The Power of Idea Extraction: A New Approach to Writing

Although you may be reading this post on various platforms, such as my blog, LinkedIn, Facebook group, Instagram text carousels, or as an email note, it did not start out that way.

It began as a jumbled collection of unrefined ideas, typed out on an internet-free word processor in a frenzied stream of consciousness. It was disorganized, riddled with errors and typos, and seemingly without structure or coherence.

But, that was the key - the raw material, extracted from my mind and captured on paper.

With that foundation, the editing and polishing process became much easier and the final product, this polished and coherent piece of writing, emerged.

I struggle with sitting down to write, even though I believe I write well. In the past, I've tried using morning pages, but the pressure to write  that early, when ideas had yet to start flowing, made it an uncomfortable experience. 

Also, I'm not as interested in writing as a journaling exercise.

I’ve always found that my writing is most effective when it serves a purpose or aligns with a specific goal. In my younger years, I found purpose in writing letters, either to send or to keep as personal mementos.

Now, my writing is mainly focused on my professional aspirations through content creation, authority building, and teaching. I’m moving in a new direction in 2023 and I think it’s important to express and share more about that work.

One roadblock has been feeling challenged to stay focused while writing on my computer or laptop - there are so many distractions.

Although I've tried various methods such as internet blockers and app timers, nothing has worked effectively for me. I've also experimented with techniques such as the Pomodoro technique, using the website 750words.com, and different online word processors, but none have had a lasting impact.

Recently, though, I discovered a solution that has transformed my writing process for the better. 

For Christmas, I received a Freewrite Traveler from Astrohaus. This portable word processor, equipped with a keyboard and a black and white screen, is specifically designed for writing and nothing more. The device does not allow for extensive editing, rewrites, or polishing one's work.

Most importantly, there’s no internet.

BUT, the Freewrite does connect to my wifi and automatically uploads every essay I write into its own google doc.

This allows me to focus solely on the writing process, and the editing and publishing steps are done later in the google doc.

I no longer worry about the length of my work, whether it's an essay, microessay, passage, or sentence; the key is that I've managed to extract it from my mind and put it into written form. I simply write every day.

I believe that one of the biggest reasons we struggle with writing is because we approach it with the end goal in mind: "I need to write a blog post" or "draft this email".

We focus on the act of publishing as the first step, but that's not where the magic happens.

The true first step in writing is IDEA EXTRACTION.

This is where you take the ideas swirling in your mind and put them down on paper (or screen) in a raw, unrefined form.

It's messy, there are typos and mistakes and grammar errors, but that's okay. The goal at this stage is not to create a polished piece, it's simply to get the ideas out of your head.

Think of it like mining for gold, the raw material you extract is rough and needs refining but it's the starting point for something great. And just like mining, the refinement and editing process happens later, after the idea has been extracted.

You can write about anything that interests you, whether it's your thoughts on writing itself, a recent insight you've had on thought work, a personal story, teaching a tool you love, or any other topic that resonates. Ideas are everywhere.

Writing is an iterative process, and it can be challenging to know what to say before you begin. That's why I suggest starting with just one sentence, one idea, and letting the content flow from there.

Once you start, you'll be amazed at how the ideas keep coming.

My writing process is simple - every day, I spend some time on my freewrite word processor, writing about whatever idea comes to mind. I don't worry about editing, typos, or formatting. I just write and try not to stop. I’ve been using a habit tracker to keep track of my daily writing streak.

The raw material from this writing session then gets automatically uploaded as a new document in a Google Drive folder.

(side note: you can do this longhand or directly in your preferred word processor on your computer, you certainly don’t need a separate device like I use.)

From time to time, I'll go through those documents and edit or polish them up. 

The hard part is already done - the idea has been extracted, and now it's time to refine it. 

Once it's polished, it's ready to be published. My first stop is usually my blog, where I'll publish finished essays at whatever frequency feels right to me, even if that means publishing 2 or 3 posts in one day.

I don’t have any kind of RSS feed that people can subscribe to so when I push essays to my blog noone is getting notified.

The best part is, once the raw material is out, everything else becomes easier. I can repost as a LinkedIn post, share a summary with my email community, break it into smaller chunks for Instagram carousels, or simply link out to the post directly.

The bottom line is: The act of EXTRACTION is the hard part. Once that's done, the possibilities are endless.

The key to my success with writing was realizing that the hardest part of the process is extracting raw ideas.

Once you have that material, the other steps, such as editing and publishing, become much more manageable.

It's important to understand that writing and publishing are two distinct stages. Extracting ideas is the first step, and it happens before you even think about sharing your work.

So, when someone asks if you've written today, it's different than asking if you've published something.

Focusing on extracting raw material on a daily basis makes the overall process much more manageable and efficient.

Also, remember that you can't share until you've extracted but you don't have to share what you extract. 

Don't let the fear of the finished product keep you from extracting your ideas. Start with this messy but essential first step, and watch as your writing takes on a whole new level of awesomeness.