Bit #37 – Writing Myths
Writing myths have been created over time to justify lacking productivity. We are going to debunk some of those myths today.
Myth #1 – You cannot write for short periods of time.
Truth – Writing for short, scheduled periods of time (i.e., homeopathic writing) is the most productive way to write. A magical mindset shift happens when you only have to dedicate short blocks of time to your writing. Barbara W. Sarnecka, author of The Writing Workshop: Write More, Write Better, Be Happier in Academia (click book below to learn more), calls these short bursts of writing productivity “writing like a NINJA.”
Sarnecka explains,
“…people stop using their common sense when they think about writing. If you were told on June 1 that you had to walk 90 miles by June 30, would you choose to walk three miles a day for 30 days, or would you wait until the evening of June 30 and try to walk the whole 90 miles at once? If you wanted to buy something for $10,000, would you start putting aside a little bit of money every week, or would you hope to find $10,000 just lying around one day?”
When you write like a ninja, you find short times to write when previously none existed.
Writing for long periods of time in itself is not bad, but few people can do it successfully and come out unscathed. If you are one of these incredible few, keep at it. For the rest of us, we need to schedule small blocks of time to write each day. Let’s face it; we are lucky to find small blocks of time to write. How would we ever consistently find large blocks?
Myth #2 – You have to wait for inspiration to write.
Truth – The term inspired means “breathed into.” While theoretically serene, practically, inspiration is entirely out of our control. Everyone loves to write when it is easy/inspired. Honestly, successful writers write even when it is hard. Find ways to create your own inspiration.
Myth #3 – Writing and thinking are separate.
Truth – Writing is a form of thinking. Most often, the best thinking happens on paper rather than in your head. The most significant difference between eminent scholars and everyone else is the overall volume of text they produce. As Sarnecka notes, “…no one seems to have better ideas than anyone else – it’s just that some people produce more ideas than others: more great ideas, more terrible ideas, more average ideas.”
So, take action and start generating ideas today – not just one idea (e.g., one research project, one presentation idea, one collaboration effort), but a dozen. Pick your best ideas and develop them further. Trash the rest or save them for another day.
Don’t fall victim to these writing myths. You know the truth; now act on it! 🙂
