Writing Is a Practice
I don’t regularly keep a private journal. Oh, sometimes I’ll write out a tangle of thoughts and feelings that won’t let go of me, and sometimes that is helpful. Other times, the self-examination exacerbates my anger or self-loathing to the point where I have to rip up or delete the pages. And that idiotic stuff about my romantic woes in college? Got rid of that a long time ago.
But meanwhile, I don’t have a regular writing practice in place. In a good week, I’m blogging or writing something for publication every day. Not every week is a good week. I’ve gone nearly two weeks without blogging now, and while I’ve written a couple of other things, I haven’t written every day.
In fact, the only thing I seem to “practice” every day is hanging around on the internet. Sure, networking is good, but it also helps me avoid other things I could be doing.
Are you a writer? Or do you have something else that you practice every day? Tell me about your practice habits.
This post has 4 comments
February 15th, 2009
K, good question. I have tried to make a ‘practice’ out of it like I used to wake at 4am to study for 2hrs every day in college. I never touched my books outside those hours, although I spent much time in the library or doing random non-academic stuff.
I think unless you write for a living, or have a specific project (a blog is not it really as in it has no end goal) it may be a bit hard to set up practices. I am now hoping to develop my book proposal for an agent’s attention so may have to resume that 4am routine again. It also gives me a few hours to ponder and organise but I shall have to stop being distracted by email or to-do lists.
Funny how 4am is often called ‘unearthly hours’ or ‘ungodly hours’ in the west. Indians call it ‘brahma muhurt’. The hour before sunrise is considered the most auspicious for communion with self, reflection and spiritual progress. So it makes sense to me but won’t to many others I imagine
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February 15th, 2009
Well, anytime I’m feeling poopy I do my work. I think, what work can I do today? And I always have a journal and a pen with me.
I write a to do list every single day and that includes the amount of writing I need to do.
Sometimes I write non-blog things in my blog template.
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February 15th, 2009
I do blog every day, which takes a little bit of writing thought, even if on the days I do a meme or find a link or do a repost, but I find that when my schedule gets stirred by other people (kids with days out of school, me with appointments of various kinds) it doesn’t just disturb that day, it disturbs on each side, sometimes for quite a ways, depending. I find I avoid getting into anything, lest I be disturbed midstream. Which means I am not disturbed midstream, yes — but whatever I could have done does not get done.
When I am in proper train, I get up, do my me-time, surf a little to check in various spots, get some exercise, then sit down and write. On a good day, I do a thousand words or so and review markets and do research, maybe submit something.
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March 6th, 2009
Although I have a full time job as I make my way through the publishing maze I have found that I have to make myself write religiously.
Every afternoon I spend as much time will allow, and when the weather allows I make sure to take an hour walk at lunch everyday (if not then it’s 30 mins in the gym) where I work over plot and character developement in my head.
The rest happens from 10-midnite after the kids are in bed (as long as the wife isn’t too lonely that is). Once started it must continue. The other habit, and the most valuable one I employ, is to record myself dramatically reading the books. Doing this enables me to hear the mistakes quickly and expunge them. Those recordings, once high enough quality, end up on my web site as free podcast audio versions of my books.
One day, very I soon I expect, these practices will land me a deal. At least, that’s the plan.