a few thoughts on systems

sys • tem /ˈsistəm/ n.

• a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method.

Systems enthrall me. We’re all surrounded by them.

Just yesterday, Nov. 13, 2022, I wrote my first mini-essay: Create or Consume? In the process of writing, I dabbled in formulating systems to optimize my workflow. At the start, I encountered an online tool called Typeshare. Typeshare allows anyone to streamline their writing for easy sharing on various social media outlets. Typeshare converts your text to an image and helps you publish them on your chosen platform – Twitter, LinkedIn, or Medium.

It was interesting at first. I thought it was convenient. However, the look of the images from my writings turned out to be unsuitable for my brand identity.

And there it was, my first system-induced inconvenience. Like with all problems, I tried to find a solution. I attempted to formulate a personal publishing system through three Adobe Applications: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. It was fun engaging with the process, but I realized something after publishing my first mini-essay. I have already injected my brand identity in the custom CSS of Obsidian, my note-taking application.

In short, I already have a program with customized aesthetics according to my brand identity. I could easily create in Obsidian what I did in the Adobe Creative Suite for long, arduous hours.

If my goals are merely to write and publish, I should use more straightforward tools over expensive design software. ¹

So, before writing this mini-essay, I ditched my first system for a new one, which I’m currently experimenting on.

All of this is to echo one idea:

Sophistication ≠ Quality.

A skilled writer with inadequate writing tools remains a good writer. A New York Times best-selling author can write a compelling book using pen and paper.

Unless we hone our skills, they lag behind the advent of more elegant tools and systems.

And if you were to mull over one thing from this mini-essay, I wish it could be this:

Focus on your craft, not on your tools.

Footnotes

1. Today I learned that software’s plural form is also software. 😂 ↩