This new habit (20 days) started because A) I decided to build on a good exercise that I participated in during the Sacramento Writer's Conference 2007 last year and B) I was feeling somewhat inspired after FINALLY starting to read a book recommended to me by a bunch of people, Natalie Goldberg's guide to writing with zen "Writing Down The Bones." Between the two of these, I'm back into journaling and it works for me.
How's it work?: Before I start on my planned writing for the day (flash fic, short story, novel, whatever), I spend a minimum of 10 minutes journaling. I go longer if I want, but never any less. I write constantly whatever is in my head without editing, second guessing or censoring. I do not cross out, correct spelling or revise. So even if it is just,
"I don't have a darn thing to say, it is to freaking early for this stuff, this is stupid and I really want to eat breakfast right now. What is that? Geez that cat snores like a Mac truck."(Can you tell actual excerpt?) The not editing, revising or censoring has been the hardest part for me as my inner critic is quite mighty and will strong arm my creativity and confidence, if I allow it.
Benefits: It's a great exercise to get my head clear and get "free" of expectations, fears, worries, doubts. It sparks new ideas and has helped to kick my brain and creative thoughts in gear. And when I need a push, it actually helps me to get moving if not excited about writing for the day. I can knock my inner critic into the background no easy task for me. I find also the process helps me to clear my "mental clutter"and focus more on the story I want to tell or my plot, characters - everything once I start to write on my current project. It allows me to get very creative. I didn't think doing this would work for me when I decided to try it out, but so far it actually does. Amazing.
Variations: Riffing off an exercise also learned at the convention, I tried doing this with the radio playing on a talk station. I got a timer and set it for a minute and 5 seconds (extra time for me to reset it). Every minute for ten minutes when the timer went off, whatever word I last clearly heard spoken or the first word I heard after I reset the timer I used as a prompt to incorporate in my writing. Really fabulous things have come out of this. I plan to try this again tomorrow with an audio book. I figure different vocabulary will stimulate thoughts in different directions. Sunday is Ipod on shuffle mode day.
Do you already do this? Does it work for you? Does it suck? Know something better? Lemme know either way! If it works for me, it might work for you. And if it doesn't work, well no harm done (hopefully).
3 comments:
Journaling also helps me silence my inner editor and gets me warmed up for writing.
I imagine it working like Dumbledore's thought sieve - where he twirls out a thought from his head with his wand and captures it in a magic bowl for awhile.
That's a very poetic way of expressing it, Jamie - was that JK Rowling or you speaking?
Journalling is good writing shopping lists is good - it's all writing.
Daily reading is essential too, don't you think?
That business of keeping your internal editor at bay is well worth it... King calls it 'closed door writing' - most liberating to think that no one - no one but me has to read this if I don't want them to - that's a powerful thing.
Seery's right Jamie very poetically stated :). And it does really help to tamp down the editor.
Seery I do agree, any writing is good But I'm a reentry college student; writing dry essays after a certain point makes my internal editor scream and whine. Shopping lists...not so much :D
And King's on writing does rock. That's a great perspective to keep in mind :)
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