Let’s welcome again Bailey Lang as she shares with us “Habits of Thoughts: Curiosity.” Take pleasure in!
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Habits of thoughts are patterns of considering that decide the form and success of our writing follow.
The final put up Habits of Thoughts Overview by Bailey Lang · Author’s Enjoyable Zone, recognized eight habits of thoughts that matter for writers, and right now, we’re speaking about curiosity.
What’s Curiosity?
The framework for this sequence of articles defines curiosity as “The need to know extra concerning the world,” which is an effective place to begin!
The need to know extra concerning the world is behind each small baby’s everlasting query: Why?
Curiosity drives us to elevate a rotten log, pause within the hallway to attempt to overhear what’s occurring in that finances assembly, or learn a e-book concerning the historical past of salt.
It feels nearly foolish to level out that curiosity is a necessary behavior of thoughts for writers — like, duh, after all it’s! — however stick with me.
Proper now, it might probably really feel like we have now all of the instruments we have to fulfill our curiosity (“Let me Google this actor, I do know him from one thing else.”)
We’ve gotten used to asking a query, whipping out our telephones, and getting a right away hit of knowledge, which is more and more prone to be an AI-generated abstract.
As writers, we are able to do higher at cultivating curiosity in a approach that serves our writing.
How do Writers Domesticate Curiosity?
In her implausible e-book, Wrede on Writing, Patricia C. Wrede, Wrede on Writing, talks about three forms of analysis writers conduct:
- Unintended — “Being attentive to no matter is happening round you as a result of every thing is materials.”
- Normal — “Going on the lookout for stuff you don’t know that you must know.”
- Particular — “What you do so as to discover out the issues you already know you must know.”
These modes of analysis lend themselves neatly to sensible methods of fostering curiosity as a behavior of thoughts.
Unintended analysis requires cultivating curiosity as a part of your day by day life.
Something you encounter might grow to be vital for the subsequent story you need to inform.
Getting inquisitive about every thing round you — what issues appear like, sound like, scent like; why individuals act the best way they do — units you as much as be a greater observer, deeper thinker, and extra fascinating storyteller.
Normal analysis helps you’re taking your new behavior of thoughts to a extra superior degree, encouraging you to discover subjects that relate to your writing or that merely strike your fancy.
As somebody with curiosity as a core behavior of thoughts, you’ll discover fascinating concepts lurking in sudden locations.
Studying nonfiction, listening to historical past podcasts, and watching documentaries will spark fascinating story concepts.
Particular analysis includes a deeper dive into a subject, in all probability associated to the e-book you’re writing — whether or not fiction or nonfiction.
Conducting particular analysis helps you domesticate curiosity by encouraging you to search out helpful info, consider your sources, and take into consideration the way you’ll use vital particulars in your writing.
As Wrede places it, “If I’ve a personality who speaks thieves cant, I attain for my copy of The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. If my characters are mixing up a potion, I look by my numerous herbals in quest of components…”
Particular analysis can also be the way you keep away from making foolish errors, like having a personality cross the Golden Gate Bridge in a narrative set within the Twenties (the Golden Gate Bridge wasn’t open to the general public till 1937.)
Curiosity as a behavior of thoughts can grow to be a part of your on a regular basis method to the world and assist targeted, energetic inquiry into explicit topics.
Step one to strengthening your curiosity is recognizing its significance and on the lookout for alternatives to take pleasure in it.
Curiosity-Producing Actions for Writers
Participating curiosity could be so simple as asking, “Why?” extra usually.
Nevertheless, I’ve obtained a number of different actions to suggest that lend themselves particularly nicely to curiosity and writing.
The extra of those actions you do — and the extra usually you do them — the extra you’ll strengthen curiosity as considered one of your core habits of thoughts.
Make a Normal Curiosity Checklist
Spend 5 minutes writing out an inventory of all of the stuff you’re already inquisitive about, whether or not or not they’re associated to any of your present writing initiatives.
- What subjects seem on the record?
- How are you going to begin following your curiosity about a few of these subjects?
Go to the Library
Go to your native library — in particular person, if doable! — and wander the nonfiction stacks.
Have a look at e-book titles and descriptions till one thing jumps out at you. Should you’re feeling particularly courageous, seize a e-book at random!
Examine that e-book out, learn it, and write down issues that struck you as you learn.
This record might embody fascinating new details, story concepts, character concepts, and extra questions for future analysis.
Observe Your Unintended Curiosity
Wrede notes that unintended analysis is a part of how we, as writers, transfer by the world.
Generally, we get so caught up within the day-to-day that we cease paying consideration.
Monitoring your unintended curiosity is an effective way to get again within the groove.
Over the subsequent week, preserve a document of all of the stuff you discover that make you curious.
You possibly can write these down in an app or bodily pocket book — however make an effort to doc issues.
- Did you Google one thing? Put your query on the record.
- Did you hear a hen outdoors your window and surprise what it was? On the record it goes.
- Did you end up questioning why your boss worded an e mail like that? Make a remark.
- Did you catch your self enthusiastic about all of the what-ifs that may have led you (or another person’s) down a special path? You guessed it: put it on the record.
On the finish of the week, take inventory of all of the stuff you have been inquisitive about.
- What questions did you ask?
- What did you discover?
- What did you need to know extra about?
This info will sharpen your sense of curiosity — and should even lead you to your subsequent nice story thought.
Studying Suggestions
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In regards to the Writer
Dr. Bailey Lang is a e-book coach, author, and editor. At The Writing Desk, she helps authors construct sustainable, pleasurable writing practices that take their books from draft to finished. Bailey has a PhD in rhetoric and writing research and loves geeking out about writing.
You possibly can join Bailey’s free e-newsletter, Phrase to the Smart, for extra writing recommendation and common writer interviews.
