To get your thoughts onto paper can feel hard. It becomes easier when you select a writing strategy (or process) that works for you.
This article discusses 3 writing strategies:
A “carpenter” outlines before writing.
A “freewriter” just starts writing.
A “knitter” edits while writing.
Get your thoughts on paper
Has it happened to you, too?
In your mind, you’ve composed your next article. Perhaps while walking your dog or on your commute.
You feel excited, because you know exactly what you want to write, and you think your readers will love it. Yay!
Brimming with enthusiasm, you arrive home. But it’s your turn to cook, and when, after dinner, you finally sit down to write …
You can’t put your thoughts into words anymore. Where have your words gone?
You had such a bright idea, but now you feel lost. How did that happen? Was your idea rubbish? Where did it go?
Want to write faster and better? Get my best writing tips here > > >
Writing isn’t like assembling a flat-pack bookcase
A flat-pack comes with instructions on how to turn a collection of parts into a bookcase. While it may seem like chaos at first, the outcome is pretty certain—as long as you follow the instructions step by step.
But writing?
Not only do you need to collect the “parts” yourself, you also have to find your own method of assembling those parts into a shiny piece of content. And what’s more, creativity means stepping into the unknown: The outcome may be a little uncertain or completely shrouded in mist.
Writing is laborious:
- Writing is thinking; and thinking is tough.
- Writing is communication; and communicating with clarity is hard work.
- Writing is a creative process; and creativity seems a fickle beast.
Many writing coaches may advise you to follow a specific process—as if an IKEA method for writing exists. But what might work for your writing coach, might not work for you and me. We’re all different.
So how can you get rid of writing frustrations? And how can you turn yourself into a productive writer? How can you put fleeting thoughts into solid writing?
Well, it depends. Are you a carpenter, a knitter, or a free spirit?
Shall I explain?
1. The Carpenter’s Method
Like many writing coaches, Jack Hart recommends the Carpenter’s Method in his book “A Writer’s Coach.” He quotes one of his workshop participants:
Years ago I used to futz with every sentence, but then an editor told me something that really made sense. He said that when a carpenter builds a piece of furniture he doesn’t first make one side, perfect that, and then construct another side and perfect that. He must build the entire frame and then go back and put the finishing touches on each section. Even when I am on deadline, I think of what I write first as an imperfect frame that will be improved later.
This is probably the easiest way to produce content relatively fast:
- Choose an idea
- Outline your post
- Write a rough draft
- Revise your content
- Edit sentence by sentence
Steven Pressfield applies this same method when writing fiction. He calls it the “clothesline method.” On his clothesline, he hangs a series of scenes and sequences to decide what’ll happen in his book.
Some people find this process too structured; they’re afraid it might kill their creativity. But an outline is not a straightjacket.
Your outline might be a short list of questions you want to answer, a list of steps your readers must take to solve a problem, or a detailed list of arguments why readers should hire you.
As a writer, you’re in charge. You can make your outline as detailed or brief as you like. You can follow it meticulously or remain open for new ideas. It’s often a matter of personal preference and how familiar you are with the piece of content you want to write.
For instance, when writing sales copy, I plan meticulously. But for tutorial-style articles (like this one) I’m more open for fresh ideas and my outlines are brief. For a book, I outline what goes in each chapter, but I might write the chapters themselves more loosely.
2. Freewriting
With freewriting, you start writing without quite knowing where your content will end up. You write as fast as possible to uncover new ideas.
The process usually works as follows:
- Write down your ideas as fast as possible
- Find the essence of your content
- Revise your content to build on your key idea
- Edit sentence by sentence
In his book “Accidental Genius,” Mark Levy recommends freewriting as a method to boost creativity:
[Freewriting] pushes the brain to think longer, deeper, and more unconventionally than it normally would. By giving yourself a handful of liberating freewriting rules to follow, you back your mind into a corner where it can’t help but come up with new thoughts. You could call freewriting a form of forced creativity.
And in his book “Writing Without Teachers,” Peter Elbow recommends freewriting as a way to overcome writer’s block:
Practiced regularly, [freewriting] undoes the ingrained habit of editing at the same time you are trying to produce. It will make writing less blocked because words will come more easily. You will use up more paper, but chew up fewer pencils.
As Elbow suggest, freewriting also helps discover your voice and write with more energy:
In your natural way of producing words there is a sound, a texture, a rhythm—a voice—which is the main source of power in your writing. I don’t know how it works, but this voice is the force that will make a reader listen to you, the energy that drives the meaning through his thick skull.
I use freewriting when writing more personal posts. I often have an inkling of what I want to write about, but the post often turns out completely different from what I had in mind.
3. The Knitter’s Method
While the carpenter works from the big framework towards the nitty-gritty, the free spirit just starts and sees where her piece of content will end up. The free spirit often does a lot of revising to create focus and flow.
Both carpenters and free spirits tend to leave editing last. They first get the content right before polishing each word.
The knitter is different. He makes each part of the content perfect before moving on.
As Mark McGuinness writes:
One of the sacred cows of the creative thinking industry is that we should separate idea generation, execution, and evaluation, so that they don’t interfere with each other. But my experience as a writer and coach suggests that this isn’t how many creative professionals work.
