Time spent sitting and thinking

Time spent sitting and thinking: a lot of what writing actually is. ~ Scott Berkun

Scott Berkun’s time-lapsed video of “How To Write 1000 Words” is both useful and fascination, whether you are a new or veteran writer, and especially if you are stymied by the organizational aspects of writing. I also like what he has to say about the role of not writing in the writing process:

“Some people are terrified by writer’s block, or being stuck, and I’ve learned that the moments when I’m stuck, of which there are many—the video doesn’t show it, but there are lots and lots of moments here when I’ve stopped and I’m thinking–that’s what makes writing good or bad….The whole idea of writing is pretty challenging. I’m trying to take something in my head, and think about it, and then express it through the medium of words, and try to do it well enough so that when someone comes on and reads it, someone I don’t know, that I’ve never met, they can get all that, the same thing in my head, they can get it in theirs, maybe even something better. To do that requires a lot of thought.”

Watch the video below, then read the finished essay: