Ep. 251: The Efficiency Trap
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
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Balancing Research and Writing: The Tension of Professional Writers
Professional writers have strong incentives, such as deadlines and the need for quality, to shift from researching to writing. They develop a gut feeling over time, knowing when they have enough information to start writing and can fill in the gaps later. For independent writers, creating a similar tension and setting deadlines can help achieve a balance between quality and efficiency. Taking on commissioned work can provide useful back pressure. Ultimately, finding the sweet spot between needing the work to be good and not taking too long becomes easier with experience.
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