Writing reminders
Sometimes I just need a few words of encouragement to keep writing online. Here’s my collection.
Duplication is welcome; there’s plenty of room
💬
The internet isn't like a crowded room. When you're saying something, it's not like you're talking over someone else. There is actually room for everyone to say however much they want.
Don’t repeat yourself, write it down and share it
It’s part of unix philosophy to write a function once and share it across the project instead of duplicating it. This same philosophy applies to ideas.
Writing about tons of different topics is okay
What if I write about a Python idiom today, a note about John chapter 12 tomorrow, and a partial article on vaccine regulation the day after? Linus has a great perspective on this: if someone wants more about that topic, there are many resources they’ll go before my website. Mine is for my voice and those who want to hear said voice.
💬
There’s so many places online for people to read about Lua or the pandemic or finding cofounders for your startup; if people are here, they’re probably here because of the way I look at things, whether the subject of that study happens to be technical or human in nature on a particular day.
I’m a Polymath; deal with it
Bloggers recommend choosing a focal point for each blog. If you want to write about more things, start more blogs. Each one is an attempt to find your niché.
I deny that. I’m not looking for a niché. I’m embracing my polymath identity.
Writing and reading one’s writing connects ideas together, sometimes forming new ideas and connections
There’s something innovative when ideas from multiple domains are placed together. I’m heard that this is Elon Musk’s primary strategy for creating new solutions - find a solution in one domain and apply it to another.
Writing is Magic
As Marc explores, writing is one of the most authoritative ways to communicate with others. To listify his notes:
- Writing brings clarity to one’s ideas.
- Writing captures people’s attention. They only hear your voice (and their own) while reading your work.
- Writing scales. It can be shared to many, across years.
- Writing lends authority. We believe written words more than spoken (typically).
- Writing cements memory.
Write for intellectual stimulation
Something David Perell said about his experience sticks with me.
💬
Writing on the Internet is the best way to solve intellectual loneliness because sharing ideas in public turns you into a magnet for like-minded people.
What does David mean by sharing in public? Sharing his writing on Twitter or Facebook? Probably in part. See Nolan Lawson’s experience after Five years of quitting Twitter for what happens when you go from being on Twitter to away from it.
I’ve found eschewing the central hubs doesn’t make me a very strong magnet. But as I’ve meandered through the web outside these hubs, I’ve discovered some wonderful writing and ideas that’s given me a lot of intellectual stimulation. But it’s still not a conversation.
Thinking about this further and inspired by the topics I most often write about, I drew up this diagram of the topics that are often on my mind. I was looking for inspiration for the kinds of conversations I’d like to have with others. Maybe if I can identify what they are, I can more readily see when there’s an opportunity to engage someone in them?
This is what I’ve observed so far.
- Tags aren’t necessarily the most accurate description of my favorite subjects. I have seven posts about taxes, but that’s not a subject I want to discuss with anyone.
- Contribution is a large part of what motivates me. Understanding myself is the other.
- I’ve found a cadre of really amazing people in technology, and a couple in entrepreneurial pursuits or leadership, but it’s a weak area. There’s a mix in writing, but I’m nervous about those conversations for some reason. I don’t have any contacts for formation, spiritual gifts, or the Church.
- Because my interests are diverse, part of me wants to find people well-versed in every subject I care about. But they don’t exist. Being willing to engage in single topics is necessary.
Write for research
I write to explore the world around me. As I’ve moved my website from a typical blog to a digital garden, the Obsidian-style format has changed the way I interact with my existing content. I’m more curious about the edges left unexplored and the connections between concepts. I’m also more likely to search what’s already there instead of adding new content. Not sure if that’s a good thing…
It may be that writing for intellectual stimulation is writing for research.
Write to Build Relationships
CJ Chivers has build relationships at #1 on his list of Personal Publishing Principles. Unfortunately, I haven’t found an email so I could ask him how that works. But I’m very interested to build more relationships via this website and curious how to do it better.
One of the effects of writing relationships with others online is what Perell calls The Content Triangle. Essentially, oddball ideas are safest to share with friends, then explore with a broader audience, refine with editors, and finally publish for the world.