Epicenter Design
What is interesting?
That question is the key to my writing. It’s key to the arts, but most writers don’t ask that.
Most writers scope their piece beforehand, without looking what’s inside. A travel blog might separate their posts by time (a day, week, etc.) or location (country, city, restaurant), which makes writing hard. Not everything about travel is interesting, but you feel that writing everything about the time or location is appropriate—like filling in a colouring book and stopping whenever it feels right.
Instead, I start with an interesting idea, explore it and listen to how to pieces fit. It isn’t me that’s in control, I’m listening, so I don’t know what it’ll become until it’s finished. It’s fun and scary. My body was literally shaking when I posted my first real piece on Facebook. I had no idea what reaction I’d get, but it felt right.
The process was inspired by 37Signal’s idea of Epicenter Design. Start with what’s important (interesting facts) and fill in the rest. I apply this to everything.
And if I can’t think of anything interesting to write, I don’t write. Sometimes I say there wasn’t much. Better than boring you with historical facts you’ll never remember. I’m picky with ideas.
And at the rate I’m going1, I should be even pickier.
- It took about half a year to write about a week in Japan.