When I’m writing, I’m reading, evaluating, and tweaking as I go. I’ll write a few sentences then pause and go back to read them through. Sometimes it’s immediately obvious I haven’t quite captured the thought or image, so I’ll make a few changes before I go on. If I get stuck, I’ll stop and read through the whole piece, trying to pick up the thread of inspiration where I lost it. Once I see where I got tangled up, it’s a relief to untangle it and get going again.
Experienced writers may thrive on the Knitting Method. But for beginning writers the risk is spending a lot time knitting perfect paragraphs that may later need to be cut. The process may feel more organic and creative, but can take longer, too.
When I feel stuck writing, I might turn to knitting. Instead of finishing a first draft, I polish what I’ve already written. While editing, I might get an idea on how to write the remaining parts.
So what’s the best way to write?
No perfect writing strategy exists.
And most of us mix strategies depending on what we write, how the writing goes, and perhaps even depending on our mood. Sometimes you may find yourself mixing all methods for writing one piece of content.
What’s important is to pay attention to what works for you. When do you get in a flow? What triggered this flow? Can you repeat it next time?
Writing requires both planning and an open mind
There is a fine line between good planning and overplanning. You never want the planning to inhibit the natural evolution of your work.
~ Twyla Tharp (The Creative Habit)
We all need a process to keep producing and to pull us through when we feel stuck.
But we also need room for surprise.
When we’re open minded, we discover unexpected nuggets of wisdom, fresh ideas, stories, or metaphors.
So find your own balance between planning and openness.
Because that’s how you find your flow, quieten your inner critic, and discover the joy of writing.
Recommended course:
Write It, Don’t Fight It
A Step-by-Step Course to Become a Prolific and Joyful Writer
“The tools to master the writing process are helping me write and get unstuck faster.”
~ Isabel
Further reading on writing strategies:
The writing process in 8 steps
The magic of shitty first drafts
The 5-step revision process to edit rough drafts
Great article.
Writing posts for my website has always being difficult for me.
But I like your Carpenter’s method.
I hope this will definitely help me to write good articles.
Thanks for sharing this information.
I’m glad you like the Carpenter’s method. Happy writing and thank you for stopping by.
I just don’t know where to start from, but I’m a good writer, I need help.😢
Start by giving yourself permission to write a bad first draft. It may also help to start with the easy parts of a project, even if that means starting somewhere in the middle. For instance, I never start by writing an opening paragraph.
Hi I’m currently on a counselling course, a lot of writing is involved, my problem is with all research, my thoughts are all jumbled, my writing doesn’t make sense, please help as I often go blank
Our thoughts often come out jumbled, and it takes time to get them organized. We often think of our brain as a computer which can just do a task and produce something logical. But our brains work in loops. So, every time you work on a piece your thinking becomes clearer.
It can be helpful to think of writing as thinking on paper. Writing helps you spot the gaps and inconsistencies in your thinking. Let it go for a day, then reread it and consider how to make it clearer. Outlining can help, too, either before you start writing or when you’ve written a piece that feels disjointed. Write down the key thoughts and consider how they are connected.
Fantastic post as usual.
I always wonder…how can you read so many books and find exact references? Showing references from authorities and books is a great way to illustrate your point.
I think that’s why your write-ups never sound like empty advice.
Henneke, will you please guide me on how to find such references from authorities or books?
Love you loads…Thank you.
Hi Mehera, I mostly read on Kindle and I highlight interesting ideas. Sometimes, a book inspires a post, and then it’s quite easy to pick the quotes to weave into my blog post. At other times, I might be writing a post and when I want to include a quote, I review my highlights in the most relevant books.
I sometimes listen to podcasts, and if there’s something interesting, I copy a snippet from the transcript, email it to myself (putting the name & topic in the subject line), and save it in a separate folder in my inbox.
Sometimes, I collect quotes about a specific topic because I know I want to write about it some time, and I put the quotes together in a Word doc until I am ready to write (this may take a year!)
So, my system is quite simple. There are more advanced note taking systems. One that’s particularly popular is Zettelkasten. Here’s a useful intro to Zettelkasten: https://writingcooperative.com/zettelkasten-how-one-german-scholar-was-so-freakishly-productive-997e4e0ca125 (If you want to investigate the Zettelkasten note taking system further, I found David Kadavy’s book on Zettelkasten more useful than the book by Sönke Ahrens)
I want to write. So I started researching where to start, and I came across your article. You seem like a very sincere person.
Honestly, I feel as though everyone already knows that they are a “writer’, and perhaps I’m waiting for someone to tell me that I am one too, except, I never write anything. I’m still holding on to the negative feedback from my high school English teacher, 35 years later.
Where should I start?? Any suggestion would be helpful.
Thanks
I was bad at writing essays at school, and English was my worst subject (together with Dutch). I only discovered in my 40s that even I could learn how to write. It took me years of writing before I was okay with calling myself a writer. I wrote more about my experience here: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-become-a-writer/
You don’t have to call yourself a writer and you certainly don’t need for someone else to call you a writer, you can just write.
Thank you so much for your amazing post! I felt stuck for a long time and I feel excited about wrtiting again now <3
Great. Happy writing!
