Working on the post

This is the state of the post after I worked on it a few minutes in the morning.

While sitting in front of the keyboard and musing what to write about, I thought about what goes into a ready post. When I have nothing written down yet and wait for inspiration to strike, I stop myself with my inner critic. To address this, I just started to write something. Here is how this post started:

I don’t know what to write, but write I must. This is a short thing, yes, I know. There’s always a mix of actual writing, of structuring, of editing. bringin the logic out and of research - there’s a question where I don’t know the answer to…

All of sudden I noticed there’s something there. Now the idea was to write about the elements of the writing process. One of them obviously finding the key topic to explore. Next could be just listing a few ideas (or drawing a mind map on the topic):

• Putting words to paper (doesn’t matter which)
• Finding the thought/observation/topic of the post
• Building the logic of the argument/the storyline
• Doing research
• Remove the fluff to make the ideas clearer.
• Rewrite for clarity (using more appropriate words, find analogies, use examples)
• Fix grammar and spelling mistakes
• Publish

Now some room to dive into more detail, to explain better.

Remove the fluff

This means removing everything that distracts from the main idea. It does not mean sterile writing. You still can fill in interesting remarks and side notes as long as the core message keeps standing on it‘s own.

Similarities to other creative processes

While thinking about this I noticed the similarity to composing music. First I doodle around until a riff, chord progression or similar catches my ear. Then I work on it.

Publish

That’s the part that makes it count. Ship it. Show your work, etc. (References?)

Remark: This and the follow days of rewriting the post are hindered a bit by me being traveling and writing on the phone.