Writing, Fast and Slow

I’ve learned to love to write, after many years of struggle. I especially relish opportunities to work on a piece over time. Being organized and starting long before deadlines makes that possible. More importantly, many of my current writing projects enable me to write in this fashion.

Yet during countless instances throughout my career, I’ve had to write quickly. Consider some of my public relations work. A client needed a press release in 20 minutes to share at a meeting. A crisis demanded an immediate response. In these instances, little time existed for word smithing. Nor could I extensively analyze the context. I needed to draw on my experience and insight in an instance. Then, I wrote.

In short, I’ve learned that you need to learn to write fast and slow. Because sometimes you’ll have the time or can make the time; sometimes you won’t. Regardless, you’ll need to draw on experience melded with a passion and, optimally, a flair for writing. Both take ongoing effort and commitment.