7 Tips to Rev Up Your Writing (and Yourself)

I plan to pick up a rock from somewhere special, perhaps a sandy beach or along a beautiful trail, and emblazon one word on it. You've probably seen such rocks in gardens and windowsills, engraved with PEACE, THINK, or BELIEVE. My stone will read Dream.  I'll build a garden around my rock in a place where it's easy to drink in the joy of nature. There's something about being in creation to help a person, well, create.

As we rush through life, willy nilly, it's easy to forget to dream. And yet, dreaming is a writer's lifeblood. Without it we won't bring that extra spark of energy to our writing. As great sportswriter, Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith observed with wry humor, writing is easy. "All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein."

Humor aside, there's a great deal of truth to Red Smith's claim. Writing is draining (pun intended). If all I do is pour out my creative energy without ever restoring it, I'll run dry. That will benefit no one, least of all myself. But let me transfuse a bit of dreaming into my day, and my creative energy soars to overflowing.

Ways to incorporate dreaming into life:

Plant a reflective garden in a quiet corner and soak up its peace.
Sit outside, close your eyes, and listen to the grass grow, the wind blow or flower petals fall.
Watch cloud formations with the same abandon as you did as a child.
Gaze at pictures online, in magazines, or (better) in museums. What stories do they tell?
Prop yourself in bed or on the couch with a notebook and a writing implement.
Lie beneath a tree and stare up at its branches.
Take a walk or hike to a place you've never been before.

Feeling worn out and weary as a writer? Make time to dream.

You tell me: Do you have other suggestions for incorporating dreaming in each day?

© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

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