On Writing

"Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go."

E.L. Doctorow

The above quotation sums up the way that my focus on writing has expanded from just the end finished product to thinking about the process itself. Writing as a process can help you to learn what it is you think about a topic and what you know. Again it is that plunge into the unknown that makes writing frustrating and exhilarating. Freewriting into rough paragraphs can then provide the fodder for later ideas and other ways of looking at a text; it can expose the gaps in your research and help to find new ways of structuring a piece.

More than anything I've found by thinking about the process the end result seems to happen in a less stressful manner, and so my body takes on less physical stress. As at the end of the day the ability to think with clarity and write are bodily processes. For example tiredness after a bout of insomnia can leave you feeling drained, tetchy and sluggish. It can feel difficult to focus. These are not ideal conditions to start writing part of a complex theoretical work but this is not to say that on those days where you are not well rested you shouldn't try to write. A little and often goes a long way. Think tortoise and not hare.

Inspirational Quotation

'If you knew when you began a book what you would say at the end, do you think that you would have the courage to write it? The game is worthwhile in so far as we don't know what will be the end.'

Michel Foucault

This quotation is giving me to write everyday even when I'm not sure what to write about, as by writing I'm discovering what I want to argue, to read and how to piece things together. It feels exciting. My current goals are to write a minimum of 500 words a day (though it is often more than that).

I will update shortly on my developing thoughts on genealogy and its usefulness for my project, as that has been the main focus of my daily writings for the past day or two.