Reflections on Daniel Pinks 7 Rules for Writing
- Show Up.
- Write every day.
- Don’t do anything until you’ve written five hundred words.
- Move.
- Once you’ve written a semi-credible draft of a section or chapter, have someone read it to you aloud.
- Remember that writing, though solitary, is also social.
- These rules work for me.
53 words, five hundred to go. These are my reflections, expansions, and extensions with clarifications on Daniel Pink’s seven rules. To be noted, there are 41 comments on his blog posting. These are mine alone. For reality, please read the true and authentic source at http://www.danpink.com/archives/2010/03/7-rules-for-writing
1. Show-up: I’m here now, two years, one month and 22 days later. I did bookmark DP’s rules and have occasionally even re-read them. But I did not show up, violating every spirit and intent of the rule and principle. In all fairness to self, I have been showing up in other venues and ventures while fulfilling obligations and seeking opportunities. To be candid, perhaps the downtime in between could of, and should have been better utilized to eke out the words from my internal reflections. On a day like every other day, this is the life I choose to live.
2.Write every day: My twitter profile (https://twitter.com/#!/RMSmithJr) states that I write with words and light. That is pretty much true. This year I started a project to take and post one picture a day. These can be seen on my Flickr account at http://www.flickr.com/photos/maineforestcafe/ Today will be picture #120. Just as in writing, some words are better than others; some pictures are better than others. I freely confess to taking a posting a picture to sustain the moment. There are even a very few pictures recycled from the past.
3. Don’t do anything until you’ve written five hundred words: 254 to go, four more rules to visit. Life is full of attractions and distractions. On this computer monitor, I have my weather station running on the left side of the screen while watching the temperature rise from the daily low of 30.02 into and towards today’s high temperature at the rate of 0.32 degrees per hour. Internet explorer is minimized with six tabs open. To the lower left from my second story study, which gazes east into the sun rising through the forest is the bird feeders that need to be refilled. But here I sit clickity clackity tip tap typing away.
4. Move: There is a quote concept out there that the best words and answers for life are a brief several mile walk away. Go there, then come back and be better than before.
5. Once you’ve written a semi-credible draft of a section or chapter, have someone read it to you aloud. Agree that this is essential for professional writing. Until I get to that point, I will retain my own counsel through my three-step write, review, revise and release process. Reading out loud is the best way to see if you did indeed release your thoughts, or regret the thoughts you thought you had.
6. Remember that writing, though solitary, is also social. True for self-publishing and posting. More of my writing is private. But, since I do have one personal and professional blogs, must write for the audience I think I have and the audience I want to have.
7. These rules work for me (Daniel Pink): This is true. We all have our own rules. Writing them down is the best way to clarify and understand our personal intentions.
Word count: 566