Henneke thanks for your concern in replies, here I try expressing the kind of talent I possess, I once noticed of being interested in writing after following my posts in that I feel it spiritually/talented of coming out with developing ideas in any field my eyes and mind land on with that I try to apply knitting method when it comes to noting down where I am experiencing some difficulty considering the short period since I started feeling this but with a belief of concentration I can succeed, as I conclude I ask/seek for any knowledge connection that can help me to promote my talent because so far am building (an idea about the art sector) thanks.
I am sorry but I don’t know much about the art sector. I mainly work with people who are writing to promote their own business or the business of others.
I usually follow the method where I come up with an idea or a scene and I record it in writing, and then from that idea/scene onwards everything starts to develop (forwards & backwards). For me if I’m inspired by a thought or an idea that usually becomes the part of the story and that also keeps me interested in investing time in it to perfect the picture as much as possible.
That sounds good. It’s great when you find a process that inspires you and keeps you writing. Happy writing!
I always second guess myself when writing…. I will write, edit, rewrite, and repeat. I am a little bit of a cloths line writer, and a free writer. It’s good to know I’m not the only one that does this!
You’re definitely not alone, Jess! Writing is hard work.
Many times I write down stuff never to get back to. This article motivates me to start writing again.
Yay! It delights me that you feel motivated to write again. Happy writing, Leon!
I am an incurable knitter. It’s the only way I can write. I have read so many articles telling me it’s the wrong way to write and making me feel guilty, so thanks for letting me know I am in good company. You’re the first one. Knitting encourages me because I see something taking shape as I write.
Thanks for validating my existence.
I find it so frustrating when people think their way of writing should work for everyone, all the time. We all have to figure out what works for ourselves, and adapt our methods when our circumstances change. This is the beauty of creative work.
Keep knitting, Wally! 🙂
I find my mind is most courageous/creative when I’m near a dreaming state, close to falling asleep. Words flow, things make sense from a creative perspective, the world is in sense, at a pause and I have this bravery unknown and more in balance than I’ve been the other 15/20 hours of the day. If I don’t it down, in that moment I can never recreate it with the same intensity and flow. I have to keep a writing pad near my bed.
That sounds tricky. Have you tried recreating the same kind of state at other times of the day? E.g., when still groggy from sleep early in the morning, or when listening to some of your favorite music, or when out on a walk, or when having an afternoon nap?
I just LOVE your final recommendation. I need to develop a process of writing but in the same time be open minded. Made my day this advice. 💕
Thank you, Ruxandra. Writing requires such a careful balance between structure and creativity, between process and chaos, between focus and open-mindedness. Happy writing!
Hi,
I am writing about a deteriation in standards of integrity in politics & society in general.Part of this involves tracking the handling of Brexit & Covid 19 handling. I find the more I think the more I need to expand stuff & of course the the 2 topics are dynamic & current.
1. So I need some advice as to how I discipline myself to work efficiently , marshalling my work & to not get despondent.
———
I have a lot to say but I am not sure if I am writing it as a cathartic exercise for myself, or for posterity e.g. to leave my thoughts for my sons for the future to read about how times were; or to write for a newspaper; or to write a book.
2. So I need a way to crystallise my objective or do I finish all my work, I.e. get the facts down & then see if I can revamp it for the intended audience?
Using word on my iPad copying & pasting as best I can.
3. Is there a better way ?
Thanks
To answer your third question first: I’ve used Scrivener for writing books and found it very useful because it’s easy to move chapters around and keep track of the structure of writing.
To stay disciplined and write efficiently, it helps to outline your book. What question does each chapter answer? The questions can keep you on track. You can write an answer for each question first, then in your second draft you can revise and add any relevant recent information to answer the question better. But keep in mind that with current issues, you can never be entirely current, and that’s okay.
I’m not sure what to suggest regarding your question #2. Usually, it helps to figure out who the intended audience is before you start writing. But I sense that perhaps trying to figure that out may slow you down to much and might even lead to paralysis so perhaps get a first draft done and see whether you can figure it out along the way. The writing process itself can bring clarity, too.
Hi Henneke!
I am writing a book but at a point i am stuck. I have a lot of ideas in my mind but I don’t have words to express those ideas. I have wasted a lot of time and energy in finding the right words but I can’t find them.
Now what to do? Already i have been wasting time by not writing so I can’t chill or relax as people are saying me to do.
Finding the right words is often incredibly hard work. You have to go through using the “wrong” words first and write a bad draft, and then keep thinking and revising, and possibly talk about it with friends, and eventually you’ll find the right words but that can take several drafts.
We often find that ideas that seem clear ideas in our minds turn out to be muddled when we try to commit them to paper. That’s normal. Writing is thinking on paper and the writing process forces logic into our ideas. So those early drafts aren’t a waste of time and energy, they’re simply part of the process of finding the right words.
i have always wanted to be a writer. In fact I’m currently working on something right now, but i can’t find my words, i feel i’m not really creative. this deters me from writing every time. In addition to that, I intend writing from a very personal experience that scarred me, hopefully I’ll heal fully. But each time I pick up my pen to write, I get in my feelings and then I slump back on my bed and continue fiddling with my phone. I really need to get myself out of this mess.
Be gentle with yourself. Writing is hard and writing about a scarring personal experience is even harder. So, take it easy and try to talk about it with a friend or a professional. You don’t have to figure it all out by yourself.
