thoughts on writing
I don’t write to simply generate a 1,200 word output. I consider writing to be an extension of my curiosity, and the writing process itself is what turns a rough idea into a finished product. [...] Writing is a metamorphosis that turns vague abstractions into novel ideas, but you have to go through the writing process to connect the various points... See more
Thomas Klaffke • From Chasing Goals To Falling In Love With The Process
Prioritize the whole rather than the parts : when it comes to writing, often we want to share more than would benefit the piece. In my final edits, I often delete factoids and quotations that interest me but detract from my overall message. As I tell my students, good writing is good editing. Take out all the bits that don’t benefit the whole.
3 of Seneca's Metaphors for Taking Notes
“Writing is often the process by which you realize you do not understand what you are talking about.”
Attention Required! | Cloudflare
My product won’t write sentences for you. The slow process of writing is what clarifies thought, shapes identity, and cultivates a lens to the world. Writing is the whole point; it isn’t a chore to optimize, it’s an infinite game.
Michael Dean • Mega-Update
People naturally remember musical language, and I would encourage writers to inject their prose with a bit of music. When you’re writing, think about repetition and variety. Crescendos and rests. Pace and punctuation. Read your work out loud, and feel the rhythm of the words in your voice.
Derek Thompson • Why Simple Is Smart
Writing: Assuming you understand the core principles of writing and the basics of grammar, what determines your ability to write well more than anything else is writing a lot. Once you reach the threshold of writing a decent sentence, the thing that leads to success is writing more.
James Clear • How Smart Do You Have to Be to Succeed?
Writing is not about getting letters on a page. It’s not about getting done with text. It’s finding a clear and simple expression for what we feel, mean, and want to express
So many writers write small, shallow things in a complicated, difficult style. I think what I want to do is write serious, complicated, difficult things in a very easy style that is fluid and comfortable to read.
Deborah Treisman • The Underground Worlds of Haruki Murakami
Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.