Writing is wonderful. Thanks to the generation effect, it helps you better remember what you read – even if it’s just by taking notes – and it’s good for your mental health. Building a writing habit is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself as a maker. As Anaïs Nin would … Read More
Today marks the 250th edition of the Ness Labs newsletter. Thousands of hours, hundreds of thousands of words… When I started this project as a tiny experiment, I didn’t expect to keep going for so long. And I didn’t expect that it would change my life. In an age of video reels and generative AI, … Read More
We don’t realize how much time we spend writing every day: we text our friends and families, we leave comments on social media, we send emails, we create documentation, presentations, and more. Well, good news: writing is actually good for you. Let’s explore the science-based benefits of writing and how you can make the most … Read More
In 2019 I made a pact to write a hundred articles in a hundred workdays. Since then, I have written and published one new article almost every week, and I have kept with this cadence while running a business and studying for my PhD. This is my longest running personal experiment. Over the years, a … Read More
In our age of information overload, writing is not just a means of expression. It’s a tool for clarity, comprehension, and connection. If metacognition is your compass, then writing is your map.
For the last few years, I have been looking for ways to get to know myself better. An unexpected life event in 2019, followed swiftly by trying to maintain my freelance career while solo parenting through a pandemic, left me feeling I had lost my sense of self. Back on my feet, but, like many … Read More
Blank page syndrome, writer’s block—call it whatever you want, most creators have once faced this overwhelming lack of inspiration. If you do experience writer’s block from time to time, the best reaction is to go do something else: going for a walk, journaling, talking it out with a friend. Better yet, though, is to avoid … Read More
Journaling offers many benefits, including improved mood, fewer stress-related visits to the doctor, feeling of greater psychological well-being, reduced depressive symptoms and absenteeism from work, improved working memory, and more. However, many people struggle to build a journaling habit. The blank page of a journal can feel daunting, and many journaling methods assume a well-ingrained … Read More
A few months ago, we hosted a workshop about the Future of Text with publisher, developer, and researcher Frode Hegland. We talked about how the medium shapes the message; how interactive digital text can transform the way we consume information; and how we can break free from the paradigm of the printed page. Frode leads … Read More
This week marked an important milestone: I just sent the 50th edition of Maker Mind, a newsletter about mindful productivity. Countless hours of careful writing, thoughtful conversations with readers, and exploring strange rabbit holes to report back on what I learned. While I believe the best way to learn is to experiment for yourself, I … Read More