# Renaissance Journaling Technique to Overcome Writer's Block ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PLEQBB9bX50/maxresdefault.jpg) ## Intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=0s) - The struggle to overcome a blank page is as old as writing itself [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=0s). - A journaling technique emerged during the [[Renaissance]] that helps generate and refine brilliant ideas [(00:00:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=2s). - This technique was used by some of history's most prolific minds to capture their best thoughts and transform them into timeless works [(00:00:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=6s). - The journaling method is simple yet powerful, allowing users to write consistently without fear of a blank page [(00:00:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=9s). - This technique will be shared to show how to take notes like a Renaissance writer [(00:00:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=17s). ## The reason we get Writer's block. [(00:00:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=23s) - The average person consumes 74 GB of information a day, equivalent to reading a 100,000-word novel, but 500 years ago, at the height of the [[Renaissance]], that amount of information would have been consumed over an entire lifetime [(00:00:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=27s). - In the past, people didn't have infinite access to ideas, and books weren't widely available to the public, making knowledge a valuable resource to be cherished and passed along from generation to generation [(00:00:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=41s). - With near-infinite access to information today, people consume far more in a day than their ancestors could have ever dreamed, yet they still struggle to generate ideas [(00:00:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=50s). - The brain, being a novelty-seeking machine, likes to discard old information in favor of the new, causing ideas to vanish as fast as they are generated [(00:01:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=65s). - [[Writer's block]] happens because people only remember what they've recently consumed, and without a system for capturing and reflecting on noteworthy ideas, they jump from one distraction to the next [(00:01:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=75s). - This leads to seeking out more information, doing more research, and finding more ways to procrastinate in hopes of coming across the next flash of inspiration needed to fill the page [(00:01:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=82s). - Writers can learn from the past and take note of how writers of the [[Renaissance]] managed information to overcome the blank page [(00:01:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=94s). ## Brief history of the Zibaldone. [(00:01:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=100s) - Books were rare and considered prized possessions, with most of the world's knowledge contained within private libraries and universities that only the wealthy could afford to access [(00:01:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=100s). - During this period, Florentine book shops and book dealers emerged, offering manuscript rentals for those who couldn't afford to buy them [(00:01:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=110s). - People began copying passages from these rentals and keeping personal notebooks filled with quotes, poems, and phrases to reflect on later [(00:01:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=116s). - These personal notebooks, which would later be referred to as [[Zibaldone]], contained a collection of copied passages and personal reflections [(00:02:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=122s). ## What is a Zibaldone? [(00:02:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=123s) - A zibaldone, also referred to as a zalon, is a collection of miscellaneous information, as described by [[Roland Allen]] in his notebook [(00:02:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=123s). - The idea behind keeping a zibaldone is to copy out pieces of writing that one finds useful or likes into a personal notebook, with no specific requirements for the amount or neatness of the copied content [(00:02:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=128s). - This practice became widespread in Florence, with every serious thinker striving to fill their zibaldone with the best ideas they could find [(00:02:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=140s). - [[Zibaldone | Zibaldoni]] were not only kept for personal use but were also shared among intellectual circles, passed down as family heirlooms, and often formed the foundation for creative works [(00:02:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=148s). - Writers would use their personal notes as a starting point for their own ideas, which they wanted to contribute to society [(00:02:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=158s). - In the past, taking notes was a labor-intensive task that required effort and time, making each written note valuable and important [(00:02:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=167s). - The act of writing down information implied that it would be put to good use, unlike the ease of copying and pasting text in modern times [(00:03:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=181s). - Although the traditional tools of quill pens and ink jars are no longer necessary, the principles of a zibaldone can still be applied to overcome [[Writer's block | writer's block]] [(00:03:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=186s). ## Benefits of intentional reflection. [(00:03:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=193s) - Intentional note-keeping and thoughtful reflection were encouraged by Zalon, allowing individuals to focus deeply on passages, question theories, and create refined perspectives about the world around them without the distraction of media and smartphones [(00:03:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=194s). - The ease of access to information through modern tools and apps can lead to getting lost in "never-ending rabbit holes" that result in chronic procrastination [(00:03:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=209s). - Consuming less information and detaching from the constant need to listen to podcasts, watch TV, or scroll through social media can help create space for reflection and observation [(00:03:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=219s). - Stepping away from the constant stream of information, including the "fear-mongering" news cycle, can be beneficial for mental clarity and idea generation [(00:03:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=229s). - Creating space in one's day to observe and absorb the world around them can lead to a mind "brimming with new ideas" [(00:03:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=233s). - Focusing