Famed American director, producer, and screenwriter Judd Apatow, best known for his work in comedy films, when asked on a pod how to write, he goes for the pow: "The best advice is writers write. You gotta write."
You just gotta write.
You just gotta spew. Let it go. Put it down. Fill in the page.
Apatow says writing requires two separate activities.
One mode is writing.
One mode is editing.
You can't do them at the same time.
You can't edit as you write.
If you do, you block. You deny. You assess. You judge.
Ari Weinzweig, along with his partner Paul Saginaw, founded Zingerman's Delicatessen with a $20,000 bank loan, a Russian History degree from the University of Michigan, four years of experience washing dishes, cooking and managing in restaurant kitchens, and chutzpah from his hometown of Chicago.
Today, Zingerman's Delicatessen is a nationally renowned food icon, and Zingerman's Community of Businesses has grown to 10 businesses with over 750 employees and over $55 million in annual revenue.
When I visit Ann Arbor, Zingerman's Delicatessen is always a must-stop, and I have used their mail-order service over the years to send goods and treats to family and friends.
Weinzweig has a unique approach to business.
A unique approach that harnesses his skills of writing books on business and in-depth articles on food for Zingerman's newsletter.
In Weinzweig's book, Building a Great Business, he shares with his readers that he embraces a "hot pen" technique.
Like Apatow, Weinzweig believes: "Once you start writing, don't stop. Just keep writing for 15 to 30 minutes, regardless of how smart or silly what you're saying may seem. Don't start self-editing - just keep writing."
Weinzweig stresses to keep the pen moving.
He has found his most interesting, compelling, and fanciful bits of writing "are the ones that I started to edit out, but forced myself to put it down anyway."
So the essential communications lesson from Apatow and Ann Arbor is to write.
Just write.
Keep the pen moving.
Keep the communications coming.
If you need help keeping your pen moving and communications coming, Caracal is here to help.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
