My Writing Habits

<p> During my <a class="wikilink" href="/phd/"> PhD </a> I wrote systematically. In my <a class="wikilink" href="/lab_journal/"> lab journal </a> , later in my <a class="wikilink" href="/digital_lab_journal/"> digital lab journal </a> , plus <a class="wikilink" href="/papers/"> papers </a> , <a class="wikilink" href="/e-mail/"> e-mail </a> , etc. After my Ph.D. I started with <a class="wikilink" href="/python_for_the_lab/"> Python for the Lab </a> , which forced me to keep generating content, although in a completely different way. <a class="wikilink" href="/writing/"> Writing </a> became an end in itself and not just a manifestation of something else I was doing. </p> <p> This all changed when I started <a class="wikilink" href="/dispertech/"> Dispertech </a> . Writing is not my main focus anymore, but is something that I still wanted to keep cultivating. After all, I do believe that <a class="wikilink" href="/writing_may_be_the_most_undervalued_skill/"> writing may be the most undervalued skill </a> of this decade. I always enjoyed putting things out there for other to find and make use of. </p> <p> We all know how to write, but not everyone knows how to write well. And there is no deeper secret but to exercise it. I have seen people forcing (or claiming to) themselves to sit down to write 1 or 2 hours a day, while they still have plenty of other activities in their lives. Therefore, I would distrust any <a class="wikilink" href="/advice/"> advice </a> coming from them. For most of us, writing is something that happens next to all the important things of the day. </p> <h2> Sense of Purpose </h2> <p> What really helped me to develop writing habits is to have a <a class="wikilink" href="/sense_of_purpose/"> sense of purpose </a> . That is why the idea of a <a class="wikilink" href="/digital_garden/"> digital garden </a> was instantaneously attractive to me. The things I write will be published and available to anyone. The things I think about, the books I read, podcasts I listen to, everything can be discovered by anyone. These were the guiding principles for <a class="wikilink" href="/how_i_built_this_website/"> how I built this website </a> . </p> <h2> Daily Commitment </h2> <p> The crucial part of the writing exercise is to have a <a class="wikilink" href="/commitment/"> commitment </a> . In my case, I chose to have a daily commitment. Every morning I write something down, even if small. I write down what podcast I've listened to, or if I thought about something the previous day. It does not really matter. </p> <p> Sometimes ideas flow, and I can keep writing for several minutes, sometimes it ends up being a very small note. In any case I wrote something, there was progress. Especially with podcasts, it allows me to remember where I heard something, which creates not only a sense of purpose, but a <a class="wikilink" href="/sense_of_utility/"> sense of utility </a> . </p> <h2> Jotting Down </h2> <p> During the day, it may happen that I am exposed to some other ideas or topics. I may read something on the newspaper, or on a forum. I may even read a paper or book chapter for something work related. If anything triggers a thought, I try to write it down. Sometimes on the spot, sometimes in the margins of the page and I transfer it at a later stage. </p> <p> This does not happen every day, not even every week. But I seize the opportunity when it does. </p>