diff --git a/content/refs/weinberg2005.md b/content/refs/weinberg2005.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..302c87e --- /dev/null +++ b/content/refs/weinberg2005.md @@ -0,0 +1,66 @@ +--- +title: The Fieldstone Method, Gerald M. Weinberg, 2005 +--- + +The book has some exercises in each chapter, which I chose not to care too much about. If I feel the need to enhance my writing later on, I will probably go back to the book directly to find all the instructions. + +* The standard method taught in schools to write essays does not work in the real world. +* Reading is sequential access; writing is more random. + +## Writer's block + +* Being unhappy about the amount of ideas you have (both not enough and too many), feeling stuck, and turning to some distraction before coming back. + * This sounds like procrastination. + +* Addiction is created by some action that feels good in the short term and bad in the long term, prompting to redo the action. + +* Coming back to the writing task after getting a distraction brings back the same negative feelings, prompting to resume procrastinating + * Both writer's block and procrastination are addictions? + +* Weinberg suggests the Fieldstone method can break this cycle. + * The method gives you something to always do when you feel stuck, to keep moving forward. + +## Fieldstone method + +Fieldstone +: A little bit of writing, an idea, a photo, a diagram, a quote, a reference that just sounds interesting. + +### Gathering stones + +* The Energy Principle: Your emotional response should drive which fieldstones you pick. + * It is okay to skip a portion of a book if you feel drained by it, to go gather fieldstones in another portion of the book. + * What stones you collect will be naturally influenced by what general type of writing you are trying to do. + +* Carry a notebook, a phone with a note taking app, a tape recorder, anything with you at all times to write down stones. + +* Try not to have any qualms making notes in most situations, to avoid losing interesting stones. + +### Organizing stones + +* It is okay to throw away stones. + +* If a stone does not feel like it fits in the current writing but you do not want to throw away, keep it in a general pile of stones. + +* Having the stones materialized as notecards that you can shuffle around can help with quickly reorganizing. + +## Writing journal + +* Used in almost every writing exercise of the book. + +* Should be a nice notebook and a nice writing instrument. + * > You are a special person, and your writing part is a special part of you, so you deserve this treat. + * Craftspeople make sure to get good tools, so you should get good writing tools too. + +* The exercise at the end of chapter 3 uses it to spot addiction cycles. + +## Quotes + +> Writing about a subject is one of the best ways to learn about it. + +> One way for smart people to be happy is to express themselves, to put out in the world the vast melange of thoughts and feelings whirling in their heads. + +> Never attempt to write what you don't care about. + +> Every day is different; every idea is different; every mood is different; so why should every project be the same? + +> There are no bad ideas, only ideas that don't fit the current work.