We’re all creative. You, too. Finding the right words takes time and many versions of editing.
Hi Henneke, I am not a writer but I want to be .I have a deep thinking but it never gives me any effective method or interesting poem or story to write. I always try to write but I am not able. So please suggest me something by which I am being able to write something interesting.
Even when our ideas seem clear in our mind, it can still be a struggle to get them on paper. So, give yourself time and give yourself permission to write a messy rough draft first. Let your draft rest and work on it a little more the next day (or a few days later). Good writing takes time.
Hi Henneke, I like how you ‘knit’ your words together. But what I find to be the most inspirational thing about this post is the feedback it has elicited.
The content itself is awesome, and to see people coming out of their ‘I’m not good enough hiding zones’ and expressing their worries and concerns is self-evident that you have touched hearts and not just brains.
That, in itself, is resonant with the ‘in your own words’ advice that you have given in your article, ‘how to be original.’ A read to keep one coming back. Great job.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Martin. I appreciate it. I often find that the comment section is better than the blog post. I’m grateful for everyone contributing.
Hi Henneke,
What is the most effective way of making a piece of writing presentable?
Use more white space and subheads.
This piece is really helpful to me.
A question. Can one adopt all the three methods in a writing?
You can use different methods for writing different content. It’s useful to experiment to see what works best for you.
My favorite activity when composing content is to imagine myself speaking the words on my page to my imagined audience. As I do that I notice how my energy and voice changes, particularly when I wonder if the audience really understands what I am saying. I notice that many speakers say “Right?” at the end of a sentence, or “You Know?” I listen in my mind for appropriate responses. Often I will draw a diagram to explain an idea, then my words serve to explain what the diagram describes.
Thank you. Your tacit encouragement is very useful.
That’s a great way to compose or edit your writing!
Happy writing, Peter, and thank you for stopping by.
I am not a writer or literature expert, I am an software engineer. But to move ahead in career writing is very important, either it’s giving project update or overview or writing a tech blog.
I work really hard and have lots of ideas, but not really good at writing them down.
I literally get stuck at first two words, feels like I don’t have enough words to write or elaborate my sentence. Don’t really get ideas about how to convey my thoughts in a form of story telling or make it more presentable.
Sometime I wants to write project update, but after reading my gibberish and comparing with others I scratch everything and ended up not posting any update. This is like major hinderance in my career growth.
As suggestions, what can I do to make my better at writing.
There’s two things that will help improve your writing: (1) reading more and seeing how others structure their writing and (2) writing more.
Also, keep in mind that writing is a process. A first draft can be messy and you may have to cross out a lot of text to communicate the core of your message. It can help to first think about what the purpose of your writing is before you start. Who will be reading it? What action should they take after reading it? What do they need to know to take that action? If you answer those questions in writing, you already have to core of your message on paper.
Thanks, will try following it.
Any suggestions what type of content I should read more? Novels or tech related?
Yea, writing more makes sense. But part I get nervous about, how to cross check? What I have written makes sense? Does it communicates clearly and effectively what I am trying to say? Basically how to get writing confidence with confirmation from someone.
Read whatever you like. You can learn from any type of writing but it also helps to read the type of content you want to write. So, if you want to write blog posts, study blog posts. If you want to write business emails, study business emails. See what works and what doesn’t work.
Evaluating your own work can be hard, so it can help to find a writing buddy to provide feedback or to hire a coach. A coach is usually the fastest way to improve (but also the most expensive).
This Information is very helpful and in the conclusion this is rightly said that there no perfect method that all follow because something different work for everyone. this is not necessary that the thing that work for a person work for others also and that is not only for writing but also for everything.
Yes, we’re all different, and as our writing evolves may also find that we need to change our writing methods, too. Happy writing!
I just can’t ignore your writing style and choice of words Henneke. It makes my eye balls roll with your “chew up fewer pencils .’ It’s true. Your writing tempts me, makes me a voracious reader. It helps. Thank you!
What a lovely comment. Thank you so much, Susan. Happy writing!
I’m young and have no real life experiences but I want to write….but I can’t figure out how to start EVER and it drives me to the brink of insanity!!! Help please!!
Of course you have life experience already. Imagine writing a letter to your best friend or an imaginary friend. What would you like to share about your life? What have you learned? What can you tell him or her about what you worry about? And what can you share about what makes you happy?
Here’s my problem with writing.
The subject has been done before.
What new revelation could I possibly offer on a subject that has been written by someone who has more authority on the subject than I do? I can’t compete with these pros.
For example, The benefits of Low Carb Diets and why I follow one. Done to death. Look at the internet, book stores, blogs, TV shows etc.
There are “dieting gurus” everywhere, writing everything and winning all kinds of awards.
I can almost anticipate the answers to my dilemma:
I am unique. My view on the subject is different than anyone else’s view. (That sort of works, but not really.)
But the Rolling Stones, The Who, and Led Zepplin did not invent R and B they just modified it and made it their own.
But they are Led Zepplin and the Rolling Stones …..
I am not a big authority on any subject or have incredible writing talent and I don’t play any musical instruments.
I am me.
Good article I’ll try to incorporate the above suggestions into my writing.
