Passionate About Writing?

I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide, a business technology analysis paper, and a FileMaker Pro 7 application! Can you say, "RedBull?" Actually, my preferred energy drink of choice is Monster. But I'll save my energy drinks discussion for another time.

What I would like to focus on is how similar Writing and Programming are. Both are creative. Both require adhering to some type of structure. Both require that you are aware of who the audience is. And both require discipline and focus! And those who are both writers and programmers are either nuts, or very driven. I haven't quite figured out which category I fit into. Although my wife will place me into the former. ;)

I have discovered over the years that the discipline that I've learned by doing programming has directly applied to my discipline for writing. In both situations, a clear goal has to be established. You have to know where you're going in order to get there. True, there are some writers (specifically in the fiction genre) who can just sit down and write, without having any plan, outline, or goal in mind. But when it comes to non-fiction writing and programming, a plan, outline, and/or goal is an absolute necessity! In programming, it's a specifications document. In non-fiction writing, it's an outline. Both require some analysis and forethought about what the end result is supposed to be.

Once the plan is in place, then the next step is doing the actual work. This is when we discover how passionate we really are about the task at hand. If you're passionate about the project then it's easy to sit down and just start cranking out words. Have you ever gotten up in the middle of the night to go and sit down at the computer and start working? That's passion! (Or one too many energy drinks!) Are you writing code while gazing at your date across the dinner table? That's passion too, but not the kind your date would like. But the point is, that type of passion about a programming or writing project can carry you a long way toward completion.

But what do you do when the steam dies down? I'm talking about those times when you sit down at the computer and just stare at the screen. It happens to all of us. You then start looking for excuses or other things to do. "Humm, my desk is a mess!" There goes a couple hours of organizing the desk and office. "Oh, more email." There's another hour or two, reading and responding to emails. Then there's the lure of web surfing. "I need to do a little research!" Write off another 2 to 4 hours. Next thing you know, you've spent the entire day sitting at your computer but haven't made any progress on your project. What do you do?

Well, go back to thinking about why you're passionate about the project. It could be money - what will you buy when you get paid for the project? Or it could be the accomplishment - being able to say that you've written an application that solved a major problem for your customer. How about a little fame? Anyone who's been in the computer industry for awhile knows who Dan Appleman is. He's just some guy who decided to write a valuable set of books for programmers. Whatever it is that makes you passionate about the project - think on it. Dwell on it! Meditate on it! "Be the ball," as Bill Murry said in the movie, "Caddy Shack." If you saw the movie, you'll know what I mean.

The other way to get there is through discipline and experience. When I started writing my first book, I was very passionate about it - at least through the proposal, outline, and first couple chapters. Then it became that four letter word - "work." The next couple chapters were tough. I had to force myself to get into being productive. Each time I sat down at the computer, it would take me from 30 minutes to an hour just to get back into the swing of things. But, I did do it. I made a schedule for myself. At the time, I was working a full time job. I set my mind to following the schedule and not let anything get in the way. After work, I would grab a light dinner. Then I would take a one hour nap. Then I would get up, sit down at the computer, and crank out words for the next 4 hours. I would do this for at least 4 days a week. It didn't take long for me to be able to just sit down and start writing. The book was completed and I gained a great sense of satisfaction knowing that I had reached a major milestone that all potential writers seek to have - the first completed book!

Thanks to that experience, and the additional writing that I've done since then, I've been able to get myself into the right mental state for writing whenever it is needed. I still work out a plan. But when I sit down to write - I write!

So, next time you take your date or spouse out for dinner - don't write code while you're there. Enjoy the time with your companion and your dinner. Then, when you sit down at the computer to write - just do it! And if you can't, stay there until you do. Eventually, you'll get to the point where the discipline, the passion, and the experience will all come together. And you will have that magic moment that all programmers and writers seek - the perfect flow of creativity for bringing life to your book, story, article, or application.

Keep the passion!

Timothy Trimble, The ART of Software Development

Timothy Trimble is a award winning, freelance writer, and software developer. He has written a book for Microsoft Press and over 35 articles for significant computer industry trade magazines. He is the Blog publisher of The ART of Software Development which can be found via his web site at http://www.timothytrimble.info

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Know Your Editing Choices

Each author has special editing needs. To save yourself time... Read More

Why Manners Maketh the Freelance Writer

Lately I've been noticing an odd trend amongst the freelance... Read More

Bring Out the Natural Writer in You

Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More

Getting Past The Shoulds To Write

During the past few months I have received many questions... Read More

Why Book Writers Need A Running Mate

By far, I have found that the lack of discipline... Read More

Writing the KAIZEN Way

Over the past eight years or so, I have tutored... Read More

Writing Your Best-Selling Non-Fiction Book Title

Your struggling to sell just a few copies of your... Read More

How To Write to a Word Count

You've finished your story, and you're pretty happy with it.... Read More

The Writers Identity: Exploring the Writer Within

Les Edgerton writes in his book, Finding Your Voice, that... Read More

Tell the World About You

You have a new website, or a new business, or... Read More

The Struggle

Sometime one must coax the words out.Each day is a... Read More

English Grammar ? Seven Outdated Rules You Can Ignore

No matter what your fifth-grade English teacher says, some grammar... Read More

Advice for New Writers

With the advent of email communications in the workplace, it's... Read More

The Unwritten World Of The Reality Of Letterwriting

You may wonder why I have chosen this title of... Read More

Sick of the Traditional Publishing Path?

A book coaching client recently emailed me that she was... Read More

Apostrophe Usage Made Simple

According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More

And What Do You Do? ... How To Know When Youre a Writer!

It's the funniest thing. When someone asks me what I... Read More

A Writers Tools

If you are like most writers, you're constantly searching for... Read More

Before You Write Your Book, Organize Its Parts - Part 2

If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More

The Daily Rite

If you want to be a writer, then you must... Read More

How to Build Your Site with Other Peoples Content -- Part 1

Building a new website can be extremely exciting. Seeing your... Read More

How To Be A Published (Non-Fiction) Author

1. Turning your idea into a bookWith non-fiction books the... Read More

Writing Business Letters That Get The Job Done

Despite the widespread use of e-mail in commerce today, traditional... Read More

Whats Missing in your Nearly Finished Book?

Bookcoaching clients come to me at different stages of writing... Read More

Review In 29 Steps Plus One

I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More

Writing Styles for Fiction: Which Voice to Use

I recently set up a website to promote a new... Read More

Graphology - Unleash Inner Personality & Talent of Child

|| Graphology & Graphotherapy ||Everybody wants to know more about... Read More

Screenwriting, Screenplays, Screenwriters ? Good Ideas for Stories

The principle for writing good screenplays begins with good idea... Read More

Are Writing Exercises Effective?

It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis... Read More

Five Tips to Find More Time for Your Writing Life

When I asked new ezine subscribers, "What is your Number... Read More

Getting Published Is Different For Everyone: Two Paths Among Many

One obvious question that can get overlooked in the process... Read More

If You Want to Succeed As a Writer, Dont Just Think It, Do It

It never ceases to amaze me when a prospective writer... Read More

Business Letter Etiquette

Business etiquette is fundamentally concerned with building relationships founded upon... Read More