Freedom and Constraint: Writing Daily

Rebecca Foote recently invited me to be a part of an ACH panel on publishing in digital humanities along with Jojo Karlin and Nat McGartland. My reflections on the conversation have led to a range of posts that you can find here.

I recently wrote about the importance of public writing as a muscle. Exercising that muscle is a way for me to find the most efficient path to writing that I can. During the ACH panel on publishing, I was asked how producing something every day was even possible (paraphrasing, but that’s how I took the comment). Here are some tips, largely revolving around careful interplay between freedom and constraint.

Many forms

I think the most important thing to keep in mind if you’re trying to write every day is that writing is not just one thing. Despite what the academy might tell you, all kinds of writing are important. I believe this in my bones. There are many different modes of writing, and they all serve different purposes. Blog posts, articles, creative writing—all of these are useful, and they all feed into each other. I am especially fond of using creative writing to make sure that I keep writing on the weekend but still maintain some semblance of a work life balance. Creative writing can be a way to stretch my brain, to return to writing as an enjoyable process.

Many subjects

Students new to public writing often struggle to come up with things to write about because they are used to their own disciplinary limitations. But writing can be anything you want. Some topics are more suitable for blogging, while others are more suitable for long-form work. I try to go with whatever feels most doable on a particular day. I’ll find a use for it somewhere.

Many phases

I’ve also found a lot of utility from dividing up the different parts of the writing workflow and working hard not to cross the streams. I have some writing blocks entirely devoted to brainstorming. I will have some sessions where I sit down and write, while later sessions are devoted to editing previously written material. Some blocks are exclusively for proofing. I do not combine these kinds of labor, which is my biggest guard against endless tinkering. Know what you’re seeking to do when you sit down to write.

Many provocations

It’s easy to get blocked. When you’re stuck, don’t try to approach things in the same way that created the barrier. This might mean changing your location—writing in a coffee shop instead of your office. It might mean writing by hand or dictating into your phone. I’ve been maximizing my time by using otter.ai to dictate blog posts while driving at the recommendation of Roopika Risam. As transcription software it’s nearly word perfect, and the only errors in it are filler words from me—not things introduced by the tool. I almost always write while standing, and I really love writing while using my walking pad. Seriously if you get me in a room for more than 15 minutes I will almost certainly try to get you to swing by the library to try it out.

I’m also especially interested in using other constraints to force myself to think creatively. I love the Oblique Strategies deck by Brian Eno, which lets you to pull a card with cryptic recommendations for how to get through creative blocks (e.g. “breathe more deeply”). These cards can also be used as prompts for blog posts on their own. Don’t be afraid to force yourself to try something new just for the sake of doing it. It can help.

Many ways to fit it in

There’s not enough time in the day, and there are an infinite number of blank pages waiting to fill. I get it—it feels impossible. My recommendation is to find small ways to squeeze some words in early on each day. Your mood will soar, even if that text needs editing later. As I mentioned earlier, I often dictate while driving. I am quite intentional about the process. I have about a thirty-minute commute from door to standing desk. I spend half of that time each morning thinking and then half of it dictating. In fact, that’s how I wrote this very post.

You might say, Brandon, doesn’t dictated text come out as a big mess? And the answer is yes. Yes it does. That’s what editing sessions are for, and it’s much easier to work from a draft than from a blank page. It’s not for everyone, but it has transformed the way that I’ve worked. This past semester was the busiest I have had in years. I still drafted a whole chapter of the book project, and I did the vast bulk of that work driving into the office.

The ultimate message here is that quantity comes from discipline—not a surplus of time and energy. And careful practice with constraint and freedom can help you learn how to get past writing blocks. Stuff is going to get in the way. With practice, you can learn to fit writing in anyway.