(2022-08-22) Peper Writing Is A Tool For Making New Ideas

Eliot Peper: Writing is a Tool for Making New Ideas. Some writers love planning... But for me, reading and writing feel surprisingly similar: I discover the story as I go.

There’s a major plot twist two thirds of the way through Neon Fever Dream that reframes everything leading up to it. I didn’t see the twist coming as I was writing the rough draft of the novel. I just reached that point in the story and realized what had to happen next.

I don’t decide what’s going to happen next and then sit down and draft the scene. I discover what’s going to happen next by drafting the scene.

You can certainly capture an idea by writing it down. But you can also explore an idea by writing it down, and the results may surprise you. The fact that the results can surprise you is surprising in itself. Why would typing out a thought change what you think?

The brain is an intricate, sparkling, densely interconnected maze—an easy place for ideas to hide in vague generalities. But writing forces you to commit to specifics as surely as surfers must commit to waves

By externalizing your thoughts, writing puts you into conversation with yourself. (Thinking Out Loud)

Next time you’re struggling with a big decision, write down a complete explanation of the situation just as you would describe it to a close friend or mentor. It can’t hurt, and it will clarify your thinking

So, what happens next? You’ll know when I do.