Watch Me Write

Obviously, you'll want to open this video in full-screen (hit the icon in the lower right corner).
Several people have, over the years, peered over my shoulder while I wrote. I hate to see them do it, because my aphasia (difficulty finding certain words in real time) makes my writing process seem tiresome, and I worry that I'll stress them out. It's okay for me, because I've cultivated blithe patience via the acceptance of inviolable reality.

This is what professionals must do. Seasoned ice fishermen don't kibbitz about how frickin' cold it is. Urban bus drivers don't scowl at poor drivers. And professional house movers don't grunt and moan as they lift.

Whiney ice fishermen, scowling bus drivers, and moaning house movers don't last long. They're locked up somewhere, sipping broth.

But the upshot I've heard from such looky-loos has been surprising. Oddly, they often get something from their glimpse into my process. I suppose it's like "The Tortoise and the Hare" or the Special Olympics. An "inspiring display of perseverance" or whatever. It's so courageous to see the poor dear painstakingly struggle to rise above his constraints.

So I figured it might be interesting to share here. One thing's for certain: this verifies my observation that writing = editing. As I noted on Twitter recently:

Writing = Editing, and ideas come from invisible magical fairies.

— Jim Leff (@jimleff) November 26, 2020