thinking about my writing process

how we say it, how we filter our thoughts, how we package it, how we choose the words, how we set the tone, how we give direction to the thought flow — that's the writer's craft.

one of the ugliest parts about corporate employment is sitting for your shift, but really dreaming and thinking about what you wanna do after you quit.

you're stuck in this mode where you're fueled for step 2 (aka what you really wanna do), but you gotta stay in your seat for now. because you can't resign without a fat bag of savings. because more reasons.

today, half of my mind was focused on actual work (i do monkey graphic design for a living, ugh), then half of it on some reddit, some write.as (i'm writing this while waiting for a client), thinking about my writing process (do i even have a writing process? lol), thinking about how much my writing sucked, thinking about how i could actually improve it (by adopting a writing process, probably).

i've always wanted to write for a living. in fact, i used to write for a living. i've done that here and there. but i'm sitting at an office right now because i wanted easy money, more money, and i was so impatient to actually “build” a writing career.

writing for a living is not just about the money. it's supposed to be a passion, an artistic endeavor, that allows you to put food on the table.

above all, it's about being a good writer. it isn't just about grammar, form, and style. you gotta have things to say — in a particular, deliberate manner — that people will actually want to read and find useful.

we all got something to say. i believe in that. every person knows something that another person could benefit from. even if it's personal.

like, you can talk about something as mundane as...graying hair for example, but you can expound and make it into a writing that contemplates deeper things like, aging, coming to terms with death, health, gender divides, social pressures, etc etc.

how we say it, how we filter our thoughts, how we package it, how we choose the words, how we set the tone, how we give direction to the thought flow — that's the writer's craft. this is true whether you're writing for a content mill, commissions, the new york times, or student essays.

earlier, i was thinking, i gotta find the middle ground between conventional, commercial writing, and the more “soulful” writing that i produce here in write.as.

what i've been writing here, so far, is way too personal. it's so personal i don't even bother to think about process. i just...type type type.

i'm just saying whatever's on the tip of my tongue.

good writing has to be deliberate, polished, compliant to style, formal rules, and written with stylistic endeavors. i'm no stephen king who can write a book and not remember about writing it. i have to find the middle ground between writing as naturally as possible while rigidly adhering to what makes good and proper writing.

and so i thought, for first draft i can just say everything that's on my mind, then produce an edited draft later. like hemingway said, “the first draft of anything is shit”. so, i gotta produce the shit that contains all my original and natural ideas, then tailor it in the form of a second draft...or n-th drafts.

i'm all revved up just thinking about it.

if you're curious, my best work so far is my bachelor's thesis. it's a 150-paged thing with illustrations included. keywords: newspapers, comic strips, contemporary. it's about this thing.

anyway, i'm starting to drift. my colleague just announced that we're moving to the 5th floor of this building.

i'm eating crackers...discreetly, secretly.

i have 50 minutes more to spend here in the office. i wanna do about a dozen things. oh, shit, maybe i'm starting to go hypomanic. watch out. i'm usually talkative when i am a little “up”, so you'll probably hear a lot from me.

i hope i become insightful.

anyway, i'll dream on. it's the only good thing about being employed.

wow i just learned to embed spotify stuff here.