on reflection and allowing time for quiet contemplation can increase the generation of new ideas [(00:04:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=244s). ## Become a curator of ideas. [(00:04:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=245s) - To overcome [[Writer's block | writer's block]], after creating space in the day, the next step is to capture thoughts and insights before they disappear, with the goal of becoming a curator of ideas [(00:04:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=246s). - This concept is supported by a quote from [[Cormac McCarthy]], which states that "books are made out of books" and "all ideas come from other ideas" [(00:04:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=253s). - Writers of the [[Renaissance]] believed that knowledge was power and curated the best ideas they could find into their notebooks for future reference [(00:04:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=258s). - By collecting and recording important ideas, these writers created an "idea bank" of information that they could draw upon later [(00:04:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=266s). - This practice allowed them to go through the trouble of writing down information they felt was important enough to reference later [(00:04:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=268s). ## How I overcome Writer's block. [(00:04:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=273s) - To overcome [[Writer's block | writer's block]], one approach is to open a journal that has already been written in and look for ideas, as it provides a good starting point and prevents staring at a blank page [(00:04:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=273s). - The journal can contain previous thoughts, writings, and doodles, making it easier to find inspiration and begin writing [(00:04:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=277s). - Writer's block is often a problem of starting to write, rather than finishing, and once words begin to flow, momentum carries the writer through the rest of the page [(00:04:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=290s). - To make writing easier to start, it is essential to have a starting point, such as a journal with existing ideas, to build momentum and carry through the writing process [(00:04:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=298s). ## My daily note-keeping habit. [(00:04:59)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=299s) - A daily note-keeping habit is essential to collect ideas that resonate, ensuring a strong foundation of ideas to start the writing process [(00:05:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=300s). - Carrying a small memo book to write down at least one quote, fact, or idea from the day serves as a daily carry zil Dona, a home for impactful things found throughout the day [(00:05:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=305s). - There are no hard and fast rules for keeping a zil Dona, allowing for writing personal ideas, copying quotes from others, and drawing doodles along the margins [(00:05:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=317s). - A practical tip for keeping a zil Dona is to credit the author of quoted material, enabling accurate attribution in writing [(00:05:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=322s). ## Analog vs Digital notes. [(00:05:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=328s) - The most important thing is to start curating ideas and reflect on them, regardless of whether the method is analog or digital, as it gives the mind ample fuel to power writing [(00:05:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=332s). - Using digital methods of note-keeping is acceptable if preferred, and various tools such as [[Apple Inc. | Apple]] Notes, [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]], and Notion can be used [(00:05:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=341s). - Experimentation with different methods, including physical notebooks and digital tools, can help determine the most effective approach for overcoming [[Writer's block | writer's block]] [(00:05:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=343s). - Writing down ideas by hand in an old school notebook is considered the most effective method for overcoming writer's block, as it signals the brain's importance, slows down processing, and allows for reflection on the words being written [(00:05:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=354s). - Handwriting ideas forms new connections between neural networks, integrating those ideas into the knowledge base, and creates an opportunity to dig for value beneath the words [(00:06:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=365s). - Physical notebooks encourage focus, intention, and introspection, whereas phones and digital notes can treat information as infinite and worthless [(00:06:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=376s). ## Digital distractions. [(00:06:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=382s) - Digital writing apps can be systemized for powerful use, but they also come with the major drawback of constant distractions, such as internet searches, chatbot prompts, or social media threads that can derail a writing session [(00:06:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=383s). - The compulsion to consume more information while writing is often an attempt to procrastinate and avoid the challenge of creating coherent phrases [(00:06:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=398s). - The [[Renaissance]] tradition of keeping a [[Zibaldone | zibaldone]], or a notebook for collecting knowledge and ideas, led to countless contributions to society and continues to survive in modern forms [(00:06:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=409s). - Embracing the potential of modern tools and techniques can assist writers in overcoming obstacles and finishing their work, rather than simply romanticizing traditional methods [(00:07:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=420s). ## Final verdict on analog vs digital. [(00:07:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=424s) - A balance between analog and digital tools is key, with a physical notebook like a Zal Dona used to capture salient ideas and reflect upon them, and digital tools used for extensive summarization and developing unique perspectives [(00:07:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=425s). - Experimenting with a physical notebook can help cure [[Writer's block | writer's block]], as it has for many writers in the past, as long as time is taken to sit and reflect on the ideas [(00:07:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=440s). - Consistently writing can be achieved by building a writing routine, with more information available in a separate video on how to build a writing routine that sticks [(00:07:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLEQBB9bX50&t=453s).