DAILY SLACKR: September 2008

Zen Writing: Finding the Time

The writer, the written and the writing tool

Image by Ravages via FlickrI'd like to think that my absence for the past 11 days has been due to me attempting to prove a point, but alas, not so. I have been engaged in other ventures, building a business, writing as a freelancer for other sites, along with my day to day job and family. All of which brings me to a point, whether planned or not, finding time to write is key for good writing.

Time of Day

The key to finding the time lies on two factors, the first being when you physically have the time to sit down, reflect, and express, and the second being dependent on when your ideas are most fresh. These factors can greatly assist or hinder the writing process depending on how you function.

For example, I find that I can write more in the evening as opposed to the morning. I've tried writing early mornings and I've struggled more than I'd like. Waking up is hard, I have exercise time, and then squeezing in writing while my blood is fiercely pumping is definitely not a good ideas. Writing in the afternoon is hard for me because of my job, but the evening when the kids are down and my wife is in class seems to be the best time. I've been through an entire day of observations, understandings, and idea absorption that I find it easier to filter all that in the evening and see the direct effect in my writing.

It is important for any writer to carve out that niche of time where they function best. Plan around it, create your space, and let your words flow. By establishing this habit, you then find that you can't go through a day without it. Much like an exercise plan, it must become habitual if you plan to follow through with hit for any amount of time. Turn off phones, chat programs, don't answer the door, and quietly let your ideas begin to mesh until you've gotten exactly what you want in front of you.

Squeezing Time You Don't Have

So what happens if you absolutely can't get the time in? I've been asked that a lot, and as you can see from the previous 11 days, I came across that same situation. The guidance I will give should have been something I should have heeded too, but here ya go!

For starters if you know ahead of time you're going to be pressed for time, or not be by a computer, you could either type up a few extra posts and leave someone you trust in charge of posting them, or you could line up a guest writer or several writers to post while you are away.

Ultimately you could also post up a "gone fishin" sign on your site to let people know when you will return. I've also seen others connecting their Jott account to their blog and then phoning in a quick word or two of what is going on. It helps if the "gone fishin'" thing does not work out.

The one thing you never want to do is force yourself to write. You do that, and you lose readers. You lose their interest because you're writing becomes uninteresting, random, and unstructured.

I'd like to hear what time of day works best for you? What techniques do you use to create time for yourself, and how do you explain to others when you tell them you've got writing time?

Zen Writing: Conversation is Key

You are your own worst critic. That saying aptly defines me, and more than likely a vast majority of professionals, across all disciplines. Writing, being an art form, we as writers tend to scrutinize our own works more so than anyone else.

Much of the scrutiny we put into our work can force us to stop progressing, start over, and/or abandon a project all together. I would not consider this a form of writer's block, that is its own hurdle, instead I look at this as a bump along the process which can be easily overcome.

Gauging Your Topic

Having a best friend, a spouse, and even kids is useful when you're looking for a sounding board for some of your ideas. In life we approach our network for advice before making decisions. We take this advice seriously because we trust the network that we have built over the years.

Writing can be approached the same way. As a blogger, personally, I have dozens of topics always going at the same time. I typically run my topics by my close friends for their input, insight, and analysis. These key factors help build a perspective different from my own that can open up the subject matter into a whole new arena. Interestingly enough, these conversations sometimes lead to new topics entirely for another post that I had not thought of.

It never hurts to share your thoughts. Make it informal, conversational, and you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Beware of Overload

While conversation is a key to insightful and well researched writing, as I mentioned before, it can sometimes lead to an explosion of ideas that you did not have before. This overwhelming need to write everything down is natural, and in the excitement may trigger the need to include all the ideas into one post.

Beware of this urge! This will lead the readers into the land of confusion if they cannot follow your topic. Rather then taking the time to build a strong subject matter you will simply provide them a collection pieced together ideas with little time to accurately build purpose.

Now you see while most writers have specific tools to keep track of their ideas. Rather than losing them, they record them for later use in a post of its own. It's easy to understand now why a typical blogger, or any writer for that matter, can have several pieces going at the same time.

Where do you stand when it comes to getting feedback from your peers? Do you find it useful to approach others with your ideas? Let's chat about this, I'm curious to see the feedback.

Photo Credit, b_d_solis, stephan mantler

Zen Writing: Using the Right Tools

Tools are key components for just about any career field. They could be considered the crux of any job that is to be well done. If you're a carpenter, a programmer, a designer, a mechanic, or a plumber, all of these tasks require a very specific set of tools that enhance performance, provide solutions, and repair that which requires mending.

