Day 14 of the writing challenge & I am learning
I am on the 14th day of my writing challenge. I think writing every day needs a purpose, or a theme, or something. I am struggling to get the balance right between personal and researched and wondering if anyone out there that I know has experience of writing and creating articles & / or books.
I’ve written thousands of words over the years, research reports, strategy papers, curriculum design, articles and handbooks (not counting dissertations — yes ‘s). Most of these have been done with a means to an end — to inform, educate, consolidate learning / illustrate learning, develop (me or someone else), to get knowledge down on paper (capture expertise and interest) and to hopefully surprise on occasion. I actually really enjoy writing, I love researching and finding out new things, and in my post-30 years have become a serial student because of this. When I am lost in thought, I am usually wondering what course I can take next — a friend of mine is about to embark on a Forensic Linguistics Masters, how blinking brilliant would that be…
I’ve taken courses on writing, read books (the best being Write useful books, by Rob Fitzpatrick — ), and now I am taking this challenge. One of the loveliest and most grounded courses I undertook was with David Hieatt, founder of the Do Lectures and Huit Denim. It was called Lazy Discipline, the basic premis (without giving too much away) is consistency, turning up every day and writing something. There is focus to this writing, it must tell a story with insight & emotion, & have a purpose, to support someone’s learning. Hieatt speaks passionately about getting into a routine and about creating that routine — his includes a cold swim, which made me try cold showers and I have to say I am a convert! I thought I was good at routine, that I liked it, after all I have worked, or studies, since I was 16 and that’s routine, right?
Well, it turns out not to be quite as right as I would have thought. I am struggling to find my routine. I guess I am only on my 14th day writing, and a habit takes a lot longer than that to form! Cut myself some slack & keep going.
The thing almost all advice on this says, is get it done in the morning (in fact, the article that got me on this writing challenge said, sit for an hour (or 2) and just write. I’m a morning person, so starting the day with it (or at least completing before lunchtime) makes sense too. Then, publish what you write & ask for feedback, so far quite good… Some days I have sat & looked at the screen or allowed myself to become distracted, by just about anything (“see that speck on the window, I am sure it wasn’t there yesterday”, “did I send that email”, or “oooh, something shiny”), some days I have written quite personal things, and some of it I have published and you, thankfully, have responded to and interacted with. It has started up new conversations with old acquaintances and re-kindled some old interests in new ways. That’s great, getting my ideas / thinking out there and hopefully, making people think and connect is brilliant!
…and although I haven’t quite grounded my thinking in a daily theme, or got to creating that ‘Single Espresso’ (thanks David H), or even started writing beautiful daily observations like Sue Heatherington, “Pause. See differently. Re-story 🌿” (@SueWaterside on X), I have started writing and I am consistent. My habit is forming and I am learning my craft, my knowledge about me and what I know is growing. I love it!
Have I mentioned, I am on my 14th day of writing? The emerging connections & learnings sound good to me — if I was looking in from the outside, I would probably be pretty pleased with that!
