Jan Marquart's Blog - Posts Tagged "tips"
The Mindful Writer
The Mindful Writer, Still the Mind, Free the Pen is now an ebook on Amazon.com. Share you comments and questions with me. Everyone who has bought this book has loved it. Enjoy!!!!!!
Warm ups!
I've been speaking with writers lately who have brought up the topic of writers block. Now, for any of you who know me or have read my book The Mindful Writer, you know I do not believe in such a misdiagnosis. When we hit one impasse with our stories or writing careers, the nature of our mind is redirecting us and usually for a very good reason. Sometimes we simply have too much going on in life. Sometimes our muse needs more time to germinate before growing her ideas. That is not a block in writing any more than not knowing what you want for dinner is dinner block or not knowing which detergent to buy is detergent block. Why should our psychology to write be any different than our psychological process in anything else we do or experience?
If you don't know what you want for dinner what do you do? Do you browse through cookbooks for ideas, do you check take out menus so you don't have to cook at all? Writing is no different.
If you are stuck in what a character should do in your story or what you should write about at all, get your mind and enthusiasm warmed up the same way you do with anything else in your life. Read something from one of your favorite authors -- just to get the juices flowing again. Look around you and write about an object on your shelf or what the weather is like -- writing requires warm ups just like jogging for a marathon or reading articles on communication so you have left arguments with your mother.
Now, here's the rub for most writers--they are indefatigably hard on themselves. After all, isn't that what gets books completed, to stand firm and endure the arduous process in the first place? It breaks my heart when I hear writers claim that they can't write but then list incredible demands the rest of their life is making on them so why can't they finish their chapters or think about a more dramatic plot. Is this what you call writers block because quite frankly I've been writing for over 22 years and I've never experienced it, to much people's chagrin. Becoming stuck in thought doesn't mean you can't write; it just means you have to adjust the kind of writing you do and implement a warm up. Sometimes just sweeping my floor is a great warm up. Through the monotonous motion of the broom my mind lets go and ideas begin to flow.
I have been writing books since 1989. Often I have two or three books being written at the same time. But about six months ago I moved to a new town, started looking for work, had to find the grocery store, gas station and people to talk to, and my time and energy was being spent on the daily makings of a life. However, having learned that I have to write everyday or I become agitated, I knew I had to do something. Are you in a similar situation?
What to do? Try this: take up your pen and just write phrases that reflect your life at the moment. If you have been pondering on a certain character for a story, write words and phrases for that character. If you have a certain confusion about a plot for your newest novel, write words and phrases for where you want it to go or how you want it to feel to a reader. Instead of putting the pressure on yourself to write sentences and paragraphs, write warm ups so that when the time is right, you'll be ready.
My point? Writer's block is not a real thing. Once you learn your own psychology and how to be resilient, patient and understanding with yourself who is not just a writer but a human being in a busy life, the pressure on your pen and mind to produce will be re-directed and you'll feel satisfied that you didn't neglect your need to work on a written piece.
If you don't know what you want for dinner what do you do? Do you browse through cookbooks for ideas, do you check take out menus so you don't have to cook at all? Writing is no different.
If you are stuck in what a character should do in your story or what you should write about at all, get your mind and enthusiasm warmed up the same way you do with anything else in your life. Read something from one of your favorite authors -- just to get the juices flowing again. Look around you and write about an object on your shelf or what the weather is like -- writing requires warm ups just like jogging for a marathon or reading articles on communication so you have left arguments with your mother.
Now, here's the rub for most writers--they are indefatigably hard on themselves. After all, isn't that what gets books completed, to stand firm and endure the arduous process in the first place? It breaks my heart when I hear writers claim that they can't write but then list incredible demands the rest of their life is making on them so why can't they finish their chapters or think about a more dramatic plot. Is this what you call writers block because quite frankly I've been writing for over 22 years and I've never experienced it, to much people's chagrin. Becoming stuck in thought doesn't mean you can't write; it just means you have to adjust the kind of writing you do and implement a warm up. Sometimes just sweeping my floor is a great warm up. Through the monotonous motion of the broom my mind lets go and ideas begin to flow.
I have been writing books since 1989. Often I have two or three books being written at the same time. But about six months ago I moved to a new town, started looking for work, had to find the grocery store, gas station and people to talk to, and my time and energy was being spent on the daily makings of a life. However, having learned that I have to write everyday or I become agitated, I knew I had to do something. Are you in a similar situation?
What to do? Try this: take up your pen and just write phrases that reflect your life at the moment. If you have been pondering on a certain character for a story, write words and phrases for that character. If you have a certain confusion about a plot for your newest novel, write words and phrases for where you want it to go or how you want it to feel to a reader. Instead of putting the pressure on yourself to write sentences and paragraphs, write warm ups so that when the time is right, you'll be ready.
My point? Writer's block is not a real thing. Once you learn your own psychology and how to be resilient, patient and understanding with yourself who is not just a writer but a human being in a busy life, the pressure on your pen and mind to produce will be re-directed and you'll feel satisfied that you didn't neglect your need to work on a written piece.
