain to problems you’re facing, but these types of articles typically offer more value to the readers.

For example, when I wrote about my journey with publications, I found that many other writers on Medium found value in hearing about my process. Most determined individuals want to learn the do’s and don’ts that line up with the goals they’re trying to achieve.

I personally love reading the articles about how writers make big money on Medium because it motivates me to keep writing no matter what.

The road to Medium fame is long and nothing comes easy, but the possibility that it can be me on the other side is so exciting.

Through those individuals documenting their journeys here on Medium I gain so much insight on what works and what I should try to avoid. Sharing personal experiences is what many writers can do across all types of topics.

Creating is not a bad thing by any means, but a lot of the time it can come off as trying too hard. When you’re documenting it comes off as genuine and sometimes even intimate.

Everybody has their own spin on writing and it’s not my place to tell writers how they should or shouldn’t produce content.

Documenting Works on More Than Just Vocal

The way that I’ve documented on YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and Vocal has allowed me to be completely transparent with my respected audiences.

They know exactly what they’re signing up for when they click the follow button on my accounts.

The less of a mystery that a certain individual poses, then the more trust the audience can instill in the person they’re interested in. Honesty always wins and the authentic, genuine, and charismatic individuals win.

Documenting is Effortless Yet So Affective.

Practically everywhere I go, I bring my iPhone and have my camera at the ready. As a YouTube vlogger, I want to be prepared to document any event that I may find value in at a later point in time.

A benefit that comes with documenting is that you can always trim the fat. This means that since you included the entire meat and potatoes of a scenario you experienced, you are then able to fabricate it and distribute it into micro pieces of content.

As for Medium, I stay posted on new ideas for articles I want to write by constantly writing down an idea that I could use in a future post. I have more than thirty different blog ideas that I have at my expense at any point in time.

The great thing about having posts on deck is that you can decide when is the best time to write about that particular topic. Since I am nearing the end of my deployment, you can expect to see more military related posts. When that ship sails and I’m back home, my focus will shift yet again.

With documenting and not creating, your ideas and story is always in motion. Nothing is chaotic, but your main focus is constantly evolving.

Ideas stay fresh and your credibility remains in tact when documenting and not creating. You aren’t BS’ing anyone with any fakeness when you document.

Overthinking kills happiness. Insecurities kill self-esteem. Lies kill trust.

Micro and Macro Pieces of Content

The micro pieces of content will be your Instagram and Snapchat stories. Possibly some IGTV or Tik Tok as well. The macro pieces of content wiil be your Medium posts and YouTube videos. It gets easier once you get into the groove of posting 6–7 quality pieces of content every day.

Overthinking content is one of the most unproductive things that a creator could do.

I encourage you to hit record, or type that first word on your keyboard. The key to being a successful creator is to just get started.

With practice creating large pieces of content along with smaller ones will make you a better creator as well as marketer. Becoming a proficient individual in both of these categories will lead to you being the Jack of all trades.

Remember to Document the Journey

It’s nice to figure out what works for you and become almost automatic with your content. I am at this stage in my creative career right now and I have one thing that many writers do not. Speed.

Your awareness will give you speed. Through content creation and distribution mixed in with quality content consumption, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

No one has to be your boss. All that matters is taking care of your audience.

“The most successful marketers are those who find a balance between producing enough content and keeping quality high.”