Most people (including many professional writers) consider writing difficult. In fact, it's probably the most frighteningly difficult thing most people do in their professional lives, second only to public speaking.
Part of the reason for this is that people acknowledge, I think, on a gut level, that writing is a form of artistic expression, and yet most of us (for whatever reason) are convinced we're not capable of "art." No one is asking you to create art, though, so why impose that expectation on yourself, unless you're writing a sonnet?
Much of the fear of writing comes down to the fear of producing embarrassing crap. But here's something you should always bear in mind. Everything you've ever read, in print, started out as something crappier than what you ended up reading. You've only ever known the glossy polish of the final product. You didn't see the crappy rust-covered underbelly of what came before.
So don't hold yourself to a "final output" standard when you sit down to write. Your first effort may well be crap. But then, so was everyone else's first effort. You just didn't see it.
Always give yourself permission to produce crap. If you don't, you might never get past the first sentence.
Rumination is important preparation for writing, so always give yourself as much time as you can to think about your subject before sitting down to write. Break your topic down mentally into the simplest possible bits. Think each bit through on its own. What would you say in 25 words or less about each bit? Take notes if that helps.
I rarely sit down to write on a topic that's less than 70% to 80% thought-out in advance. (I count something as "thought out" if I am 90% confident that I understand my own unique take on the subject and can write about it in a way that will fool 90% of readers into thinking I know what I'm talking about.) I know I can count on the writing process itself (which is iterative, reentrant, non-linear, and thus organic) to help fill in the missing 20% to 30% of thought-outness, but I never count on (say) 90% of what I'm going to write just "coming to me" as I write. Only 20% or so will "come to me," and most of that in the editing pass, after the crappy first draft is laid down.
I like to think of putting fingertips to keyboard as the last step in a long chain of preparatory actions (research plus rumination). Captured keystrokes are just a static artifact of the dynamic thinking process that went before.
One of the best insights I can give you is that simple thoughts are easier to write down than complex thoughts, so anything you can do to de-complexify your thinking will have a huge payoff when it comes time to write. Stuff that's arduous to write is usually arduous to read. How do you make the arduous easy? Simplify.
If you find yourself completely choked up when you sit down to write, it's either because you're afraid to produce crap, or because your thinking on the subject matter is still muddled. If you're not under a deadline, take more time to think the subject through, except in simpler terms. (You can always make simple stuff complicated later, although I don't recommend it.) If you're under a deadline, sit down and quickly write a bunch of absurdly short sentences on the topic in question, phrasing everything in unacceptably oversimplified terms. I guarantee that if you quickly fill a page with laughably simplistic one-liner statements about a subject, the Fussmaster General inside you will be eager to jump at the chance to cross all that crap out and do a more meaningful job of expressing the same thoughts. In other words, you'll be ready to write "in anger."
One more point and then I'll shut up.
Techniques exist for simplifying the expression of ideas. Most of them revolve around semantic clarity and micro-syntax. Just by avoiding certain types of words (for example, gerunds, which are verbs pretending to be nouns) you can force yourself to write in a simpler, clearer manner. The neat thing is, simple writing always comes out faster (and reads better) than turgid-but-logically-complete writing. The simpler you write, the easier the process, for you and the reader. I'll be talking about some of my favorite techniques in this regard over the next few days.
I love your article Kas! You've managed to put thought processes down on paper, which I follow to a point, but it's good to read through this as a reminder. I'm keeping a copy of this one and I look forward to reading more of your work :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff
ReplyDeleteLove it. So true. All good writers produce massive amounts of scribbles before arriving at their final version, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
ReplyDeleteThis is how artists work too. And composers. And film directors. And all the other creative people out there who care deeply about the quality of work they produce. They add detail, remove the distractions, choose the subtleties and create breathing space, to arrive through numerous iterations at the end result.
The embarrassing crap that is my worst fear isn’t the initial sketch. It’s what is often left from the original piece following a corporate ‘approval process’ which corners creative people and instructs them to honor compromises, stroke egos and play the internal politics game. The resulting published piece doesn’t disappoint anyone but is so void of clarity and voice that it doesn’t inspire anyone either.
None of us can write quite as bad as all of us ;-)
There are writers with enough experience and mental clarity to create stimulating work just before the deadline. Hitchens comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteMy approach is to start with big concepts, then fill in the details. Sometimes I will just make a highlighted note or question for later consideration, and move on to the ideas I have already thought through. I frequently jump back and forth between paragraphs to elaborate.
The same method applies to music writing, indeed. My best songs start with a melody idea. Record it, then fill in the gaps using discretion.
I always have a voice recording app within reach on my phone. It's an indispensable tool.
