It's way too easy to get bogged down with writing sometimes. In addition to our Inner Critic screeching like a parrot that's just learned a new phrase ("Awk. Polly wants some eye bleach"), we also have another paralyzer: Great Expectations.
These aren't expectations from others. No, they are from us. Even though the Inner Critic beats us down, regularly, and thoroughly, despite that we still have impossibly high, unrealistic, and often unattainable expectations of what we should accomplish.
How does this happen? We have something telling us we can't write anything even half-intelligible, yet at the same time we expect the next literary sensation to effortlessly spring forth from our fingers.
Yeesh. No wonder we're banging our heads against a wall for fun.
In the article, "Zen Power Writing: 15 Tips on How to Generate Ideas and Write with Ease", Mary Jaksch says:
If you only write to produce something important, your creativity can become stunted. It’s important to schedule time for fun writing practice.
I was thrilled at how many of you participated in the impromptu writing prompt in this week's Monday Mojo. Everyone had such great snippets, showcasing their voice, and really getting into the spirit of creating stories based on a puppy chasing a ball.
I think one of the reasons it worked so well is because it was spontaneous, and pressure-free, and playful. It didn't "count", so our expectations were lowered to the point where we could actually enjoy ourselves while writing and creating. It was beneath the notice of our Inner Critics, so they couldn't be a spoilsport for a change.
It gave us a chance to stretch our creative muscles. Yet I'm not sure we realize how important that is.
Ms. Jaksch suggests writing ten minutes a day FOR FUN. That's it. Just ten minutes.
Ten minutes is probably the amount of time we spent on our little mini-stories about the puppy and the ball. Ten minutes of fun, and it seemed to rejuvenate the writing spirit for a lot of people. Maybe it even inspired some folks with a new story idea for their next WIP.
And don't think I'm going to believe anyone who says they don't have ten minutes. Every one of us wastes WAY more than that every single day. Heck, I spend at least ten times that just GETTING READY to write. So "I don't have time" has about as much credibility as "The dog ate my homework".
So let's have 10 Minutes of Fun with our writing today. You choose when you do it. It could be when you're having your morning coffee. Or maybe when you're taking a break from fantasizing how you'd like to beat your annoying co-worker over the head with your computer monitor. Write about THAT for ten minutes.
The ten minutes could even be when you're in the midst of working on your WIP and your characters unexpectedly go on strike.
Remember, the only requirement is 10 Minutes of Fun. Write what you feel like for ten whole minutes. For fun. For you.
I agree totally! I think I need one of those writing prompts though or I'll spend the 10 minutes thinking about what to write about for fun! LOL
When I did the writing prompt this week I could swear the inner critic didn't show up at all. Yay! In the back of my mind I think it was there. Only, the difference was I wasn't, as your quote points out, writing to produce something important. It wasn't work and my future didn't depend on it. But it might become important. I agree it sprouted some seeds for maybe a future story.
Ever since that writing prompt I've been attempting to write a blog about this, but ironically, it's probably going to stay in draft from because I'm stuck on making this point to give the IC credit! Maybe I turned it into work or something too important. LOL I'm glad you sorted it out! :)
Posted by: Melissa | October 08, 2010 at 09:56 AM
Write with abandon. Great idea! I think that's one of the reasons why blogging is a lot of fun. You can write whatever is on your mind.
Posted by: Liz Fichera | October 08, 2010 at 10:26 AM
Melissa, you sound like me -- THINKING about what to write for fun. LOL I think writing prompts can give you a good jumping off point because otherwise there's TOO MANY possibilities, which can stop you cold.
But I'm glad to hear that the puppy/ball prompt sprouted some seeds. And I would love to read your blog post -- I do think the IC deserves credit -- so maybe try it in ten-minute bursts. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 10:37 AM
Liz, "write with abandon" sounds so much sexier! LOL I think you're right about the freedom blogging gives us, which may be why I love it so much. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 10:38 AM
I think that this is how I write my blogs. With a spirit of total abandon and wanton recklessness. (I like that phrase...must note it down somewhere...)
Anyway! I do like the idea of taking another sniglet of an idea and just giving it ten minutes to run wild.
I'll do it and report back!
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2010 at 11:32 AM
Maureen, I like that phrase too. It's a good way to go about writing, as well as life. :)
I'm going to do my ten minutes soon and then come back to see what you're reporting. Hopefully I'll have something I can show too!
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 11:42 AM
OK, Donnaroo... I did it. Set down the base for a book I've had in my mind...
A project for NaNo? Not that I've ever done that, but this one's been floating around in the back of my brain for awhile and I do have a bare outline for it...
What do you think? -----
She looked down at the water, foaming so brightly in the ship’s wake. It had been a good life. She’d spent more than 60 years with the man she loved. Fpund success at her chosen profession. Made peace with all family members. Now she was tired. Tired and ready to just slide away.
Damn her good health. Sure the normal aches and pains of being 80. But for the rest, her body gave no sign of bidding farewell to this mortal coil.
Yet her spirit was more than ready. Glancing behind her she saw no one approaching. 3 am on a cruise ship, middle of the Caribbean, after a busy port. No one was about. She was sorry for the crew who might be monitoring the situation, but she was done.
Quickly, she used the suitcase she’d brought with her to step up to the stern rail. With a bare glance behind she threw herself off the boat.
It was a long fall but she felt no fear. She was flying, finally flying.
The water hit hard, and she didn’t feel anything past that. She sank.
Forty years later, she woke up the first time. And she screamed at the pain and the wrongness. Faceless figures hovered above her. Some words of comfort? She didn’t know and she didn’t care. She wasn’t supposed to be waking up!
