Sometimes I wish I could just experience life without the goggles of self-help writing - I relate to your point about digging a little too deep at times. I felt very heard when I read that.
But part of me also insists that the true magic is found at the cross-section of your personal experience (feelingsposting as you call it) and your practical passions - just like the pianist found beauty in music's cross-section with physics.
I see your conundrum as less binary, and more like a scale with feelingsposting (f) on one end and nerdposting (n) on the other. Some posts will be further to the (f) side, and others further to the (n) side :)
In short: I second your conclusion - write what feels right!
Personally, I find that 'feels' writing has a certain energy and vitality to it that the cerebral stuff just does not. But there's something to be said about the struggle writers have with being self indulgent. Part of the creative process, really. <3
I love the balance in your view. Sometimes I have a spark of curiosity about a particular question about the world. It just sits in my unconscious as I search for answers. I think when I write about it, it can still be deeply personal without being linked to a particular experience. The feelings can show through our writing without being specifically mined from our experiences.
I see how always looking for insights in daily experiences just to capture and write about may be problematic.
Maybe we could recognize curiosity's calls - using them to communicate the value of something external but close to our hearts - all while maintaining the energy of our writing?
Thank you for the beautiful article! I’m here for the nerdposting! I believe it also brings out authentic, stimulating, human connection because your audience can ‘nerd out’ in the comments and in the community you build. Conversation and connecting is emotionally stimulating on its own. -A fellow dot connector looking forward to your future articles!
re: the overall topic of your post -- there's a book title that lives rent-free in my head, forever (even though I never read the actual book!... i will one day. seems cool.) because the phrasing has proven to be so powerfully useful as a framing device for me when thinking along these sorts of lines:
I love this, and it also connects really closely with my own feelings about writing--I'm also trying to write about the feeling of wonder found when finding hidden connections in the world (a feeling I call cognitive wonder). Great post
Beautifully articulated! Especially the paragraph on the pitfalls of public vulnerability. For similar reasons, I've chosen to focus more on writing fiction. While fiction can still be personal, my focus is now on creating a separate world and story, rather than overthinking about how to craft a story around my feelings.
I'm a new reader of your substack & have only read your Michael Levin/ revolutionary biology post prior to this one. You said it so well - someday I may do another version of this but your categories seem appropriate. yes please keep connecting the dots ...
This is a fine essay about the why and how of writing. "Feelposting" (emotional mining) is definitely the most popular form on these social writing platforms. "Nerdposting" (so revealing that we label bright curious people with that pejorative) has always been my preferred writing mode (focus: human nature). Clarifying a complicated issue about who we are and why we do what we do generates great energy and excitement ("flow") in me, so I'm sticking with it!
Great reflection. That carroll quote really resonates with me as well. To me, it seems you are walking the path between the standard approach of Maximizing Attention And Growth, and just Doing Your Thing.
Understanding others brings far greater joy than judging them.
——Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman (written by Stefan Zweig )
Sometimes I wish I could just experience life without the goggles of self-help writing - I relate to your point about digging a little too deep at times. I felt very heard when I read that.
But part of me also insists that the true magic is found at the cross-section of your personal experience (feelingsposting as you call it) and your practical passions - just like the pianist found beauty in music's cross-section with physics.
I see your conundrum as less binary, and more like a scale with feelingsposting (f) on one end and nerdposting (n) on the other. Some posts will be further to the (f) side, and others further to the (n) side :)
In short: I second your conclusion - write what feels right!
Personally, I find that 'feels' writing has a certain energy and vitality to it that the cerebral stuff just does not. But there's something to be said about the struggle writers have with being self indulgent. Part of the creative process, really. <3
it really is!
Thank you for sharing this! Keep posting your real interests, people will read you. We will learn with you
Thank you for this post. The 'eureka moment' as described by Sean Carroll is the reason I earnestly read contemporary authors like Sam Kean.
I love the balance in your view. Sometimes I have a spark of curiosity about a particular question about the world. It just sits in my unconscious as I search for answers. I think when I write about it, it can still be deeply personal without being linked to a particular experience. The feelings can show through our writing without being specifically mined from our experiences.
I see how always looking for insights in daily experiences just to capture and write about may be problematic.
Maybe we could recognize curiosity's calls - using them to communicate the value of something external but close to our hearts - all while maintaining the energy of our writing?
Thanks for your writing, gave me much to consider
Thank you for the beautiful article! I’m here for the nerdposting! I believe it also brings out authentic, stimulating, human connection because your audience can ‘nerd out’ in the comments and in the community you build. Conversation and connecting is emotionally stimulating on its own. -A fellow dot connector looking forward to your future articles!
re: the overall topic of your post -- there's a book title that lives rent-free in my head, forever (even though I never read the actual book!... i will one day. seems cool.) because the phrasing has proven to be so powerfully useful as a framing device for me when thinking along these sorts of lines:
"how to be both" (by ali smith.)
I love this, and it also connects really closely with my own feelings about writing--I'm also trying to write about the feeling of wonder found when finding hidden connections in the world (a feeling I call cognitive wonder). Great post
Beautifully articulated! Especially the paragraph on the pitfalls of public vulnerability. For similar reasons, I've chosen to focus more on writing fiction. While fiction can still be personal, my focus is now on creating a separate world and story, rather than overthinking about how to craft a story around my feelings.
I'm a new reader of your substack & have only read your Michael Levin/ revolutionary biology post prior to this one. You said it so well - someday I may do another version of this but your categories seem appropriate. yes please keep connecting the dots ...
Feelingsposting is the best posting.
This is a fine essay about the why and how of writing. "Feelposting" (emotional mining) is definitely the most popular form on these social writing platforms. "Nerdposting" (so revealing that we label bright curious people with that pejorative) has always been my preferred writing mode (focus: human nature). Clarifying a complicated issue about who we are and why we do what we do generates great energy and excitement ("flow") in me, so I'm sticking with it!
This is beautiful. I'm looking forward to reading more of both your feeling writing and your science writing.
thank you, Jana!
Great reflection. That carroll quote really resonates with me as well. To me, it seems you are walking the path between the standard approach of Maximizing Attention And Growth, and just Doing Your Thing.
Just do your thing ❤️
thank you 🙏
Is this a feelingspost?:)
haha yes