Tag: Creativity

Paper Habits

By Brendan O’Meara

A great way to step up your re-writing or editing game is to print things out.

Why?

Well, when you print things out you have something in hand, plus when you take out your colored pen and make an edit, it doesn’t disappear. You see the old way beside your note for the new.

In a sense you’re archiving the old draft while tinkering. The best way to learn is by seeing your old work and when you delete or make changes on the computer, it’s gone and all you’re left with is the edit.

Plus, by looking at cold, hard ink over pixels, you give your eyes a rest. The paper doesn’t ping with a Twitter notification or an email.

And an edit without proper context doesn’t teach you anything and it doesn’t show the great progress you’ve made over time.

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Delayed Onset Manuscript Soreness

By Brendan O’Meara

I’m sure you’ve heard of this: DOMS. It stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

You work out hard on Monday and you’re a little sore Tuesday, but you’re really sore Wednesday. You went so hard Monday that the next two days are a waste and you lose all that momentum.

Better to take smaller chunks to sustain it over the long haul.

This notion piggybacks off of the post I did about doing creative work for 20 minutes a day. By doing a little work, you keep from burning out, or getting sore.

We’ve all had days where we hammer, maybe write 5,000 words, but I know I’m worthless for a few days after that. For my money, I’d rather do that little bit and come back the next day in the gym and keep progressing toward my goal.

This way I come back energized and unbruised, day after day.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

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