Process vs Product
Apr. 9th, 2014 08:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sarillia posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
write_awayDo you tend to focus more on the process of writing or the product you are creating?
I was talking about this recently because I was reminded of some conversations I've seen in the knitting community about the difference in mindsets. People will say that they are a process knitter or a product knitter. I think I'm more of a product knitter. I want to be able to use what I'm making.
With writing, I focus more on the process. Writing a story is an experience for me, like watching a movie. It's a process of discovery, even when I have a detailed outline. There are still things that I didn't think of until the time comes to put the words down and ways that the story changes as I go along. The fact that this produces a tangible thing that I can enjoy later is more of a pleasant side effect than the main point of what I'm doing.
Or at least that's the way this comes naturally to me. A few months ago, I decided I would like to try to publish some of my writing, after years of telling myself that it was all for my eyes only. I'm finding the whole idea of showing my work to other people makes me feel very exposed and I haven't been doing as much writing as I used to ever since making this decision. I've been wondering if my approach has something to do with that.
But that's more of a side topic. So what do you focus on more?
I was talking about this recently because I was reminded of some conversations I've seen in the knitting community about the difference in mindsets. People will say that they are a process knitter or a product knitter. I think I'm more of a product knitter. I want to be able to use what I'm making.
With writing, I focus more on the process. Writing a story is an experience for me, like watching a movie. It's a process of discovery, even when I have a detailed outline. There are still things that I didn't think of until the time comes to put the words down and ways that the story changes as I go along. The fact that this produces a tangible thing that I can enjoy later is more of a pleasant side effect than the main point of what I'm doing.
Or at least that's the way this comes naturally to me. A few months ago, I decided I would like to try to publish some of my writing, after years of telling myself that it was all for my eyes only. I'm finding the whole idea of showing my work to other people makes me feel very exposed and I haven't been doing as much writing as I used to ever since making this decision. I've been wondering if my approach has something to do with that.
But that's more of a side topic. So what do you focus on more?
no subject
Date: 2014-04-09 06:10 pm (UTC)It follows into my other hobbies, as well. I make jewelry, and most everything I make is either something I would myself wear or a commission or gift, since playing around usually ends up with wasted materials. It's certainly not the same thing with writing, but I feel like I wasted time if I write without 'achieving a goal'.
I get the mood sometimes to write for writing's sake, but I use it to edit, because then I'm not distracted by what the plot, dialogue, etc are, so I can concentrate on making sure they're good.