Why is the sky blue?
Why do high heels exist?
Why get married?
Smart people ask questions.
A friend of mine worked in aerospace engineering for five years, and whenever the CEO passed through the shop, he would ask the engineers all sorts of questions. In order to find solutions, a person needs to identify problems first. But how to find the right questions to ask? My answer is to write down anything that you question or feel strongly about.
In her book The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron suggests that artists write three "Morning Pages," every day, which can be about anything. It can be about all the junk that we think about all the time: What to make for dinner, how we feel about our jobs, or just what a nice day it is outside. While I don't write three pages every morning, allowing myself the freedom to journal has helped me. Writing morning pages is like gathering all the ingredients in your house without really knowing what you're going to make for lunch. Then, when you get them all in one place, you choose what you think will work and start putting pieces together. You put away the spices you don’t use later.
My writing often begins with bitching. I bitch about my job, about what a waste of time writing is, and then I start watching my cat. He's a tiger kitty named Gilgamesh, and he has a neurological disorder, so he walks a bit funny and falls over easily. I used to feel bad for him, but now he makes me laugh, and he seems so happy that it's hard to feel bad for him anymore. He likes to sit on the windowsill in my room and look out at the birds: His tail twitches and his ears fold back; he does that chirping sound that I've taken to mean he is prepared to attack. He even paws at the window as though that will open it for him. Does he really think that pawing at the window will get him outside? What does he think of this cold, clear substance that separates him from his prey?
Usually, I start with a list of questions, and then set out to find answers through writing. But I also want my readers to ask questions. I've found that some of the best writing is the kind that makes me ask more questions. Every idea I share came about because I wanted to know or understand something. What are you waiting for? Write down all the dumb questions you've ever been afraid to ask and start looking for answers. Curiosity didn't kill the cat; it made the cat smarter.
Why do high heels exist?
Why get married?
Smart people ask questions.
A friend of mine worked in aerospace engineering for five years, and whenever the CEO passed through the shop, he would ask the engineers all sorts of questions. In order to find solutions, a person needs to identify problems first. But how to find the right questions to ask? My answer is to write down anything that you question or feel strongly about.
In her book The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron suggests that artists write three "Morning Pages," every day, which can be about anything. It can be about all the junk that we think about all the time: What to make for dinner, how we feel about our jobs, or just what a nice day it is outside. While I don't write three pages every morning, allowing myself the freedom to journal has helped me. Writing morning pages is like gathering all the ingredients in your house without really knowing what you're going to make for lunch. Then, when you get them all in one place, you choose what you think will work and start putting pieces together. You put away the spices you don’t use later.
My writing often begins with bitching. I bitch about my job, about what a waste of time writing is, and then I start watching my cat. He's a tiger kitty named Gilgamesh, and he has a neurological disorder, so he walks a bit funny and falls over easily. I used to feel bad for him, but now he makes me laugh, and he seems so happy that it's hard to feel bad for him anymore. He likes to sit on the windowsill in my room and look out at the birds: His tail twitches and his ears fold back; he does that chirping sound that I've taken to mean he is prepared to attack. He even paws at the window as though that will open it for him. Does he really think that pawing at the window will get him outside? What does he think of this cold, clear substance that separates him from his prey?
Usually, I start with a list of questions, and then set out to find answers through writing. But I also want my readers to ask questions. I've found that some of the best writing is the kind that makes me ask more questions. Every idea I share came about because I wanted to know or understand something. What are you waiting for? Write down all the dumb questions you've ever been afraid to ask and start looking for answers. Curiosity didn't kill the cat; it made the cat smarter.
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