Writing is like driving a car. When one drives a car, one just keeps driving unless there are obstacles, roadwork, accidents etc.
Similarly, just write and write whatever comes to mind (and heart). They don’t have to make sense or grammatically correct at this stage.
Let the creative juices flow…
At the end of this stage (you’ll know it), go through the write-up thoroughly – the editing stage. This is when you slow down/stop the car to inspect something or be more careful.
That’s the first part of my reply to Encik Ikhwan Ismail who wrote on his FB:
One paragraph will take two hours to write. But that’s not always right or wrong. That’s a challenge for me!
Putting ourselves in an imaginary box
What makes us take ages to write is because we are ‘stuck at the traffic jam’. The mind trap.
The mind trap: Perfection. That everything has to be perfect in the first sentence before going on to the second sentence. The right words, length, construction and for academics, which references to add or not. Some prefer to read out loud, looking for the right sound and intonation.
Hmmmmmmm…
That’s a lot to think about. That’s why it may take a looong time to write a 10-sentence paragraph. Such thinking (over-thinking) puts us in an imaginary box.
Or more often than not, we hit the brake as soon as the car is gaining speed. Repeatedly. And as you guess it, the car gets nowhere.
We are stuck again. In the same box. A box that we create in our minds.
‘Drive’ more
Secondly, do regular ‘driving’. The more regular, the easier it gets.* For writing (or any skills).
When I was working in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Muhd Kamil Ibrahim was once invited to give a talk at Dewan Budaya. His talk was based on the title of his best-selling book, ‘Bersyukur bila diuji’. Better known as Prof. MKI, he is an active speaker and prolific writer who generously shares about Islam and spiritual lessons from his life experiences.
It was a good talk – I felt inspired and energised afterwards.
But unlike Prof. Muhammad Yunus’ talk on ‘Three Zeros’, my grey matters seem to refuse any access to ‘the storage’ with details of Prof. Muhd Kamil’s talk… 😅
Funny enough, the thought that kept coming to me as I wrote my reply to Encik Ikhwan was a photo of my meet with Prof. Muhd Kamil before the talk.
It’s a habit of mine to come early to a talk. Not to chit-chat with speakers, but to observe how things are being done and get the feel of the atmosphere. As a speaker myself, coming early helps to calm down my nerves.
But on that day, I seized the moment! 😁
Two writing tips from Prof. MKI
I searched my Evernote app**. Gosh!! I did take note of the meet on 3 April 2015. It is as follows:
Prof MKI’s tips on writing.***
Me: Prof banyak tulis buku… Prof ada nasihat yg boleh di-share?
MKI: Kenapa datang kerja setiap hari?
Me: Because saya kena datang kerja.
MKI: Macam itulah writing… make it as part of your day. Kurangkan bercakap, bersembang-lebih menulis. Kalau isteri saya ajak ke Giant, saya akan pergi – as part of routine – then I went back to writing.
Second, menulis selepas sembahyang Tahajjud. Minta dari Allah “Ya Allah, permudahkan aku menulis. Berikan ilham untuk menulis, kerana Mu.”
Writing: What works for me
I took his second tip on writing to heart. Often I would spend writing during the small hours, then do Tahajjud prayers.
Whether it’s writing for my books, writing course landing pages for my online courses on Udemy and Skillshare. Ideas flow so smoothly that my fingers hardly can keep up.
It simply works – well… when I’m at home 😉
Somehow I find the first writing tip challenging. Writing everyday like going to work. Making it into a habit is something I’m still working at.
I tend to write based on what’s happening around me and lessons I could derive from them. At cafes, while in a Grab car, on ferry, in bed, at markets, while watching telly.
Let the seed of thought grows…
Or after replying to a FB post. Like this one…. Like a seed of thought, I watch and let it grow from several lines to paragraphs then into a blog post of several hundred words.
And I practically write anywhere when an inspiration knocks on my door. Same creative process in preparing a presentation.
It’s situational. And I let them come in, unveiling them to you as they are.
That works for me. Over the years, I realised that creative energy can’t be forced.
And I’ve written something on a writer’s creative process (Stephen King’s to be specific) in an earlier post on an interview with Prof. Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail.
An update: During #Covid19 pandemic #stayathome, I discovered a new read by Greg Iles based on the main character Penn Cage, a former prosecutor-turn-author. On his website, he described his writing in a nutshell:
I never intended to write a series. But Penn and Tom Cage kept whispering stories in my ear, and after straying a bit between each one, I kept going back to them.
Greg Iles, author of Natchez Burning.
Second update (April 2020). David Baldacci, a prolific mystery writer and a former lawyer, in his Masterclass shares his tactics and techniques on writing. In one of the lessons, he opened up with a statement:
Writing is a lifestyle
David Baldacci’s Masterclass – Finding Ideas
Now, how do you find writing? Like driving a car? 😉 What works for you? Care to share any writing tips?
* My reply in Bahasa Malaysia: Yang lama writing a paragraph selalunya sebab kita stuck kat traffic jam (minda)… or tekan minyak lepas tu tekan brake. Kereta tak ke mana sgt😅 Yg ke-dua, selalulah pi ‘driving’. The more regular, the easier it gets. My 2-cent.
** I love Evernote!
*** In English.
Me: Prof. you write lots of books… Prof. any advice to share?
MKI: Why you come to work everyday?
Me: Because I have to come to work.
MKI: That’s how writing is… make it as part of your day. Less talk, less chit-chat – get more writing done. If my wife asked me to go to Giant (supermarket) together, I’ll just go – as part of routine – then I went back to writing.
Second, write after Tahajjud prayer. Ask from Allah “Ya Allah, make it easy for me to write. Give me ideas, inspirations to write, for You.”
