The Fuel of Interest
When you can write about anything you want, it makes sense to write about topics that interest you, since it'll be easier to write.
This is simple logic. Topics that don't interest you are less easier to write because there's no passion driving the exploration.
Without interest, writing becomes mechanical, more or less. And you tend to find yourself watching the word count much more than engaging with the ideas.
Vivid Dreams, Vague Words
Now, how about the topics that interest you but you don't know how to write about them?
Such a situation creates a peculiar tension where on the one hand, you sense there's something meaningful to express, but the right framework eludes you, making it difficult to translate your enthusiasm into coherent post that's even sensible enough to you as a writer.
The mental picture that comes to mind is having a vivid dream you can't quite describe upon waking.
Crypto, specifically DeFi is an example for me in this regard. Although, DeFi fascinates me with the tenets of financial democracy/independence and other similar stuffs, I don't have sufficient technical knowledge to articulate the complex mechanisms behind liquidity pools or yield farming strategies without sounding like I'm parroting someone else's explanation.
Interest provides energy, but knowledge gives direction. Without knowledge, interest alone can leave you circling around a subject, never quite penetrating to its core.
That's why I think research is a preliminary step of the creative process itself, in terms of having enough material as a reference point(s) to help shape what you want to say.
I also think there's an element of structure in writing, even when the flow of thoughts come in rapid successions. The waterfall has structure. The river, despite its fluid nature, also has a structure.
Of course, it's debatable whether structure is really needed when you're writing, especially when it's casually, as in writing a journal or other related stuffs.
Many would argue that personal writing should be free from constraints, allowing thoughts to wander where they will.
I've noticed that even spontaneous writing contains patterns, like rhythms of language, cycles of questioning and answering, etc.
The mind can also create order, despite its chaotic nature. And that could well be the reason why our most random thoughts still somehow feel cohesive when revisited.
Compare, Contrast, Create
In my own case, a dialectic approach usually emerges naturally when I'm wrestling with complex ideas.
I prefer to compare and contrast first to understand the main core aspects of any given topic. Then, I look for the synthesis, as in the reconciliation of opposing views that points to a deeper truth than either perspective alone could provide.
A case in point is how DeFi's promise of decentralization clashes with its reliance on centralized stablecoins or liquidity pools being a double-edged sword, i.e offering "shared wealth" and risk exposure simultaneously, as in when you hit impermanent loss.
The surface level lesson is one needs to be pragmatic when seeking freedom, and building an evolving financial frontier isn't without its own set of contradictions.
The broader level lesson of this post is good passionate writing can also be pictured as a dynamic tension between what we love and what we're still discovering.
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.