Making your mind your playground

domingo, 25 de janeiro de 2009

Do you write for yourself of for others? v 1.0



Of course you write for both but the trick is not the answer but the approach used to write. When I received this question some time ago, I thought that I will have no difficulty in answering it. Of course I should do some research so that I not became obvious or too simplistic. Note that this is a part of the answer already.
I did a mindmap (shown here) and played with some ideas when I started to realize that the task is not so simple as I thought in the beginning. I've spent some time reading books about how to write: The clockwork muse and Four noble truths for writers. Meanwhile I discovered that reading about writing and writing are two different (but related) things. So, as to exercise is the key - I started to write, and write and write...
Every single paragraph was complicated or presumptuous. I became eager to have something ready fast. Not even Beyound Bullet Points technique (I event thought about making a presentation instead of a text) helped me at that point. I read more Orsai and tried to do something more relaxed. I started to think about concepts and keywords.
My first and more important concept is that writing is sharing and sharing is the start point to discuss and learn. The second concept is that writing is communication, meaning that I have to have an emissor, a receptor, and the writing itself is the media. It is OK to write with one or more aspects of my personality - I can be part of the audience, as well. The catch is that the more distant I become from myself, less things I will have in common with the audience I'm sharing with.
In essence, what I've learnt is that I can write for myself or for the audience it does not really matters (as I may write as myself or as another one), writing is sharing, the only error is not to write (and not to share) - so I should write for anyone (or anyway) that can maximize my sharing and communication.

next: fix the links, correct english, review text

domingo, 4 de janeiro de 2009

New Year's resolutions:




I like this tradition so let's start:

1. use GDT properly
2. use Time Boxes
3. complete at least 100 Polgar Chess problems
4. use Jerry Seinfeld’s “task chain” tip
5. Use ISO Weeks.

And, lastly, whether to post regularly or close the blog for good.

Happy New Year!

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