Brilliant workshop this evening on Building a Creativity Inbox with @anthilemoon and @david_perell.

Some takeaways

A simple formula for successful writing is quality + consistency. Focus on establishing a reliable process, not on the quantity of what you produce.

In the past, creativity was believed to be fleeting and unpredictable, and often associated with inspiration from a muse. We can avoid this trap if we focus on combining our ideas over time, deriving thoughts from the intersection of old and new input.

One modern tool that works on these principles is @RoamResearch. It focuses on networked thought by helping you develop a graph of emergent associations over time. (This is based on the idea of the Zettelkasten, dating back to 1516–1565 and popularised by Niklas Luhmann).

Developing rich connections between themes and ideas is the foundation of reliable, frequent creativity. @anthilemoon calls this “idea sex”. New thoughts naturally emerge from the process.

It’s important to test out these ideas, too. Tweets, public notes, then blogs is a good progression. @Mappletons has a wonderful example of digital gardening on her site: an interative “learn in public” strategy for knowledge sharing.

Sharing these ideas helps connect you to a community of similar thinkers, maximising the quality of your creative input. https://medium.com/an-idea-for-you/dont-build-an-audience-connect-to-one-d12461613016

Most importantly, work mindfully. Blocking entire calendar days for writing is likely to cause burnout if done often.

- Block time for what matters.
- Protect your time by saying no.
- Avoid multitasking.
- Take breaks.
- Create mindful routines. https://nesslabs.com/jomo 

Remember to enjoy the process! Try not to take it too seriously. As @david_perell says “If you focus on fun, you'll have style. If you focus on style, you won't have fun.”

If you find this interesting, I write about creativity, software, and tools for thought at https://www.paulmcgrath.me/join 

I’m always delighted to explore and share ideas with new people