I've been working on increasing both post frequency and quality here on Pawprints of the Mind. It was easy at first, as a natural consequence of trying to write something once a day. When that effort paused during the holidays, with nothing produced between December 22nd and January 3rd, I had nothing to write about on my blog. The only post published in that window was a touching up of an old draft.
It seems that daily writing is important to help me think, even if its only actual effect is to devote time to actual thinking instead of the internet or video games. (During my hiatus, I played an entire game of Secret of Mana.) I suspect it's more than that, though. If I don't know what to write about when I start, creating the opportunity generally makes something appear.
Perhaps this is how
NaNoWriMo works. By establishing time for people to write, it helps them focus their efforts and allows the result to happen, instead of deferring it in favor of day-to-day living. It's important to allocate time and use it, because less work translates to less reward and more difficulty in trying to pick it up later. There's a need for breaks, but there's also a danger of spending too much time relearning it when returning to the project. There's a sweet spot between the two where unusual thoughts and angles flow more freely.
The quality of posting, I hope, is also going up as a result of trying to produce daily, but post only weekly. I have a lot more space to draft out my thoughts, which allows for more cutting of fluff and a deeper exploration of the chosen topic. Although it's no secret that I admire Steve Yegge's storytelling skills, I'd really like to focus on writing like Paul Graham: dense and
flowing toward interesting.
So that's a behind-the-scenes look at sapphirepaw 2010. See you later this week!
