Scientists, academics, and researchers write constantly for work and study. Writing is essential to recording work and sharing new finds with the broader world.
So why would a social scientist take even more time out of their busy day to do a different kind of writing?
Meet Mitch Stallman, an ecological economist based in Philadelphia and an avid Freewriter. When Mitch won our recent NaNoWriMo Leaderboard Giveaway, we were immediately taken with Mitch's dual experience of scientific writing for work and simple writing to think.
Let's hear directly from Mitch...
When I first heard about this opportunity, I was initially hesitant to say much of anything, questioning whether what I had to share was the "right fit" since I'm not a seasoned author in the traditional sense.
Yet, writing my response to provide some context for this spotlight reminded me of the universal nature of writing — it’s one of the most essential human experiences and an immense privilege, and we could all benefit from doing it more, no matter our end-game.
Writing my response ... reminded me of the universal nature of writing — it’s one of the most essential human experiences and an immense privilege, and we could all benefit from doing it more, no matter our end-game.
How did you get started writing?
My path into writing was not charted through intentions of publishing but instead as a natural extension of my academic pursuits in ecological economics and a need to understand the world around me.
While I appreciated the rigor of academic research, I found that its traditional mediums of communication — academic papers and the occasional news article — often lacked the accessibility and narrative needed to inspire real change. So, as I wrestled with this, writing started simply as a personal exercise to explore and actually articulate some more “philosophical” musings, allowing me to step outside of the confines and limitations of modern social-scientific research and develop a new understanding of our world and how to best live in it together.
I then adopted the practice of "Morning Pages," writing daily to explore my thoughts and emotions, which helped me clear the fog in my internal world.
Over time, my writing routine has evolved but has always centered around a commitment to daily writing, though the time and place for this has been a moving target. Whether scribbling in a notebook by the bath, typing away on my Freewrite Smart Typewriter in a cozy corner of my home, or reflecting in a quiet park, writing has become a grounding ritual. The Freewrite, with its dedicated service to writing, has been instrumental in maintaining my focus and enthusiasm for the practice.
As my writing practice deepened, so did my understanding of its power. Writing, like all art, has the power to move us, challenge our perceptions, and offer new perspectives on our world and our place in it.
Writing, like all art, has the power to move us, challenge our perceptions, and offer new perspectives on our world and our place in it.
Today, I engage in various forms of writing beyond the rigidity of the academic article, from nonfiction essays to works of fiction, poetry, and songwriting. Influenced by the likes of Ursula K. Le Guin, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Octavia Butler, Amor Towles, Herman Hesse, and Vonnegut in fiction, and Lewis Thomas, Donella Meadows, Wendell Berry, Michael Pollan, and Ta-Nehisi Coates in non-fiction, my writing strives to bridge the gap between intellectual discourse and emotional, artistic storytelling.
Historically, I haven't shared my work broadly, but now I’m embracing a new direction to make my creations more accessible and (hopefully) impactful, sharing them at my (not yet launched) site, mitchellstallman.com.
This venture into sharing more publicly is both exciting and daunting. Writing has been a solitary activity for me, a way to sort through the cacophony of daily life and find some clarity and calmness of mind. However, I’ve realized the importance of sharing these reflections to contribute to the broader conversation and connect with others on a similar path.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
My advice for other writers, so much as I'm qualified to offer such advice, preached by seasoned authors ad nauseam, is to write daily.
It’s not about the volume of words but the regularity of engagement with your thoughts and the world around you, connecting with others through time and space through the written word.
It’s not about the volume of words but the regularity of engagement with your thoughts and the world around you, connecting with others through time and space through the written word.
How can people reach you and follow your writing journey?
Thank you to the Freewrite team for this opportunity and the community for engaging with my story. I am eager to learn from you all and continue growing as a writer and thinker in this vibrant community.
Here's where I am online:
Mitch's Suggested Reading List
Fiction
- Ursula K. Le Guin: The Lathe of Heaven, The Dispossessed, The Telling
- Ray Bradbury: The Illustrated Man, Fahrenheit 451, Dandelion Wine
- Arthur C. Clarke: Childhood's End (my favorite sci-fi novel), Rendezvous with Rama
- Octavia Butler: Xenogenesis series (especially Adulthood Rites)
- Amor Towles: A Gentleman in Moscow (my favorite novel)
- Hermann Hesse: Steppenwolf, Siddhartha
- Kurt Vonnegut: Cat's Cradle, Welcome to the Monkey House
Nonfiction
- Wendell Berry: What Are People For?, The Art of the Commonplace
- Robin Wall Kimmerer: Braiding Sweetgrass, The Serviceberry
- Lewis Thomas: The Lives of a Cell
- Donella Meadows: Thinking in Systems, Limits to Growth
- Michael Pollan: The Omnivore's Dilemma, This Is Your Mind on Plants
- E.F. Schumacher: Small Is Beautiful
- Ta-Nehisi Coates: Between the World and Me, The Message