Yes, everything has been written about before. Writing as a blog topic may not as popular as dieting, but it’s pretty popular, too, and every tip has been shared already somewhere by someone.
So, you have to be different. Share different stories. Use different metaphors. Speak more strongly to a narrowly defined audience.
Even in the most crowded niches, there enough space to attract an audience. You may find this blog post useful: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-be-original/
PS And when I started to write, I wasn’t an authority, either. I built my authority through blogging and learned more with every blog post I wrote.
Thank you for this I am currently working on a research proposal and a literature review for two different modules in my final year and I have been reading articles but had not written anything tangible yet. I felt like I was writing gibberish. I could not even show it to my lecturers for feedback because of how incoherent it was. I just tried free writing and I am surprising myself. I am grateful for having stumbled upon this useful and content driven website. It’s not perfect yet but I am positive that improvements will be made. A little problem I have is organizing my chapters and paragraphs, I tend to reveal too much in a few sentences. I would like some advice on that. Thank you
To organize in chapters and paragraphs, outlining (or reverse-outlining) helps: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-outline-a-blog-post/
If your writing is too dense, then add more examples or ask a good editor or writing coach to help you, so you can see how to improve.
I really had problem writing my posts. I used stuck on single word for hours. I read your article yesterday. My writing speed has increased very much. Before reading your post took me a whole day to write one article. But now it only takes me 5-6 hours.
Freewriting and The Carpenter’s Method worked for me.
Thanks Henneke!
Just Love Your Blog
Wow, that’s a great improvement. Thank you for sharing that, Himanshu.
Happy writing!
Hey Henneke,
Cheers for these 3 spellbinding, and best yet, proven writing strategies. #Swipefile and #Shareworthy Appreciate the alternatives to the IKEA (no offence intended) approach. The crafty (knitter) artisan (carpenter) writer approaches are fab brainpokes.
Your final reminder is a super takeaway. The important thing is that every writing strategy has its time and place; and we have the freedom to choose one, or none or mix as we desire or serve it as our audience needs.
Hey Nicole,
A comment featuring the words spellbinding and brainpokes can only come from you 🙂
And yes, if the hammer doesn’t work, then try your knitting needles to get your writing done.
Always good to “see” you again.
Good to be “back” ? March was a fog of tough slogging. Now emerging on the sunny side and happy to be catching up on reading my fave blogs ? Happy bank holiday weekend to you.
Hi Henneke,
I must confess that you explained every thing that I needed to start writing. Many times, I had some great ideas in my mind and a full length movie is being broadcast on the curtains of my imaginations but whenever I tried to put them on the canvas in real, I felt blank.
But this blog post has changed some of the dimensions, and I will start writing my imaginations. Thanks to you for sharing worth reading tips.
Kudos (y)
Hi John, I’m so glad that you feel inspired to start writing your imaginations. Thank you for stopping by. Happy writing!
Hi Henneke,
You’re right, of course. There is no IKEA method to writing. Can you imagine all those (blog) posts with missing screws?
It was reassuring to read the different options – I’ve used them all. Different situations demand different methods. All too often we can read advice that tries to pigeon-hole us. Like, finish your first draft before even thinking about editing. Well, that doesn’t always work for me. Sometimes, as you mention, it’s more appropriate to reflect and edit rather than write.
Thanks
– David
Haha! Now, I finally know what’s wrong with my blog posts… I’m missing a few screws 🙂
I’m glad I’m not the only one resisting being pigeon-holed into a specific kind of writer.
Thank you for stopping by again, David. I appreciate it!
thank you dear HENNEKE, I always go through your writings, you really inspire me.
I’m about to write my book… I think all these your ideas will help me and as soon as I finish, I’ll send to you to review it.
thanks
Thank you for your lovely comment, Steven. Good luck with writing your book!
I think Freewriting is my style or maybe I could call it NOW-writing. How it seems to work for me is that I read something (or hear something) which sparks off a thought and I have to leave what I’m reading and just ‘go for it’ until I stop. I then would read through what I’d written and sometimes didn’t even do much in the way of editing before publishing it. I’ve since changed that strategy and now take a break before re-reading the post and then making edits and publishing. Or, I file it under ‘to be published,’ where it usually stays.
Like Katherine, I too have planned my yearly Blogs/Newsletters, only to stare at a blank ‘Page’ wondering what on earth I could write that anyone might be interested in, especially me! I long for the time when I can be organized and systemized, yet, still be creative.
I like your idea of “NOW-writing.” It sounds like your system works for you, so why do you need to get more organized? Is it because you’d like to be creative more regularly?
What has helped me write more regularly, is to commit to a weekly schedule and then spread my work over a series of days, so I never really stare at a blank sheet. The first day, I pick an idea and perhaps outline a few rough ideas of what I could include in a post. But I won’t start with writing until the next day (or two days later), so I have time to think about my article (usually on a walk). When I start writing, I already have a better idea of what I want to write. This has sped up the writing process and makes it less painful.
I’ve been on a mission to become more organized for a while now and it’s beginning to bear fruit, and I kinda like that. Your weekly schedule sounds enchanting and would give me both the freedom and the organization that could work well together. Thanks for sharing, Henneke.
I’m a beginner blogger and a Knitter through and through. I never seem to hear anything positive about this style of writing. Sometimes I think I may be more of an editor than a writer.
