Why Collecting "Fieldstones" Will Transform Your Writing (And Your Bank Account)

Some days I'd write down a brilliant quote. Other days, a personal anecdote. Sometimes just a single sentence that came to me while walking.

None of these pieces seemed significant on their own. But when I finally had hundreds of these "fieldstones" collected, my writing didn't just become easier——it became unstoppable.

I discovered that by collecting little bits of knowledge on individual cards——without worrying about how they would all fit together——I eventually had everything I needed to write powerful, compelling books.

Most aspiring authors fail because they sit down expecting to write linearly from start to finish. Then they wonder why they're staring at a blank page with nothing to say. The truth is, writer's block isn't real. It's just what happens when you haven't collected enough fieldstones.

A stonemason doesn't start with perfectly uniform, factory-made bricks. Instead, they wander the fields, collecting stones of different shapes and sizes over days, weeks, or even months. Only when they have gathered enough diverse materials do they begin piecing them together into something beautiful and strong.

This is exactly how great writing hap... See more