Your words about subtraction made me rethink my approach to songwriting. I often pile on layers of sound but after reading this I’m inspired to try a stripped-down version of my song to see if the emotion comes through more clearly. Real artistry is in knowing what to take away and not complicate the art itself. I’ll use this perspective in future songwriting sessions and see how it goes. Thank you for this inspiration today Idris Elijah!
You’re most welcome Brooke! Can’t wait to hear some of your music on the radio one day. Sounds like you took away a lot from this issue, which warms my heart. Thank you 🙏🏾
Reading today’s newsletter reminded me of how great albums are made. The best records aren’t the ones crammed with endless production tricks but the ones where the artist knew what not to include. Think of something like Thriller…Each track feels so clean because the excess was stripped away. People still love that Michael Jackson album today even though it only has 9 songs and it’s still the best selling album of all time! Simplicity in music is an art form, just like in design and in life. You always manage to take a concept we think we all know and reveal a deeper layer of truth in it so we can apply it our own personal development. Brilliantly done Idris!
Thank you Brian for your kind words. Incredible work we’re doing here! And I love your insight here. Thriller is a great album and deserves all its accolades.
Your newsletters always make me pause and think about how I’m moving through the world. I’ve been working on a project at my job that keeps getting more complicated because everyone wants to add features. Some of them are clearly not needed and I’ve been struggling with how to handle it. I see now that the harder and smarter choice might be to push back and ask, “What really adds value here?”. I’m going to start framing conversations around that with my coworkers, even the difficult one! Thank you Idris Elijah for consistently giving us this engaging content!!
I love these insights! And I appreciate your kindness. I think your asking the right questions and framing conversations around simplicity with all of your coworkers will be a power move. Can’t wait to hear the results of your experiments.
You’re most welcome! I really do my best and I’m pleased it appears to be paying off. 🙃🙏🏾😁
One thing I’ve realized since I started writing is that simplicity on the page is often the hardest to achieve. Cutting a draft down to its purest form takes way more effort than just writing endlessly. Readers can feel when something flows effortlessly, but that “effortlessness” usually comes from hours of revision and subtraction.I have a draft I’ve been struggling with and now I see it isn’t about adding more. It’s about editing with intention. This week I’m going to revisit it with your words in mind and see what I can achieve. You do a great job making complex ideas clear. Thank you for this thoughtful read Idris Elijah!
The parallels you drew in writing are spot on! Writing is like talking to a best friend and it can go on and on and on. But editing, that’s where the real work takes place. Subtracting and only adding when it adds value. It requires intention. Can’t wait to hear what progress you make on you draft! And you’re most welcome 🙏🏾🙃
Your words about subtraction made me rethink my approach to songwriting. I often pile on layers of sound but after reading this I’m inspired to try a stripped-down version of my song to see if the emotion comes through more clearly. Real artistry is in knowing what to take away and not complicate the art itself. I’ll use this perspective in future songwriting sessions and see how it goes. Thank you for this inspiration today Idris Elijah!
You’re most welcome Brooke! Can’t wait to hear some of your music on the radio one day. Sounds like you took away a lot from this issue, which warms my heart. Thank you 🙏🏾
Reading today’s newsletter reminded me of how great albums are made. The best records aren’t the ones crammed with endless production tricks but the ones where the artist knew what not to include. Think of something like Thriller…Each track feels so clean because the excess was stripped away. People still love that Michael Jackson album today even though it only has 9 songs and it’s still the best selling album of all time! Simplicity in music is an art form, just like in design and in life. You always manage to take a concept we think we all know and reveal a deeper layer of truth in it so we can apply it our own personal development. Brilliantly done Idris!
Thank you Brian for your kind words. Incredible work we’re doing here! And I love your insight here. Thriller is a great album and deserves all its accolades.
Your newsletters always make me pause and think about how I’m moving through the world. I’ve been working on a project at my job that keeps getting more complicated because everyone wants to add features. Some of them are clearly not needed and I’ve been struggling with how to handle it. I see now that the harder and smarter choice might be to push back and ask, “What really adds value here?”. I’m going to start framing conversations around that with my coworkers, even the difficult one! Thank you Idris Elijah for consistently giving us this engaging content!!
I love these insights! And I appreciate your kindness. I think your asking the right questions and framing conversations around simplicity with all of your coworkers will be a power move. Can’t wait to hear the results of your experiments.
You’re most welcome! I really do my best and I’m pleased it appears to be paying off. 🙃🙏🏾😁
One thing I’ve realized since I started writing is that simplicity on the page is often the hardest to achieve. Cutting a draft down to its purest form takes way more effort than just writing endlessly. Readers can feel when something flows effortlessly, but that “effortlessness” usually comes from hours of revision and subtraction.I have a draft I’ve been struggling with and now I see it isn’t about adding more. It’s about editing with intention. This week I’m going to revisit it with your words in mind and see what I can achieve. You do a great job making complex ideas clear. Thank you for this thoughtful read Idris Elijah!
The parallels you drew in writing are spot on! Writing is like talking to a best friend and it can go on and on and on. But editing, that’s where the real work takes place. Subtracting and only adding when it adds value. It requires intention. Can’t wait to hear what progress you make on you draft! And you’re most welcome 🙏🏾🙃