Accidental Genius, 2nd Edition

Chapter 28Freewrite Your Way to Finished Prose

Geoff Bellman, author of The Consultant’s Calling and Your Signature Path, is a thoughtful business writer. I asked him how he goes about writing a book. He said his books don’t start as books. They begin as explorations. You could say he freewrites his way into them.

When Bellman first sits down to write, he uses the time to learn what he’s thinking about without having to explain himself to other people. He doesn’t want to use the page as a means of persuading others, making money, or making himself famous. When they are addressed too early, he sees those factors as corrupting forces. They get in the way of developing meaningful work.

During a writing session, which lasts about four hours, Bellman ...