Spent 10h writing an essay in a single sitting yesterday. Despite good ergonomics and stuff (timer to get up and move around every 25 minutes, outdoor and distance-viewing breaks) I’m still kinda wiped out today. Used to do this 2, even 3 times a week until 2y ago ☹️
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0 to 4865 words and done in a single day. Stupid way, but It’s basically how I’ve written 90% of everything I’ve written in the last 15y. A handful have taken 2-3 days due to sheer word count (~ 5k is my physical limit, so a 7k article takes 2 days and my longest, 14k, took 3)
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Left to myself,I almost never write in more structured ways unless it’s a commission or collaboration. By which I mean with organized notes, planning, outlining/structuring, and writing section by section and doing multiple rewrites and pure editing passes.
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It’s basically a stream of consciousness first-dump = published style, but with continuous rewrites all through. It feels like combing long tangled hair. You keep restarting from top and combing through tangles and tangle shrinks and moves lower with each combing till cleared.
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This is reassuring to me - it is how I write, and I often get dejected a few hours in, worrying that there must be some more structured “professional” method I’m missing
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There is. It’s just meant for stuff like press releases or government interdepartmental memos.

