This is Edition No.1 of this weekly newsletter. (I start to count numbers from this article, and will update weekly from now on.)
This week I had difficulty finishing a new article. So, I observed myself carefully, tried to understand the obstacles in my mind causing the creative procrastination this time, and finally wrote this article.
Here's what I learned.
The creative procrastination
What's in my head when I try to write but can't do it well?
My mind is stuck in past writing experiences.
When I first learned to write, I was more interested in the techniques of creative fictional writing. The workflow for writing fictional stories and a blog post is different. Most of my effort was spent unleashing my imagination, not writing an article that provides practical value to people. I need to be aware of this and adjust my approach when forming an idea.
2. I focus too much on diving deep into my feelings, neglecting to establish a framework.
In my head, I keep generating new sentences, new incomplete opinions, and I keep writing them down so I won't forget them. But these thoughts don't belong in the same article. I keep straying into new angles and topics, accomplishing nothing. I have to stop it.
3. I keep doing easier tasks to avoid actual writing.
I read articles and books, telling myself they can become future inspiration and that this isn't a waste of time. I indulge in listening to Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poet's Department (the 31 songs version), telling myself this helps awaken my emotions. So many excuses.
All these are procrastination.
Not getting any work done is just so annoying!
I need to solve this.
Get something done
I've been an illustrator for several years and have often found myself in such struggling creative states. For me, the process of writing has similarities to drawing. So, I've tried to compare this writing experience with drawing to overcome procrastination.
The key is to impose some limits on myself to get my work done.
I've established some principles to help me build a framework in my mind, enabling me to finish my articles:
Remember my goal in writing.
Maintain a project management mindset.
Don't obsess over the excitement of new ideas.
Understand that I don't need to be fully prepared.
Remember my goal in writing
The goal of my writing is to become a better storyteller, to communicate with like-minded people, and to inspire people like my younger self, NOT to engage in endless monologues.
Only when some of my thoughts are published, can I free myself from them and improve my expression from there.
If I continue to delve into myself, I will post less, receive less feedback, and consequently, my improvement will be slower.
2. Maintain a project management mindset.
This means I need to view the mysterious creative process as a pragmatic project.
I need to treat writing an article as a task.
This means I need to prioritize this task, set a deadline for it, break down the steps, monitor my progress, and make choices to avoid delays for anything less important.
It's a responsible way to handle my own creation.
3. Don't obsess over the excitement of new ideas.
Resist the desire to explore new ideas, new possibilities, or to follow your curiosity.
Some people love the moment when a spark of an idea comes up. That exaltation makes you feel like you can create anything, but it doesn't last long enough for you to actually finish it.
Just ignore this feeling for a little while until the current task is done.
4. Understand that I don't need to be fully prepared.
If I can discuss an idea with someone, I can write it down as an article. Conversations provide context, opinions, and suggestions, which are all elements of an article.
However, when I'm alone at my desk, my inner critic begins to speak. This critic suggests that I need more facts, data, or quotes from prestigious ones before I write. It tells me that I should study more articles, study their structure and writing style to avoid publishing something embarrassing.
These thoughts are not truth. My ideas are formed by the things I've read and my real-life experiences. I should write this piece first, and then write new ones inspired by my reading later.
Better works are iterated versions of your previous works.
Perfection comes from iteration.
Just get something done, and iterate from there.
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