Before the first sentence

 I mentioned Professor Kathleen Bruhn, an expert on democratization and chair of the Political Science Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I was curious about her writing habits and found an interview with her published by the University of Notre Dame Press.

Professor Bruhn said she likes to write in the mornings and tries to block off two hours, four days a week.

Asked for advice to someone thinking about starting a book, she replied:

 

Writing itself is only the tip of the iceberg. A lot of work goes into designing the project, doing the research, reading and organizing notes, and planning the chapter outlines. Once the writing itself starts, be prepared to be surprised, and be patient.

 

One of my prejudices is that most of what should count as writing occurs before someone starts composing sentences.

Professor Bruhn is speaking the truth as I know it.

• Source: “An Interview with Kathleen Bruhn, Author of ‘Politics and the Pink Tide’” is at the University of Notre Dame Press site, April 3, 2024. It’s here:

https://undpress.nd.edu/blog/2024/04/03/an-interview-with-kathleen-bruhn-author-of-politics-and-the-pink-tide/