WRITING
The SNOWMAN Method For Increasing Your Productivity As A Writer
This really works. (I hope.)
One of the most incessantly regurgitated pieces of writing advice is to “write what you know”.
I think that’s nonsense, but what do I know. Maybe I’m just weird and nobody will be able to relate to this, however — most of my greatest writing memories involve forgetting about myself and trying to imagine how it would feel to be somebody else.
It is in this spirit that I — somebody who routinely goes through writer’s blocks, dry spells and “wait, I just need to do a few weeks of additional research to really perfect this video essay script” phases — am approaching the task that is before me.
I’m trying to imagine what somebody who actually manages to be a productive writer would say.
But of course I’m also still me, and as all my friends know there’s only one thing I’m more obsessed with than writing — snowmen!
Luckily, my unique method for being a more productive writer can be neatly spelled out with the acronym SNOWMAN!
Talk about a lucky break!
So without further ado and hopefully eschewing any additional stock phrases, let’s get into it.
The SNOWMAN method for increasing your productivity as a writer
S — Sell Your Computer! You might think that this will hinder your attempts to write, interact with people, or seek the entertainment and relaxation that are at least as important to productivity as doing the actual work — and you’d be right! But it would also force you to go outside and buy a new computer which presents you with the opportunity to meet somebody at the electronics store who gives you the perfect idea for your novel! So I think we can all agree that the benefits outweigh the costs by a lot here!
N — Never Give Up! Really. Fuck The Haters. Never Give Up.
O — Optimize Your Workflow! This might sound like the kind of nonsense advice you see in a 20-minute YouTube ad that tries to sell you on a three-day content writing webinar, and you’re probably right! However — it’s actually … wait, what are you doing? No, don’t skip this advice! This isn’t an ad! I was going somewhere with th
W — Walking Helps! I think every article I’ve ever written about writer’s block or creativity in general mentions the importance of going on walks in order to clear your head, which means there are multiple sources backing me up on this one!
M — Make Sure Your Writing Doesn’t Consume You! This one’s a little hard to put into words (great thing for a writer to say, I know) — but what I mean is this: there’s a fine line between a healthy passion that keeps you going and the kind of obsession that slowly eats you alive, telling you that you haven’t achieved enough and that just writing a few paragraphs more will fix everything. You could try taking a nap instead — if you’re lucky, a cat will have run across the keyboard while you were asleep and finished your story for you.
A — An Abandoned Idea Can Lead To Greatness! I’ll be honest, this is a blatant attempt to promote my video essay about this very topic. I use the term “video essay” very loosely — you will see why. It is, for better or worse, a pretty heartfelt attempt though and I’d appreciate all feedback :)
N — Never Give Up! Really. Fuck The Haters. Never Give Up.
Thank you for reading!
