Today I wanted to talk about one of my favorite topics. Iteration is the process where you repeat something, making small, incremental changes. We’re so used to seeing iteration in the world around us, that we barely even notice it.
For example, tech companies use iteration all the time. They produce software and release a version of it so people can test it. People use that software, find and report bugs, and the tech company in turn releases a 2.0 version. People use that new version, find and report bugs, and then a 3.0 version gets released. And on and on we go.
But iteration far predates the tech world. In fact, Samuel Beckett said: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Failing better is iteration in a nutshell.
So, what does this have to do with writing? Just like tech companies might use iteration to improve their software, we can use iteration to improve our writing process.
I think of iteration as a cyclical process. Iteration is vital to innovation, and VITAL is an acronym. (If you’ve been in the DIY MFA ecosystem for thirty seconds, you know that we love our acronyms.) Iteration is a cyclical process by which we can refine and improve our writing process. (It’s a bit meta, I know.) Here’s how it works.
- V = choose a variable
- I = collect information
- T = set a tripwire
- A = analyze the data
- L = learn and decide what’s next
We start with choosing the variable, then work our way through the VITAL process until we get to “L,” at which point we decide whether we’ll keep testing the same variable, or try something new with a different variable. Let’s walk through the process step by step with an example.
V is for Variable
To start off the VITAL process, you need to choose a variable. Actually, you’ll choose two: an input variable and an output variable. The input variable is the thing you’re testing, while the output variable is the result you’re measuring. The input variable can be any condition you put on your writing—time of day, location, background music, etc. The output variable needs to be something concrete and easy to measure. In writing, that usually means either time or word count. Note: word count tends to work better if you’re in the drafting stage, while time can be a more effective measure of your progress during revisions.
Suppose you’re deep into drafting your book and you want to determine where you do your best writing: at home or at a coffee shop. Location is the input variable. Word count would be our output variable. Then all you have to do is write a few times at home and a few times at the coffee shop, then compare your word counts.
I is for Information
Once you’ve determined your variable, the next step is to run a mini-experiment on yourself. You do a series of writing sessions—some at the coffee shop, some at home—and then you measure your output to see where you’re most productive. The key at this stage is to make sure you have enough data points at each location. After all, you can’t base your analysis off of only one or two data points because they could be outliers.
Generally, I recommend a total of 10-12 data points, split evenly between the two locations. (I know, I know, this won’t give you a statistically significant result, but we’re not trying to publish this experiment in an academic journal. We’re just looking for a pattern.) You’ll want to mix up the order of when you write in each location to account for days of the week or other factors. Basically, try to choose your location as randomly as possible.
Now, all you have to do is write. Do your writing sessions and record your output. You can record word count, time, and even calculate words-per-hour if you want to get super nerdy.
T is for Tripwire
Sooner or later, you have to stop collecting data and start analyzing it. That’s where the tripwire comes in. The tripwire is a signal to yourself that tells you when to start your analysis.
The reason the tripwire is so important is because (as my late, great violin teacher used to say): “Practice does not make perfect, it makes things permanent.” If you keep repeating the same writing behavior for long enough, it can eventually become a habit. That habit may not necessarily be good for you, and if you make that habit permanent, it will be all the more difficult to break that habit down the road. This is why you want to analyze your results before the behavior becomes ingrained in you as a habit.
Research says that it can take anywhere between 21 to 90 days to form a new habit. This means that you want to try to fit your 10-12 data points in before that 21-day mark. You’re aiming for a sweet spot: enough data points where you can see a pattern, but not such a long stretch of time that you create a bad habit.
A is for Analysis
From here, you simply look at your data log and try to spot a pattern. On average, which location gave you better results? Which location was less productive for you? The key at this stage is not to judge the data (they’re just numbers, after all) and to stay as objective as possible. No value judgments allowed.
L is for Learning
Once you’ve done your analysis and you’ve gotten a sense for what’s working and what’s not, now you have to make some decisions. If something’s working for you… keep doing it! Don’t fix something that’s not broken. If something’s not working for you, then you should consider trying to change things up. At this point in the process, you also need to decide whether to retest the same variable (like maybe this time you want to try coffee shop vs. library) or whether to choose some entirely new variable to test.
There are so many variables you can test through iteration. Time of day. Day of the week. Writing by hand vs. on the computer. The computer software you use. Background music vs. ambient noise. Diffusing essential oils or lighting a candle. These are just a few ideas, but I’m sure you can think of dozens more.
The Meta-Mindset
In the end, the purpose of iteration is for you to take on a meta-mindset. You need to step back and look at your writing process with objectivity, figuring out how you do your best work. We need to be intentional about this process because it’s very easy to get sucked into the writing itself and not see the forest for the trees. When we build iteration into our writing process, we automatically make room for that meta-mindset and that ability to see the bigger picture of how our process really works.
Now, I’m curious: Are you going to use iteration? If so, what variable do you plan to measure first? I myself have used iteration to test location, writing implement (write by hand vs. computer), and background music vs. ambient noise. Where do you plan to start with iteration?
Until next time, keep writing and keep being awesome!
P.S. For more info on Gabriela Pereira, the founder and instigator of DIY MFA, check out her profile page.