Attempting to approach a task with the wrong tools and nothing gets done. The idea of not being prepared can drastically effect your performance, especially when writing.

Basic Tools

Depending on where you live in the world, I'd like to think that all civilization has moved from the rock and chisel method to the more traditional pen and paper; the two most basic tools for any writer. Having the ability to capture notes, ideas, and observances on the fly is a key factor for relevant writing.

I remember being a reporter for the university newspaper, we learned to carry a pad and a pen at all times. This approach made us ready at any moment to capture the story and conduct an interview. This style of training carried over into my many writing ventures, and has proven to be a useful habit.

I highly recommend a "reporters" style note pad. They are typically designed to fit into the pocket of either your pants or shirt, and weigh very little. Today I used mine while sitting at a conference to gather my thoughts on future posts across the sites that I write for. This opportunity gave me clear direction and provided me with enough ideas to write for at least 3 weeks.

As for pens, go with what you like. Some prefer fine point, some like gel styles, but if you check out your local bookstore chain you might be surprised to find "flat" pens, which fit nicely into pockets, but also the notebooks you choose to use.

Tech Tools

Now a days, as a writer, it's almost impossible not to hav

e some kind of technology to help capture your thoughts.

The most basic would be an audio recorder of some kind. A micro-cassette recorder would have been standard, but now you have MP3 recorders, or you have audio recording built into more useful devices like phones or digital cameras. Which leads me to the next level of technology, visual recording equipment. Phones and digital cameras can be picked up at very low prices and provide users with the ability to capture anything anywhere at any time.

I personally carry around my digital camera which takes pictures, video, audio recording, and my phone as a back up which does all three.

Online Tools

The emergence of social networks and other forms of social media has created a new category for capturing ideas. Bookmarking was the standard way of saving ideas from sites you wanted to refer to later. This method is still viable but has taken on some new attributes.

For example, instead of bookmarking an entire page, you can now clip and save only the data you want, you can send the data or the page directly to others who have joined your network of friends, and programs like Evernote make it possible to virtually save all of your ideas and make them accessible across all your devices.

Web sites and other web applications are making it easier to keep track of your thoughts and random wanderings across the net so that you can return later and review them.

Final Thoughts

As a writer the tools you use basically comes down to what you feel most comfortable with. There's a lot of options, and some prefer traditional, others prefer to go more tech and record life as it happens.

I'd like to hear what readers out there use to capture their thoughts and ideas. I know a lot of it depends on the type of writing you pursue, but I'm interested to hear your stories. Perhaps the conversation will introduce other readers to tools they had not thought of using.

Photo Credit, docman, JKim1, williamhartz

Zen Writing: Never Stop Learning

So you're looking at the world around you, your capturing what you see, becoming more observant everyday in your day to day interactions. All of this will assist in providing your writing structure, a beginning, a middle, and an end.

The next ingredient for good writing is knowledge, this provides depth. It's one thing to be able to write what you see, it's another factor when you are able to interpret what you see. Providing key analysis and connecting ideas strings your observations and your knowledge together to create a more enjoyable experience for the reader. Being insightful will build a relationship with your readers and keep them coming back for more.

Two Types of Knowledge

It's a well known fact that there are two types of knowledge that exists. There's traditional "academic" knowledge, also known as "book smarts," and then there's "worldly" knowledge, otherwise known as "street smarts."

Hand in hand they make you a well round person with substantial insight into your topic of choice. Unbalanced, and you can only provide a biased perception of what you see. Unfortunately there are more people with one-sided knowledge then there are balanced, but even in "balance" you will find skeptics that still believe that each and every one of us will always perceive with more than the other, depending on our strengths.

I personally believe that a person can be well adjusted with both facets, and tackle any topic or situation with the right frame of mind.

Book Smarts

Spend enough time in school studying and reading and you will eventually acquire enough book smarts to provide factual context for your musings. Being able to refer to author's writings, measurements, and experiments all show proof that you have absorbed substantial book knowledge.

When writing, especially for others to read, it is important that you provide some point of reference to your expertise. Perhaps you teach, or are an author yourself, perhaps you've been interviewed several times, or asked to speak at prominent gatherings. Providing "book smarts" to your writing makes the context relevant to the reader and in turn educates them in the process.

Street Smarts

Their is a misnomer with "street smarts." You do not have to have lived on the streets, experienced a harsh upbringing, or have been impoverished at any point in life, thought there are lessons to be learned from this experiences as well; street smarts relies on a person's ability to associate and connect common sense ideas and situations.

