Where does your Writing Come From?
The most important tip I can give you about developing a good writing practice is the same tip my meditation teachers give me. Find a place that is comfortable, one that you can call your own, even for just 30 minutes a day, choose a time that works best, and be consistent. With time and consistency, my body, mind, and spirit are drawn to that spot and time, and I no longer have to effort. My practice has become a given.
Many authors need to put blinders on, finding ways to simplify their experience and reduce the number of potential distractions. For others, it means finding ways to ward off digital derailment. Ultimately, the literary exercise is about finding ways to defend something fragile—the quiet mood in which the imagination flourishes. As Jonathan Franzen put it: “I need to make sure I still have a private self. Because the private self is where my writing comes from.”
When I sit down to meditate and my mind starts to wander, I imagine myself collecting my thoughts, as if I were a shepherd gathering his or her flock. When I sit down to write, I do the same with my energy. I harness moment by moment until it is tamed and I’m able to concentrate, focusing my mind on the page or topic at hand.
The old adage “Practice makes perfect” “Fits the bill.” Though the results of the work may not satisfy the perfectionist in us, we do learn to perfect the practice.
Enjoy!
Jasmyne