I can’t seem to write any other way.
Do you think this might change with more experience writing?
If it works for you, why change?
I don’t agree with people saying it’s a bad way to write. Lee Child, for instance, writes all his books this way. And who’d say he’s doing a bad job?
For some people, the downside of knitting can be that they spend too much time revising. If that’s the case and the revision frustrates you, then it’s helpful to start outlining. But for a lot of people, knitting works. We all have to find the method that works best for us.
Awesome article, Henneke.
I love how you gave each one a name. Fantastic imagery and helped me understand perfectly what each of the 3 strategies is.
Personally, I’m a big fan of the Carpenter’s method. I always love having an outline before I start writing. If I don’t, then I tend to waffle and waffle and waffle and…. yeah, you get the picture.
The biggest mistake I see writers make (and one I used to be guilty of myself) is perfecting every sentence as they go along. Big mistake. Something that could have been finished in 30 minutes would take over an hour.
Talk about frustrating.
Thanks again for a great read, Henneke.
Tom
Yes, that’s true – freewriting amplifies our tendency to waffle. It happens to me, too. When I freewrite, I throw away the first 300 or 500 words I’ve written. It’s like I have to warm up my writing muscle before I can write something interesting.
I’m glad you enjoyed this article, Tom. Thank you for stopping by!
Thanks for the inspiration. Well penned, I read your caution, though each tree is important don’t focus on just the one as you may lose the whole forest. Over planning has a way of watering down creativity. I’m guilty, but I will lighten up.
Good one H.
Ah, yes, the forest and the trees – that’s a good point. It’s tricky with writing because you need to get the picture of the forest (the main message, the flow of the content) right as well as water each tree (rhythm of your sentences and word choice). So it’s a tricky balancing act.
As always, I appreciate your comment, Bernice. Thank you for stopping by.
Dear Henneke
You are the genius and a perfect educator. Learning something special from you.
Thank you for displaying such good moment.
sujit
Thank you, Sujit. Happy writing!
I’ve experienced and tried out the methods you mentioned, but never took the time to categorise them into tools of the trade. Now I understand that my block can sometimes happen due to my utilising the ‘wrong’ tool for the job at hand. (tool…hand…get it? lousy pun…)
Anyway, appreciate the insightful guide once again. Thanks Henneke!
Yes, that’s it. The different tools can be a good way to get unstuck. When one tool doesn’t work, just switch to another one. I like how you’ve put that, Nazir. Thank you.
Hi Henneke
yes outlining I have been doing with writing my books it gives me a good idea what I am going to write about.
Being clear about what I want to say I am just drilling myself on now, to get the Illustrator to understand what I need.
Not that easy, obviously something I need to work hard on right now.
Like your post it is as always encouraging.
<3 A.
Being clear about what we want to say can be surprisingly hard. Sometimes, ideas have to simmer for months before I finally can be clear about what I want to say. For instance, I’ve wanted to write this post, for many months already, but I didn’t know what I wanted to say exactly (and my thinking is still evolving). Don’t give up!
Always good to “see you,” Annamarie 🙂
Thanks for putting together this nice little toolbox, Henneke.
I’ve used all 3 methods to write, but usually end up knitting. But most of my writing that gets published is copy for advertisements.
If I were writing longish articles or a book, I’d probably try to start with a rough outline then freewrite the chapters or sections and let them go where they want to go. Then the knitting would begin.
Another method that can work nicely is to try to get to a powerful opening that energizes the piece, then let the momentum carry you for a while. It also suggests how to bookend your writing to make a satisfactory ending.
In the case of an ad, it’s almost always going to be an evocative headline that creates momentum. When copywriters write a series of conceptual headlines, often the best one becomes the head, and the contenders find their way into the copy. This same technique could work nicely for an article, where the contenders become the subheads.
I like your suggestion of a toolbox, because we can mix the tools depending on the content and how it progresses.
I like your suggestion of letting content develop from a powerful opening. I must try that some time! I mostly find myself writing my opening last (after I’ve written the whole post).
Thank you for adding your thoughts, Jon. I appreciate it!
Ha! I was surprised to discover that I’m a hard core carpenter with some inclination towards “knitting”, as I have to make each part semi-perfect to move on. Love the idea to describe the writing methods this way! Clear but also, well, enchanting 🙂
I would have guessed being a carpenter would suit you as you come across very organized! 🙂
When it comes to writing? Yes. When it comes to every other aspect of my life? I wish! 😀
Hi Henneke,
I started reading your article and I thought, “Hm, I’m a Carpenter.” Then I thought that I’m a Knitter too. I guess I’m trying to be less a Knitter because, as you said, it slows me down. What I didn’t try for a very long, is free writing. I love it but mostly use it for writing other stuff than blog posts. I’m so cautious about not saying something “wrong” that I always research a lot, think a lot… overthink too ?
I haven’t read much about writing (except for your course) so I didn’t worry about my writing style being messy. (One of the bright sides of not-knowing?!) Now I learned more about it, thank you for that. And for the message that it’s ok to mix different styles up as long as it works for you. Meaning I still don’t have to worry about HOW I write. ?
Wonderful content.
