constraints

When I started writing I set a limit of 1600 to my posts. It was fine having a lot shorter posts, but the 1600 characters was the hard limit. No more than that, period.

Then came 200wad. Like the name suggested, it was about writing 200 words a day, minimum. So I adapted, decided to push myself to write over that limit every day. 

A while ago that limit was removed during the rebranding of the platform. The new Cowriters didn't have any word or character limits. First time in my writing endeavour I didn't have any technically enforced limits for my writing.

For the past two days I have been working on a hard problem. The kind that eventually end up on my desk when everybody else have had their try. I'm the last hope, the one thing to try if all else fails.

I don't always have the answers. Actually I rarely do. At least in these kind of cases. If I would have known the solution I would have been able to teach it to somebody else. And if there would have been somebody to ask how to do it somebody would have already done so.

The key to becoming a better writer is to write constantly. To be great at something requires a lot of practice and repetition. And that practice needs to be deliberate, you need to actively pay attention on your progress. Getting feedback also helps.

Good text conveys the meaning and thoughts of the writer easily. If you write long and windy sentences using obscure words it doesn't make it easy to read. Keeping it simple is the key. Reducing the text to a bare minimum can do miracles to the readability. 

Is it possible to write two hundred words in five minutes. Well, technically yes. It should be possible to write twice or even triple that. But the real question is, is it possible to write a coherent post of two hundred words in five minutes.

I have only five minutes before the train arrives at its destination. Then I need to hop off the train and walk to the office. Next chance to write is sometime in the evening. So I'd rather spend this five minutes to write now instead of postponing it yet again until the evening.