Writing FAST - Jeff Bollow 2012
Connect with your mind
Talktation: The new art of speed writing
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All writing is communication.
And your brain is an Idea Factory whose job is to spit out ideas. You want to communicate those ideas to your reader, right?
Well, the faster you write, the more directly you tap into the source of your ideas. The faster you write, the more natural your communication.
By writing with lightning speed — writing at the speed of your thoughts — your ideas pour out onto the page almost as quickly as you think them. And when you’re in tune with your idea, and you keep up with its flow, you don’t give it a chance to get muddled.
By speed writing, you stay focused on the end result — on the purpose of the communication.
Think about what happens when you talk. In a normal conversation, you don’t focus on the words. You only care about whether the other person understands or not. You don’t stop and correct yourself. You don’t ponder your words as you say them (and you know what we think of people who do!).
The communication is more important than the words. The point is always the top priority when you talk.
But when you slow down and write, you have too much time to think. You detach from the point you’re communicating, and focus on words. And as you do, your mind gets flooded with extraneous ideas.
For example, take this section. My idea is “connect with your mind.” I’ve got to get that idea across to you.
But if I don’t stay focused, every little stray idea that pops into my head as I’m writing threatens to throw me off course.
Our Idea Factories bubble over with so many ideas, we’ll get lost in a sea of “better ideas” if we’re not careful!
Speed writing allows you to connect with your target, and drive in a straight line toward the end result.
You write so fast, you almost don’t even have time to get lost. Your objective stays intact all the way through. By speed writing, you stay succinct. You plow forward, eyes locked on the goal.
You connect with your mind. You work together.