I think it’s fine to mix up the different strategies – it can be a great way to get unstuck. But as you say, it’s important to be aware of the pitfalls of each strategy, so you can adjust as you go. It sounds like you’re on the right track – if you feel your knitting slows you down too much, try a little more carpenting 🙂
You may also find that it depends on what you write – a fairy tale or story may tell itself, so you can knit. A more tutorial-style post may require more carpenting so you can write it quicker.
Whichever way you choose, you can get to your destination 🙂
Happy writing!
Yes, and on the mood too. I agree.
After all, getting to my destination is what I want.
Thank you, Henneke!
Henneke, Thank you. The ” Knitter” was new to me. The Carpenter and the Free Spirit I was familiar with. In the novel writing world the Carpenter is known as a Plotter. The Free Spirit is known as a Pantser. ( As in write by the seat of the pants.) To plot or not to plot that is the question. There is no telling how much computer memory has been used for the loud and constant “debate” between the Plotters and the Pantsers. Thanks for the Knitter.
I’ve also heard about the difference as Architects (Plotters) vs Gardeners (Pantsers). I think the “Knitters” are most similar to the Pantsers as they also let the story tell itself. The difference in fiction between Pantsers and Knitters would be that Pantsers edit more after the story has been told, while Knitters edit as they go. Lee Child (mentioned by Kitty above) is Knitter.
(The Knitter is a term I invented here.)
Thank you for adding your thoughts, Curtis. Always appreciate them!
And then there’s the Beethovians and the Mozartians. I think I may write my next blog about this same subject, because I have never really tackled it head on, yet it is a source of frustration to new writers. And I want to form an opinion about it. It’s interesting, I need to think about it some more. Thanks you Curtis, to plot or not to plot, that is the core of the matter indeed! 😉
I look forward to your post about this!
I think there’s to plot vs not to plot – this is the major difference. But there’s also the question of whether you mix up writing & editing or leave your editing until last.
I freewrite when I’m in the flow. It’s almost like automatic writing. Sometimes I can’t write fast enough to keep up with the words pouring out. It’s a wild ride! On non-flow days, I knit from a sketchy outline so I don’t forget an important point or to slide in a relevant story. I always enjoy your articles, Henneke.
I love how you vary your writing method depending on whether you can find your flow or not!
Thank you for stopping by to add your thoughts, Diane. I appreciate it.
So, as I have always known, I am a knitter. It is just important to realize that one’s students are not all at the same level of knit & purl.
I have also found that even experienced writers may benefit by using a solid structure. At times.
I do think that, in the end, most people who write a lot will internalise the structuring – when we are talking short pieces of text. It is what I have seen journalists do all the time – they build their articles up from the first sentence. They free-knit, and the structure builds itself.
Your point about short pieces is pertinent. Knitting short pieces of text is a lot easier than knitting a whole book. Knitting a whole book is probably also possible, but a bigger challenge!
Do you find journalists use different tactics for writing weekly columns vs long, in-depth articles?
Of course: you could not write a book just by beginning somewhere (although that is exactly what Lee Child does, and he is an über-bestselling author, so even here there is no telling what works). But a blog post is a short piece. As a journalist, I would make an outline for articles over 2000 words.
Yes, that makes sense – a brief outline for longer content. I think for inexperienced writers a 1,000-word blog post can feel like 2000+ words.
I know some fiction writers let the story tell itself without deciding the plot beforehand. I’ve not come across people doing this for non-fiction. But who knows … it might work for some!
I think it’s fascinating how everyone writes differently.
You mean for experienced writers? Yep.
Well I am sure there must be essayists who write character driven essays, as it were 😉 Ann Lamott comes to mind. To me it feels like she writes very associatively – if that is a correct english word.
Yes, that’s an interesting one. I only know her book Bird by Bird. I guess that type of writing borrows a lot of storytelling techniques from fiction (or journalism).
Borrows? Ha, I almost feel insulted for her 😉 She is a marvellous, marvellous essayist. I would say most people have borrowed from her rather than the other way around. But seriously: in my opinion there are no borders between the different types of writing. There are only different media and purposes. Writing is writing. Sometimes you use this technique, the other time that. It is one big fluid thing – thoughts put into words. Associations geven free reign or kept on a tighter leash.
Yes, this is exactly what I’m trying to say: “It is one big fluid thing – thoughts put into words. Associations given free reign or kept on a tighter leash.”
I do think some methods work better for different types of content. If you’re writing, for instance, a textbook about a specific topic (whether for business people or school children), you have to be at least partly a carpenter as you need to decide what your readers need to learn and which questions you must answer.
With “borrow” I only meant, it’s quite close in terms of style to writing fiction. Just like memoirs. In a memoir, you can let a story tell itself. This is harder to do in a textbook which needs to be more organized rather than associative.
I love Lamott’s book Bird by Bird. And I wouldn’t dare to insult her!
A fun and useful article as always. I know I’m the free spirit type, unfortunately it sometimes makes the editing tedious but it feels closest to what I try to say (usually). I’ve been trying voice to text tools as I found, that like others, good sentences or clear reasoning come to me when I’m doing something else, my story percolating in the background. Those sentences then become the clotheshangers.
Voice to text is an interesting idea, too!
