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Writing Hack

Our savvy reader

I don't make a living with my writing. Not financially, at least.

I do write on a regular basis, whether by journal (I'm partial to the Journey app on Android and Chrome OS), by blog, or by work deliverable. There's healing benefit to writing, many psychologists have asserted. Some do make a living with their writing, although it's not often a self-sustaining profession. Even famous authors have worked other jobs to ensure they live above the subsistence level while fueling their creative urge.

Like anything else, writing takes a lot of practice to become literate - like making it to Carnegie Hall. It's magical and painful, often at the same time, and it often requires tricks to get started (and keep going). Scott Berkun, who happens to be someone who makes a living at writing, describes a few tricks to get started here (he's also a good writer with some interesting books). In the end, it's just words on a page, coming out of your mind through your hands (sometimes voice) onto paper, screen, and sometimes napkin.

How do you write? Some people ask that. Well, one word at a time. How long does it take, they ask? As long as it takes until the words are done. That can be 20 minutes, like this post, or 4 hours. Or never, if the words don't come. Or a month. Or 5 years. You never know.

But when the words do come, it is magic. And remembering the magic is a simple writing hack that allows a writing hack to motivate himself to man the keyboard and start cranking out words. Or so I've been told.



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