Free Your Inner Non fi ction Writer: 6 Agile & Lean Tips to Write Fast and Well Johanna Rothman @johannarothman www.jrothman.com

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman You Open a New Document … • The blank page stares back at you, daring you to write anything at all • Who are you to write this? • All your ideas crowd into your head and you’re sure you’re incoherent and you might be wrong and people will judge you and … • Your 6th grade teacher is also in your head telling you you’re a terrible writer 2

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman You Have Expertise • You have your experience and expertise • Non fi ction writers think and learn as they write • You’re synthesizing ideas, not just analyzing them • Writers iterate as they think and learn 3

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Reframe How You Think About Writing 4

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Writing Creates a Product • Effective product development approaches work for our writing • Start small • Build up from one idea to an entire piece • Refactor as you proceed (cycle/ iterate) • Final testing (edit) at the end 5

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Writing Creates NEW Words • WRITING CREATES NEW WORDS • Move your fi ngers across a keyboard • Move your pen across the page • Record and then transcribe • Editing rarely creates new words 6

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Six Agile & Lean Tips 1. Short timeboxes to build momentum 2. Scope-box what you write 3. Finish often (& publish) 4. Cycle to iterate on the ideas 5. Write for one ideal reader 6. Set the context with a story 7. Wait to edit until you’re done 7

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Tip 1: Timebox Your Writing • Try a 15-minute timebox every single day • Create your writing habit • Build your momentum 8

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Tip 2: Scope-Box Your Writing • Can you write it “all” in one 15- minute timebox? • Or, have enough time to write it all? • Very few of us can • What’s one thing you can do to fi nish something for now? • You do not have to produce an MVP in 15 minutes 9

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Tip 3: Finish Often (& Publish) • Write and Publish • Write and Publish (yes, I duplicated this on purpose) • “Say No to more WIP” • Murphy’s Law • Hofstadter's Law • Little’s Law (the longer things take, the longer they take) • WIP is not the same as an idea bank 10

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Tip 4: Cycle to Iterate Between Writing and Ideas • Write a little • Think as you write • Use that thinking to cycle back 200-400 words • Reread and clarify • WAIT to edit until the end 11

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman How to Tell If You’re Editing or Writing • Writing and cycling stay at the idea level • Cycling refactors ideas • Editing is at the word level • Editing refactors words, sentences, and paragraphs 12

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Tip 5: Write for One Ideal Reader • Who are you trying to reach? • Who is not your reader? • What do each of those people need? • “As a user” is the same as “I write for everyone.” 13

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Tip 6: Set the Context with a Story • Context invites your ideal reader into the piece • At the end, remind your reader of the start • Anecdote or example • One Startling Sentence • Hey! You! See! So… • Answers Why and What Matters to the ideal reader 14

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Practice • I will timebox each of these. If you fi nish early, please use the thumb up reaction: • Choose an ideal reader (1 minute) • Decide what you want to explain to that reader (1 minute) • Write down (2-5 minutes, depending on our time) • We’ll debrief together 15

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Tip 7: Wait to Edit Until You Finish • Editing too early interrupts your thinking and learning • Why would you “perfect” something that’s not done? • Interruptions creates WIP problems: • Murphy’s Law • Hofstadter’s Law • Little’s Law • Everything takes longer 16

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman My Writing Process (Not Much Advance Planning) 17

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Reset Your Writing Rules • Wait until you’re completely done writing to edit • Avoid outlining—use story structure instead • As you write, you will think and learn • That learning informs the next bit of writing • Keep an idea bank/ fi eldstones so you never start with a blank page 18

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman The Myth of the “Natural” Writer • No one is a “natural” writer • We need to practice to tell the stories our ideal readers need to hear • Watch for your fears and keep practicing • The more you write and publish, the more successful you will be 19

© 2022 Johanna Rothman @johannarothman Let’s Stay in Touch • Pragmatic Manager: • www.jrothman.com/pragmaticmanager • Please link with me on LinkedIn • Writing workshop: https:// www.jrothman.com/freeinnerwriter • Free Your Inner Writer is exclusive to https://storybundle.com/writing • The book will be available “everywhere” late May as an ebook. I’m sure the print book will take longer. 20