I’ve tried dictating my blog posts, but the software struggled with my Dutch accent and I was too impatient to train it properly. The dictation went so slow I was losing my train of thought. So I gave up.
I can see it working, though, when you have a “normal” accent – either for dictating snippets (I like your hangers!) or full posts.
Hi Henneke,
Boy can I relate to this post.
Words and thoughts often “leak” out of my head at the most inconvenient times.
Or I start to write, then immediately begin to edit. That usually stalls the creative process.
If I free write, I wander too much.
My writing room looks like a painters studio, only its words, notes, half finished projects
wall to wall.
Writing is a tough gig. Your words inspire and encourage.
Thanks for hitting the nail on the head once again.
If you find that editing stalls your creative process, then you might want to try the carpenter’s way. What helps me when writing my first draft is to keep a timer going and to challenge myself to get as much of my post written as possible in two (or three) chunks of 25 minutes. The timer keeps me moving on, and stops me from going back and editing. Writing faster can help outpace my inner critic—she doesn’t get a chance to speak up. And if you do this based on a rough outline, then you won’t wander too much.
I appreciate your comment, Barry!
I’m big on frameworks, so, there ya go. I employ elements of all of them though. Thanks Henneke!
Todd
It sounds like you’re a carpenter who’s good at knitting, too 🙂
Thank you , Todd!
I resonated with the carpenter analogy. For me, to perfect as I go along kills my creative thought processes. I want to get my ideas on paper before I forget them. So, for me it is best to write first, then go back and critic and change things that need to be changed.
Yes, that’s the most common way for me to write, too. And also the fastest way.
Thank you for adding your thoughts, Carol. I appreciate it!
Oh, you’ve addressed a problem I’ve encountered lately. I am so glad!
I heard of others planning out the entire year of blog posts, in late December. I was so happy–I would have topics ready and waiting for my fingers to make new posts, according to my 52-entry list.
Yet when I sit down to write from this list, it seems stale. As you said, “Where are my words?”
It has felt so mechanical, forcing myself to outline something–anything!–just to make a post happen. Not the natural flow.
I remember days when after reading in the early morning, I would just write from the ideas floating in my head, spurred by what I’d read. How I loved that! How much of me lives in those words!
Now, it’s all making sense. Perhaps there is a time for everything? Haha!
Probably, mostly, I am a carpenter. Like a friend of ours who makes guitars and violins, there is a right way and a wrong way, and he does it right. (I hope I do, too.) But then, he also paints amazing designs on his almost-finished works. Layers and layers of paint, alternating with varnish, create almost iridescent images of such beauty, it’s almost a shame to use the instrument. I hope I am like him in that way, too, when it comes to putting on the finishing touches of my work.
So if I build like a carpenter and so finish work like an artist (instead of vice versa) I will do well. I hope.
At least is makes sense to me. Finally. Thanks!
I like having freedom in choosing an idea, too. I have a list of ideas, but I pick the one I feel most excited about on a particular day.
I love your story about your friend making guitars and violins. It shows so beautifully how creativity can thrive while facing constraints. This, in my view, is the same as when following an outline: you can still add color to your content; it doesn’t limit your creativity, it just channels it.
Thank you for sharing this story!
Good planning and overplanning. That’s where I get caught. I start trying too hard to fit into the plan and everything dries up. But maybe sometimes I just have accept that my ‘planning’ involves a topic only and be okay with that. You’ve changed a couple things on the website, looks good! And the drawing is fabulous! 🙂 Very creative!
I love that quote from Twyla Tharp; it seems to summarize the tension of creative work quite well. And the fine line between planning and overplanning is different for us all; it’s not easy to find the balance, but I do think when writers find their own balance, they become more productive.
And yes, I’ve been doing some housekeeping on my site. I’d been working on it since December but only put it live recently. I’m glad you like it 🙂
Had to pull out the Funk/Wagnall’s on the “quieten” word, but you were correct. Nice article appreciate the post.
I was hesitant about it, because I know “to quieten” is chiefly British English. But I really don’t like “to quiet.” Perhaps I should have gone for “to quiet” because my writing on the blog is chiefly American English (with some British or even Dutch occasionally sneaking in 😉 )
Good to know you’re still around, Joe!
I liked the versatility of the options you explained and the way you explained them. Most articles that propose a writing technique are harsh and focused, it either fits you perfectly or nothing at all. I felt relieved by finding multiple approaches to the same problem.
Also, will give it a try to “Accidental Genius”. Sounds convincing.
I think most articles focus on one writing strategy, because that’s the easiest way to teach!
To be fair, the main focus in my own courses is also on the carpenter’s method, but I do mention other methods and how to go from freewriting to a finished piece of writing. I think it’s good for everyone to experiment.
Hello Henneke,
I appreciate a lot your writing. I read it all through including the comments. You are very dedicated and committed to what you do.
Well, I have enjoyed all what you said and the techniques and I am a little bit curious to know where or how did you came across these techniques.
As for my favorite technique, I would wish to be Carpenter Writing even though I have not even tried to use it in this post.
All it takes is dedication and commitment and that is the big lesson I have captured in your blog today.
Have a great day wish you the best.
Bye Bye
Hi Stephane
I’ve learned about the various techniques from reading how others write (there are many books about this), through my teaching / coaching, and personal experiments.
Happy writing!