3 ms·

So what is your writing process like? I'm personally really interested in how well designed things are created. It seems like there is a paradox, you can't forc

by chris11 11y ago

So what is your writing process like? I'm personally really interested in how well designed things are created. It seems like there is a paradox, you can't force great things to happen with objectives and planning. But you can objectively tell that something is great. So are you personally concerned about whether a specific piece of writing is objectively great, or are you more interested in your ability to write well in general?

visakanv 11y ago
>So what is your writing process like? Thanks for asking! I have several different but interconnected processes: 1. I have a regular writing practice where I just open up something (Evernote, Byword, notepad, whatever) and start writing about whatever comes to mind. This is primarily just to develop the habit of writing. I mainly do this with my 1,000,000 word writing project [1]. 2. I do content marketing for work, which is much more systematic and planned out– I work backwards from common queries and search terms. The most successful post I've ever written, though, was something that I had written out of curiosity [2]. 3. Sometimes 'inspiration' hits: somebody asks the right question, or something happens and I feel a need to respond– and everything just comes right out of my subconscious, almost as if it were already written. But when I examine this, it's clear that I was already ruminating about it for a long time before. > It seems like there is a paradox, you can't force great things to happen with objectives and planning. Not exactly a paradox. The objectives and planning aren't about making great things happen; they're about creating a stable context in which great things happen. It's about putting in the hours of practice so that you can improvise freely when the moment calls for it. > So are you personally concerned about whether a specific piece of writing is objectively great, or are you more interested in your ability to write well in general? I think I cycle between the two, back and forth, depending on what I'm doing. If I'm working on something with a sense of purpose, I want it to be great. Otherwise I'm happy just working on my craft on a day to day basis. _____ [1] http://www.visakanv.com/1000/ http://www.visakanv.com/1000/ [2] http://www.referralcandy.com/blog/47/ http://www.referralcandy.com/blog/47/

by chris11 11y ago

visakanv 11y ago

>So what is your writing process like? Thanks for asking! I have several different but interconnected processes: 1. I have a regular writing practice where I just open up something (Evernote, Byword, notepad, whatever) and start writing about whatever comes to mind. This is primarily just to develop the habit of writing. I mainly do this with my 1,000,000 word writing project [1]. 2. I do content marketing for work, which is much more systematic and planned out– I work backwards from common queries and search terms. The most successful post I've ever written, though, was something that I had written out of curiosity [2]. 3. Sometimes 'inspiration' hits: somebody asks the right question, or something happens and I feel a need to respond– and everything just comes right out of my subconscious, almost as if it were already written. But when I examine this, it's clear that I was already ruminating about it for a long time before. > It seems like there is a paradox, you can't force great things to happen with objectives and planning. Not exactly a paradox. The objectives and planning aren't about making great things happen; they're about creating a stable context in which great things happen. It's about putting in the hours of practice so that you can improvise freely when the moment calls for it. > So are you personally concerned about whether a specific piece of writing is objectively great, or are you more interested in your ability to write well in general? I think I cycle between the two, back and forth, depending on what I'm doing. If I'm working on something with a sense of purpose, I want it to be great. Otherwise I'm happy just working on my craft on a day to day basis. _____ [1] http://www.visakanv.com/1000/ http://www.visakanv.com/1000/ [2] http://www.referralcandy.com/blog/47/ http://www.referralcandy.com/blog/47/