Being quick on your feet and logically map out a course of action without becoming frustrated. Knowing how to get along in the world is the fundamental basis of "street smarts," and has nothing to do with survivability on your own. It's more a matter of how you communicate with others, how you carry yourself, how you conduct business, how you build trust, and most importantly how you live your life.

This type of knowledge is constant much like academic knowledge. You are always learning, always being introduced to new concepts as we grow both individually and as a community. Your unique take on all topics is formed by these two knowledge types.

Take a long look at yourself, how you approach things and how you interpret them. Learning is something even the animals of the world experience as they learn to adapt in an ever changing environment. Those that stop along the way become extinct, lost to the world that is ever progressing around them.

What has been the most influential thing you've learned in life thus far? Share, I'd like to hear.

Photo Credit, Michelle Brea

Zen Writing: Environment for Inspiration

"The world's a stage," is a common quote we've all heard from time to time, but how many of us truly take to heart the meaning of this quote? Everything in life is a sequence of events that play out the minutes, hours, days, and weeks of the year. It's like an unscripted, never ending production where everyone is the star of their own story. No retakes, no cues, no bright lights, or bossy directors telling you how to move through your day, only you and those you interact with.

Life can be as exciting, as interesting, and as interactive as YOU make it. That being said, I hope that all of you are making the life you live worthwhile.

As a writer this should become the focal point of all your writing.

Observing

When looking for sources of inspiration for ideas to blog, I find myself looking to everything around me. Being a communications major I find human interaction to be fascinating. Humans with humans, humans with technology all have this amazing way of changing the conversation and how communication plays out.

In my high school creative writing classes I remember going to a fast food restaurant and sitting just to observe people talking, listening to their conversations, analyzing the subject matter and capture their expressions. I wanted to capture the entire conversation, from the words used in real conversation to the inflections in their voice to dictate excitement or depression. All of this built an interesting story that others would want to read.

When I write posts for my blog there is little difference to my approach. I still find myself observing people and the environment around me in general to capture those images. Especially in the world of media where technology now dictates the direction of how communication will be carried out.

Capturing the Moment

I write about social media; I enjoy it, I follow it, and I interact with hundreds if not thousands of people a day. When I share something with them via social networks or through Daily Slackr, I ensure that they have full understanding of what I am relaying to them.

If you have had a bad customer service experience, capture it, and find solutions. Are you a pioneer for any new technology that comes out? Capture the experience and feel of having the product and interacting with it. Do you have a favorite recipe that is just out of this world? Write about it in a way that we can just taste the flavors of your dish.

Choose your words carefully (action verbs), don't be afraid to be descriptive, put us in the moment with you as you share your story.

Remember, not all stories have to start with "Once Upon A Time" or "It Was A Dark and Stormy Night." Get creative, and throw the readers a curve, sometimes the unexpected creates a genuine interest.

All in all, there is no better sounding board then the world around you. You see something that inspires you? Write about it, no need to bang your head against the wall.

I'd like to hear where you go for inspiration? The park? A restaurant? Maybe your home is enough to get you going? Let's share, I'm here to listen.

5 Habits for Zen Writing

Finding time for writing can be one of the biggest challenges for many of us. Whether it's family time, work time or social time, something always comes up to distract.

Those of us who are truly dedicated to pushing away the distractions, it is they who have discovered the "zen" of writing. It's not hard, but requires a lot of discipline, must like any other commitment.

As a writer across just three blogs I find it difficult sometimes to carve the time in my day for writing, and I can only imagine that those that write for even more outlets experience a much more difficult time crunch. That being said, I am going to share 5 habits that I have found work well for my writing moments.

1. Awareness of your surroundings - writing is an art form, pull from your experiences to develop solid ideas.
2. Yearn to learn - always ask questions, be curious enough to research.
3. Use the right tools - whether it's pen & paper or mobile tech, find ways to record your ideas
4. Conversation - explore ideas by starting a conversation with others to gain insight for a unique perspective
5. Find the time - easier said than done, but key to getting some quality time with your thoughts

Each of these topics will be covered in depth over the next five days. Following each of these key zen habits will make you a more well rounded writer.

Stay tuned for this series and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

Photo Credit, Gonzalo Barrientos

DAILY SLACKR

Zen Writing: Finding the Time

Zen Writing: Conversation is Key

Zen Writing: Using the Right Tools

Zen Writing: Never Stop Learning

Zen Writing: Environment for Inspiration

5 Habits for Zen Writing

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