Deep Writing: A New Approach for Successfully Thrive as a Writer

The next format to create meaningful and amazing writings

Zidni Ilman
4 min readDec 15, 2021
Photo by Wallace Chuck from Pexels

Recently, Cal Newport, with his book titled “Deep Work”, has inspired me to make the most of my writings.

He intrigues me about how I should approach my writing. His idea of “going deep” on every work we do is just truly mind-blowing.

Going deep or “in-depth” on our work means we should focus on a single task for a long period without uninterrupted, minor distractions such as checking emails regularly, scrolling on through social media, or surfing on the web.

By focusing all of our minds and energy on a single task and not on the distractions, we should be able to produce high-quality work.

It is the radical and old-fashioned method of working on things that we should focus on in the future if we want to achieve such quality.

The book states that deep work makes our work highly valuable compared to doing shallow work.

However, companies and their workers seem to adapt and choose to apply shallow work methods into their work.

What is The Connection Between Deep Work and Deep Writing?

Not too long ago, I’ve found the same similarity between the two terms.

Many profound and renowned writers around the world used deep writing methods to produce valued and profitable work.

They built their masterpieces based on deep work foundations. Applying the “depth” they need as much as possible to get into the zone of deep writing.

Deep writing also enables a state of “flow” where one writer could get lost in the creative juice of writing. Making them write great writings effortlessly.

Once those writers write their words on a piece of paper, any distractions, be they small or big, are untouchable. It feels like they live completely separated and isolated from the technology or other shallow activities around them.

And therefore, that is the reason what makes them thrive as a successful and professional writer.

Why is Deep Writing Important for Every Writer?

Deep writing is a whole new format in leveling up our work quality.

We should’ve known by now that shallow writing will not make you successful, therefore you wouldn’t be able to thrive professionally.

If you are a freelance writer seeking writing jobs, you will know the requirements of a $5 or $10 work over a $100 or $500 one.

The cheap writing assignments not too close revolve around “plagiarism”. With a little tweak made in your writing, and Voila! There you go. Clients are happy and satisfied.

But this isn’t the case for expensive writing assignments, which require you to instill a deep work method.

Only by going deep into the writing process could you genuinely create work worth the requirements. Producing an original work crafted amidst the uninterrupted world.

It is the reason why we must cultivate deep writing into our writing systems. The ability where we, a writer, can go beyond excellence.

How to Implement Deep Writing Method Into Our Writing Systems?

There are no defined criteria to explain deep writing other than taking the same meaning as deep working.

It is the same with deep work methodology.

To produce valuable and high-quality work, one must separate and isolate itself from distractions and the interrupted world and focus on a single task at hand for a long period.

If you were to apply the same method, then deep writing is also when you only focus on writing the things you want to write for a long period and ignore every slight distraction and shallow activity from the outer influence.

That is how you implement deep writing. Many profound and renowned writers have utilized the same method.

For example, Maya Angelou usually starts her writing routine at 7.00 AM. She, therefore, had woken up at 5.30 AM and created a cup of coffee at 6.00 AM before actually writing.

She writes from 07.00 AM until 2.00 PM (12.30 if she had a rough day) and takes a break from 2.00 PM until 8.00 PM. When 8.00 PM hits, she edits and revises all of her work created that day.

Maya does her writing alone in a hotel room along with other equipment she needed for her routine.

You can choose Maya Angelou’s or any other famous writer’s method or routine or you can find your authentic writing routine of doing deep writing. Whatever the way is, make sure you can benefit from it.

Final Thoughts

Deep writing will become the skill needed for the future writing world. The ability to go deep within your writing is necessary to produce such valuable and high-quality writing.

Deep writing, which is derived from deep work, therefore has a very striking difference from the usual, shallow writing work.

The difference comes from any angle, but the most visible one can be seen from its outcome. You can tell just by looking at any renowned writer’s work who applies the deep writing method in their writing routine.

If you can instill this deep writing into your writing systems or routine, then don’t get surprised if you are going to become one of those prodigious writers in the future. It’s a fresh approach to thriving as a writer, both professionally and in the non-professional world.

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Zidni Ilman

Hello, I'm Zidni and I work as an Amazon product sourcer for a US private company.