15/09/2016

The archive contains older posts which may no longer reflect my current views.

Zen and the art of blogging

I'll admit it, I am an impatient writer which is why I always say I have small ideas rather than big ones. I want to share them as soon as I can, even if premature, rather than letting them gestate and grow.

My writing process starts with an idea, maybe I'll gather some links and jot down a couple of notes but usually I'll just dive in, buoyed by inspiration and hope it works.

I write on instinct hoping that the flow will hit and I reach the end having achieved what I set out to say.

My writing is normally an organic process, almost never knowing what I am going to say until it just happens, the thought process occurs on the fly - exactly what is happening as I type this ersatz post, this procrastination.

Too often I reach a point where I've shared all I have but it hasn't made my point or reached a satisfactory ending; the post just fizzles out.

Old dog, new tricks

I wonder about changing the process, maybe using outlining or even mind mapping to ensure I get everything listed that I want to cover - it should then just be a case of arranging it all in the most logical sequence, right?

Structurally it's bound to help but the more time I spend, the more I plan without actually writing, the less enamoured I become; I get bored by the topic and find it hard to retain the emotional state which provided that initial spark of inspiration.

There's a trade off.

It is probably a question of discipline and habit. Perhaps there is an element of the creative mind rebelling against order, revelling in a chaotic, fugue state - not wanting to let the moment pass lest it should be lost forever.

I know I should take time and care, I know I should put in the effort, but at what cost? How many sparks will die and opportunities be squandered?

Planning, discipline, structure: scary words with scarier implications when bedlam is the default and the appetite for change is conflicted.

How to proceed? How to learn new ways, slow down and gain patience? How to balance form and flow?

Small steps.