Writing content with Schrodinger

byMikeyB

4.4K followers

11 years ago

I wasn't intending to write a blog today as I had nothing in particular to offer but in starting a new book today a thought crossed my mind which is applicable here as it is to me every day.

There are two concepts that I would like to share with you that may aid you in preparing better articles, blogs and content.

Oftentimes we write away with our thoughts because we want to get an idea or two down maybe to share, maybe to get something off our chests or maybe just to improve our ranking. All of these are admirable but I have noticed in some blogs and writings that we often miss out on an important issue. I am guilty of this and thats why a writer is often editing and proofing his/her work(s) for months.

Original Thought

Now I don't want to get too philosophical here because that is not my intent, however much I would love to go there. There have been writings on 'original thought' since Mesopotamia and since little cavemen scrawled on the cave walls with their wife's eyeliner pencils. Of that I am not talking.

There is also 'original thought' theory which becomes merged with quantum mechanics, such as Schrodingers cat' and others and again, way too mathematical and besides my point.

Here is my point, is it original? Is your writing coming entirely from your thoughts?

When we add a blog, which I hasten to add does normally constitute a more original thought process, or web content and especially articles then try to keep it original.

I say this because if I 'wiki' a lot of work on here and other places I can find it, in a form, from page 1 of a relevant google search. Now. i am not the writing police and I personally dont mind (I would say don't care but I dislike that phrase) but we must try to keep our thoughts original because a) its more fun b) it trains us to be better writers or 'content providers' and c) It is far more interesting.

Original thought is very interesting because what you may think or say 'originally' is often brilliant, untested and profound and it builds credibility far quicker than if you rehash old content.

Now a lot of you out there may disagree and provide 'wiki' references to the concept and nihilism of original thought and I would gladly join you in a debate, that is not my point.

Just this, to be a better writer in life, try to be original and unique in everything you do, it's just more fun.

Write like a reader

Any of the writers out there will/may have heard of this, it is an interesting concept and one I tend to employ.

When we are about to write something/anything then please, please try to write as if you were the reader. Many times I read articles, postings on the web and even books that are 'in my face drivel' (I am not necessarily referring to WA but in life)

A writer will have an idea and sometimes he/she just slops it out there with the title 'Here's my idea, now read it" It is written from their viewpoint and can ramble on needlessly with complete disregard for the receiver.

When you begin a piece please think of each new sentence as it would appear to the readers, eyes and senses. You almost have to pre-read it in your mind and turn it around to how it will appear to your reader. Does this make sense?

For example

".....Lets discuss the Scrodingers cat theory above"

Schrödinger's cat: a cat, a flask of poison, and a radioactive source are placed in a sealed box. If an internal monitor detects radioactivity (i.e. a single atom decaying), the flask is shattered, releasing the poison that kills the cat. The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics implies that after a while, the cat is simultaneously alive and dead. Yet, when one looks in the box, one sees the cat either alive or dead, not both alive and dead. This poses the question of when exactly quantum superposition ends and reality collapses into one possibility or the other.

Phew boring, uninspired and very 'wiki'

Lets write like a reader.

"....to understand a difficult concept, say in quantum mechanics then we need to understand the concept of 'here and there', 'seen and unseen' or even 'dead or alive'. Back in 1935 a physicist, obviously named Schrodinger put forward a theory to explain the states of two systems, in this case particles, that can be together or separated or either at any one point. It is a concept that is difficult to get our heads around.

Let me explain; Prof Schrodinger suggested that if we put our neighbours annoying cat in a box with a container of sleeping gas and a radioactive source and a 'litter tray', then the flask will eventually shatter releasing the gas and allowing the cat to sleep. Now, the concept of Quantum physics will say that at any time a subatomic particle can be in two states at once. Therefore based on that, the cat will always be awake or asleep in the box when the lid is on, it is not until the lid is removed can we say for sure 'which' state the cat is in.

This is a difficult concept to grasp and while no cats were harmed in this theoretical experiment it tries to explain a point. it is much the same as 'does a tree make a sound in the forest if no one is there to hear it"

Now, philosophical arguments aside do you see that the second explanation is a bit more 'reader friendly'

When you write in the future try to approach it more from 'how a reader will read it' as opposed to 'how a writer will write it'

....and now it's off to write my book

God Bless

MikeyB