Keyboard Instead of Piano: The Art of Finding Ideas Where Others See Emptiness
On finding your instrument, the magic of paper notebooks, and why “writing for everyone” means writing into nowhere.
As a child, I desperately dreamed of a piano. I imagined my fingertips touching the cold varnish, creating music from absolute silence. I never got an instrument. But years later, I discovered: my music doesn’t need strings or a soundboard. My music is words, and my instrument is the worn keys of a laptop. Every click is a chord. Every lyric is a symphony I’ve finally decided to perform.
I loved it, but I had absolutely no command of words. I didn’t know how to start. I started reading a lot: both about what interested me and about how to write well. But the advice from textbooks wasn’t inspiring. They were full of standard phrases: “Choose the right title, and the words will flow.” No, they won’t. That’s not how it works. Unless you’re a copywriter working from a template.
If I had no ideas at all before, now I have so many that they’re turning into a veritable torrent — a symphony that I can barely keep up with.
I don’t painstakingly pick my words or chase trends like “write what people want.” I write what inspires me. Writing to meet specific needs is to lose yourself. That’s not how you’ll find true readers who appreciate you for being you.
Currently, I’m completely immersed in my projects: books, channels, websites. My schedule is booked years in advance, so I don’t conduct consultations or analyze other people’s writing. Not because I’m stingy with advice, but because the best advice I can give is:
Don’t look for critics, find your own voice.
Real readers come not for the “right” headlines, but for your genuine voice. Maybe someday I’ll put my thoughts together into a guide, but for now I’m just continuing my game.
My piano is always with me, but music isn’t born just from the pressing of keys. It’s in the details, the atmosphere, the things that surround us. I create what helps me (and, I hope, will help you) experience this world more vividly. Perhaps you’ll find something useful for your own creativity here, or just a bright spark to brighten your mood here? 🦝
How do you write? Is it calculated, or, like me, do you hear your own music in every keystroke?
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| Image created with Gemini AI |
When I write, I feel the same magic. I used to be afraid of emptiness, unsure of what to say to the world. I loved watching people write; I’ve always admired authors. I adore those old movies where an author is typing away on a vintage typewriter: there’s that sharp, satisfying ‘DING!’ — and everyone knows the masterpiece is finished.
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| GIF from Tenor: Masterpiece in progress |
If I had no ideas at all before, now I have so many that they’re turning into a veritable torrent — a symphony that I can barely keep up with.
Where do I get the “notes” for my ideas?
They’re everywhere. A short video, a random article, a phrase from a passerby — something that caught my attention, delighted me, or angered me. I start thinking, one thought leads to another, they “cling” together until they become a single whole. Once they align and take shape, a lightbulb clicks on in my head — just like in the cartoons — and I hear a distinct ‘Eureka!’ Only then am I ready to write.I don’t painstakingly pick my words or chase trends like “write what people want.” I write what inspires me. Writing to meet specific needs is to lose yourself. That’s not how you’ll find true readers who appreciate you for being you.
My Tools
Paper Notebooks
Despite the abundance of technology, I’m old-fashioned. I adore writing by hand; I love the feel of the paper’s resistance. Incidentally, it’s very good for the brain. I’m pretty sure office supply stores stay in business solely because of my obsession with notebooks and pens. Notes on my phone are like a quick fix, but real ideas are born the old-fashioned way. |
| GIF from Tenor: Vintage style woman writing in a paper notebook, old-fashioned creativity |
Cheat Sheets
Inspiration is a fickle thing. Today it’s stars in space, born one after another, and I can’t keep up with them. And tomorrow it’s a sterile white sheet of paper with nothing to cling to. In such moments of calm, I pull out my go-to lists. They’re my backup plan.
Mentoring
I’m often asked about mentoring — people ask me to teach them how to write in my signature style. But I sincerely believe that writing can’t be taught from a template. I’m not a journalist or a coach; I write intuitively, through my feelings. My style is the result of my mistakes, my notebooks, my experience, and sometimes a touch of ironic sarcasm. My writing is always different: sometimes lyrical, sometimes pure rock ’n’ roll. This can’t be taught.Currently, I’m completely immersed in my projects: books, channels, websites. My schedule is booked years in advance, so I don’t conduct consultations or analyze other people’s writing. Not because I’m stingy with advice, but because the best advice I can give is:
Don’t look for critics, find your own voice.
Real readers come not for the “right” headlines, but for your genuine voice. Maybe someday I’ll put my thoughts together into a guide, but for now I’m just continuing my game.
My piano is always with me, but music isn’t born just from the pressing of keys. It’s in the details, the atmosphere, the things that surround us. I create what helps me (and, I hope, will help you) experience this world more vividly. Perhaps you’ll find something useful for your own creativity here, or just a bright spark to brighten your mood here? 🦝
How do you write? Is it calculated, or, like me, do you hear your own music in every keystroke?
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