Getting back into writing
I recently read two things that have helped me get back into writing.
One was an article by Derek Sivers about his approach to keeping a daily journal:
“Every day at some point, just open up this diary, write today’s date, then start writing. Write what you did today, and how you are feeling, even if it seems boring.”
The other was a post by Frank Chimero on redesigning his blog. In it he called for designers to write more, lest bullshit fill the void:
“When the experienced don’t write, grifters step in, feign expertise, and sell it.”
As simple as they are, these two sentences have helped me get through a bit of a mental block with my writing.
I have a tendency to overthink things when I’m developing new skills, and reading Derek’s post gave me a simple and achievable way to move past this. So far I’ve written something every day for the last three weeks, which is a personal record.
Frank’s post gave me a reason to write more and motivation to share it. Even after being in the industry for 20 years, writing about design has been something I’ve shied away from despite how much I enjoy sharing and discussing ideas.
I aways find it inspiring how simply reframing the way we think about things can have such an impact on our perception. These posts gave me a new perspective on how and why I write, and it feels good to have direction again. It’s these little moments across the web that I look forward to each time I open my browser.