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acquaintance: I wanna write but I don’t wanna write mediocre stuff me: first write it mediocre. then write an explainer articulating precisely how and why it is mediocre. this explainer will strongly imply how to make it non-mediocre. and from there you can write the good stuff
@visakanv Very important to not get stuck in the time-saving trap of merely finding mediocre material and pointing out it is mediocre. Many people end up specializing in this, for their entire careers. It produces very little value and even less as you get good at it.
@visakanv “As an expert in the field of mediocre takes operating with deadline pressure, I have long-since cultivated a network of mediocre thinkers. Today they delivered, as they always deliver. I will now do the thing my employers pay me to do, and make you feel briefly superior.”
@visakanv A related warning: often times people who “don’t want to write mediocre stuff” are not motivated by pursuit of excellence, truly, but are motivated by status regulation. Very important that people not confuse the two, or get tempted from the first into the second.
@visakanv This feels like what is naturally happening in the minds of a lot of prolific writers One mind thinks a thought - ah this is not good, I should stop. Another mind thinks: this is not good. This is the specific not good thing about it. Let me try changing that. Repeat
@visakanv vibes with how if I'm stuck while writing I'll sometimes just hit "italic" or change font color, then write as if to a friend, explaining why I can't write the next bit. often leads back to the next bit. https://t.co/4ZSXT5U7Re
Often when I'm blocked on trying to *do* something, if I ask myself if I'd like to - "think about doing it" - "design how I might do it if I were to do it" - "write a proof explaining why it's impossible" ...those feel appetizing! & often lead to the thing getting done!