Saturday, November 1, 2014

A Writer's Life Plan

November signals a time to begin a writeful life.

Plan now.

Make your autumn resolution to write for ten minutes a day. You'll become amazed at the results if you dedicate yourself to establishing a writing agenda.

Promise yourself one day, then two. Soon you'll be up to a week.  

Keep going for 21 days. Then don't stop until December. You'll discover a writing habit that will keep you going.

Writing requires a daily routine. Like developing a muscle, you strengthen writing by exercising with words. 

Make an appointment each day and promise to show up and write. Early morning writing works for some. Try writing just before you snuggle into bed. Vary your times and locations to notice how flexibility works for you. Stay consistent to discover your best writing time.

Vary the location, engage your imagination and ability to link all your senses.  

Doodling with words liberates your writing zest. Wordling, when practiced daily, will energize the power of your mind and push your ingenuity to new heights. You will disappear into your deepest source of creativity and return refreshed with power renewed in thoughts and words.

Do you prefer a notebook and pen? Does the computer feel easier? Tap into both ways to energize writing.

A spiral bound book without a rigid spine provides ease from page to page. Discover a pen that flows across the page. Fountain pens or roller ball pens work the best. Colored ink will spark imagery.  

If you begin on the computer, save your writing in a folder on the desk top.

How to begin:

Find your location and take a few moments to relax with several gentle breaths.

Write the date in the upper right-hand corner on each page. Date each session in this manner.

Allow yourself to become unstructured, playful and free to flow in any direction. Freewheel with your creative spirit!

When you begin, write a word at the top of your page. You could begin with a command such as, Astonish! or an emotion such as Eager. Write to the end of the page without stopping. 


In your next session,write for ten minutes. Do not cross out; let words fall. Attempt longer writing sequences changing your command or emotion at the top of each page.

If you find a vacant spot, ask yourself, I think . . . 
I feel . . . If you stop again consider the opposites, I am not thinking of, I don't feel.

Write Impossible. Turn it into I'm Possible. Write with colors, smells, tastes, textures, times of day, sounds, and sights. Return to the words you wrote at the top of the page to spark your flow.

Lose yourself within the momentum of words and phrases. Write what spills from your pen with awareness and thrill. Feel the freedom of movement and power as your mind moves in each moment.

Forget your internal editor who wants to change words. Keep comfortable with the process like a river flowing over all obstacles in its path. Notice how your pen progresses and trust it. This will provide a foundation for your writing habit.

Stop writing only when you are in the middle of a surge of words. Stop when you feel so full of words you cannot write fast enough. 


Please never end your wordling session when you are frustrated or stuck. Write just one more word.

Conditioning yourself to keep writing will reinforce your positive habit. If you stop when you want to write more you will always feel an excitement to return.

Think of writing students in Shakespeare's time advised to, "tatter your quill." Keep that feather tickling the page.

Let go of what you think you know. 

Just Write - Today is the first day of the rest of my writing life because . . .

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