Because I'm forcing myself to write in public during MyInfoCamp, I've been reflecting on how I write. I’m currently seeking a productive mix of "linear" and "nonlinear" writing. By linear writing, I mean, putting one word after another, and finishing one sentence before moving to writing my next sentence. (for some people, that means writing, plain and simple). By contrast, "nonlinear writing" is how I usually write: spitting out a collection of words and phrases as they come to mind, letting myself flit among ideas. I like to write in an outliner (such as Bike) because the outliner makes arranging the phrases into a hierarchy much easier than Microsoft Word. I have many notes scattered through my computer with lots of unrefined ideas, the side effects of my nonlinear writing process.

During the last week, I decided to shift more of my energy to writing linearly. I love the refreshing change, which seems to help me to deal with one of my perennial problems: too much "work in progress" (WIP). As the Kanban project methodology teaches, it's crucial to limit WIP; otherwise, it becomes very difficult to finish anything, because your efforts become diffuse, scattered over too many thoughts and incomplete sentences.

I wonder what writing "experts" (those who teach others how to write) would say about my distinction between linear and nonlinear writing. I find it hard to believe that I am happening upon some novel insight (even if it is novel for me.)

A key issue to dig into: when is it best to translate words into phrases into sentences? I now think that I could benefit from doing the translation earlier in my writing process.

One thing is clear: it's a mistake for me to give into the temptation of delegating to a LLM the task for translating words and phrases into coherent sentences of a first draft. That translation process is the heart of what makes writing the fraternal twin of thinking.