You can also visit https://nerdymates.com/blog/argumentative-thesis for even more help on writing.
ReplyDeleteWe are known manufacturers of modern classic chair. The designs are so attractive that you will be confused among which one to buy. Our products are well appreciated by top interior designers, esteemed customers and architects.
ReplyDeleteChair Manufacturers in Mumbai
Chair Supplier in Mumbai
Office Chair Supplier in Mumbai
Visitor Chair Supplier in Mumbai
Chair Dealers in Mumbai
Many packers and movers Hyderabad, Telangana may boast about offering a huge list of services with little to no skill or expertise to carry out those services as required. You need to check with every packer and mover if they have the experience to fulfil your specific requirements properly, and will complete your relocation in the most cost-effective way possible.
ReplyDeleteMovers and Packers in Gachibowli
Movers and Packers in Kukatpally
Movers and Packers in Chanda Nagar
Movers and Packers in Manikonda
Many packers and movers Hyderabad, Telangana may boast about offering a huge list of services with little to no skill or expertise to carry out those services as required.
ReplyDeletePackers and Movers in Chanda Nagar
Packers and Movers in Nallagandla
Packers and Movers in Kukatpally
Packers and Movers in Miyapur
Packers and Movers in Sainikpuri
Indian Packers and Movers in Mumbai is the best packing and moving company in Mumbai. Of course, the credit goes to our hardworking team in Mumbai and world class infrastructure. Customer satisfaction is a great asset for the company. We appreciate the feedback of our clients that ultimately help us to improve.
ReplyDeletePackers and Movers in Kamothe
Movers and Packers in Vashi
Movers and Packers in Chembur
Movers and Packers in Jogeshwari
Indian Packers and Movers in Mumbai Provide Services Of Industrial Packing. We Can Transport Any Industrial Product. We Transport Machinery, Goods And Various Products.
ReplyDeleteMovers and Packers in Mumbai
Packers and Movers in Grant Road
Packers and Movers in Mumbai Central
Packers and Movers in Mahalaxmi
Packers and Movers in Prabhadevi
Our Professional Custom Writing Services operate with the understanding that plagiarism is a serious offense. All Legitimate Essay Writing Services are 100% authentic, comprehensive and plagiarism free.
ReplyDeleteشركة نقل عفش
ReplyDeleteاهم شركات مكافحة حشرات بالخبر كذلك معرض اهم شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام والخبر والجبيل والخبر والاحساء والقطيف كذلك شركة رش حشرات بالدمام ومكافحة الحشرات بالخبر
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام
شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة الجوهرة من افضل شركات تنظيف الخزانات بجدة حيث ان تنظيف خزانات بجدة يحتاج الى مهارة فى كيفية غسيل وتنظيف الخزانات الكبيرة والصغيرة بجدة على ايدى متخصصين فى تنظيف الخزانات بجدة
شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة
شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالدمام
شركة نقل عفش واثاث
شركة نقل عفش بينبع
ReplyDeleteدينا نقل عفش بابها
نقل الاثاث بالمدينة المنورة
ارخص شركة نقل عفش بمكة
شركة نقل عفش بالخرج
شركة نقل عفش بالبقعاء
شركة نقل عفش بجازان
شركات نقل العفش بمكة
ReplyDeleteشركات نقل العفش
شركة نقل عفش بجازان
شركة نقل عفش بينبع
شركة نقل عفش بالرياض
شركات نقل عفش بجدة
شركة نقل عفش بالباحة
شركة نقل عفش بالطائف
Packers and Movers Bangalore - Reliable and Verified Household Shifting Service Providers Give Reasonable ###Packers and Movers Charges. Cheap and Best Office Relocation Compare Quotation for Assurance for Local and Domestic House Shifting and Get estimates today to save upto 20%, ***Read Customer Reviews - @ Packers And Movers Bangalore
ReplyDeletePackers and Movers Chennai Give Safe and Reliable ***Household Shifting Services in Chennai with Reasonable ###Packers and Movers Price Quotation. We Provide Household Shifting, Office Relocation, ✔✔✔ Local and Domestic Transportation Services, Affordable and Reliable Shifting Service Charges @ Packers And Movers Chennai
ReplyDeletePunjab School Education Board (PSEB) newly Announce 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Class School Syllabus 2023, Punjab Board will Organise the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Class Public Examinations in March 2023, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Class Exam will be based on the Syllabus Released by the PSEB for Current Academic Session 2023, Punjab 8th Class Syllabus 2023 Every Year A Huge Number of Students Appeared for 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Class Should Check the new Syllabus Details here,
ReplyDelete