Closing her eyes, she chose to die again.
And again.
And again.
Not until the forth time did she accept her new chance. She didn’t look back.
*****
Ensign Mathers of the Naval research ship Augustine spied the raft while taking a smoke break. He called out to a crewmate and soon a dozen sailors were pointing and directing the recovery zodiac. Mathers couldn’t who or what they found until the rubber raft returned to the ship. A single figure was helped out, wrapped in a blanket.
----- Your turn, Donna. No backing out. We never did get to see your puppy playing effort! ;-)
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2010 at 03:28 PM
Oooh, that's very intriguing! I like the sentence about her being sorry for the crew who might be monitoring the situation -- it really lets you know that she's planning on going over. I can't wait to see where it goes next!
And definitely give NaNoWriMo a shot. I finished the first time I did it (that's actually the revisions I'm working on now!), and the book that's on sub started as a NaNo book, but I couldn't finish it then -- life was too crazy -- but that's where it got its start. :)
You must have missed my puppy story, because I definitely posted one! It's at the end of the comments, on page 2. And I'm off to go work on my 10 minutes so I'll have something to show later.
Great job! You're very inspiring. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 03:40 PM
OK, sorry, I missed the second page of comments! Great puppy story and Ter is right, the last line is great. And that was some throw! LOL!
Yeah, I've been challenged by a few people to do NaNo. First, I finish the current WIP. I'll break it down into what I need to do each day before NaNo starts and if I get it done, I'll dive into NaNo.
Have to do something to stay occupied while I wait for revisions!
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2010 at 03:52 PM
Okay, I write 1400 words a day for the rest of October and I'll do NaNo.
Hey, I just want to finish the story, doesn't have to be submission ready! LOL!
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2010 at 03:55 PM
Honestly, I didn't realize it would go to two pages of comments! This was the first time it happened. And yeah, that was quite a throw on her part -- LOL -- I guess I didn't say what kind of ball it was tho!
The daily word count for NaNo is 1667, which is when I got used to going that pace, and found that it's comfortable. It's also when I found out I was a pantser -- the best discovery of all! And yes, it's not meant to be submission ready. It's the first draft of a manuscript. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 04:08 PM
Well, just have to finish the first draft of this book, then I can work on the NaNo.
Though I reserve the right to drop it like a hot potato if my revisions come through. First things first!
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2010 at 04:55 PM
Okay, here's mine. It was really fun. I'm not sure what I'll do with it, but it felt very liberating. :)
__________
The email didn't go through—again. How was she supposed to contact the elusive Mr. Jones if her email wasn't even cooperating. Not that he was. He was not only elusive, but reclusive. Everyone wanted to talk to him, or interview him, including her.
But unlike everyone else, her reasons were important.
She wasn't interested in having him speak with her because it would be his first public interview in ten years. No, she wanted to know why he'd left, after she'd been hurt in the accident. She remembered a kiss on her forehead, a sense of overwhelming peace, followed by the feeling of her soul being ripped out with her heart.
She'd never seen him before, or since.
But she'd seen TV reporters with their cameras from that night, and how they'd tried to get him to say a few words for the people at home. He'd refused, saying he wasn't a hero. He looked like one, with his dark hair and sharp features, although he tried to hide that with a fierce scowl. His eyes gave him away though. There was tenderness there, along with something akin to pain. The media had hounded him the next few days, and then months. After a while it became like a siege, to see who could outlast the other.
It looked like he'd finally won. Until she had decided she wanted to know more about that night. She only knew there'd been an accident, and that she'd been hurt. But where had he come from? He'd felt like a protector, but then he'd disappeared, leaving her more bereft than before.
Well if email didn't work, there was always the phone. Which she would have in her hand when she landed on his doorstep.
***
His finger hovered over the Delete key. She was relentless, that one. There was no reason for her to seek him out. He'd saved her from a certain death, and would do so again, if needed. He hoped it would not be necessary though. It took a little bit away from him each time he protected her from the demons seeking her out. Even though it was his job to keep her safe, he wished he had not been given the task. His feelings for her had grown over the years to the point that he found it unbearable to continue with this responsibility.
He had tried to stay hidden since her accident, but it was much harder to do in this century than in previous ones. Especially with young women who prided themselves on their resilience and determination. He admired those traits, but it was rather disagreeable to be on the receiving end of them, as he was now.
He pressed the key, deleting the message. It saddened him, but it was for the best. She didn't need to know anything more about him, nor did she need to see him and talk face-to-face. It would just make things more difficult. For both of them.
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 04:57 PM
Okay! Nice! I had no idea you were going paranormal until he mentioned demons! You sneaky thing, you!
Did you figure out I snuck aliens into mine? Hee, hee.
We be sneaky!
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2010 at 05:02 PM
I didn't know it was going there either! It just came out that way. LOL I decided I'd write about that pesky woodpecker outside, but then I was irritated about an email not going through -- and that's how this started. LOL
I knew you had something supernatural, but I didn't realize they were aliens. Yikes!
Sneaky sneaky! LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 05:11 PM
Holy smokes! You guys can write like that in the first draft? *cringes* Don't think I'll be sharing my playful stuff with you.
But.
I do like to play. It's vital for my muse. And I have no idea why or how, but I often loosen up with poetry. I can't do the lyrical stuff, but rhyming poetry, Limericks, etc. I love it. It speaks to the stunted kid in my blackhearted soul. (Or whatever.)
Posted by: Jan O'Hara | October 08, 2010 at 07:39 PM
Jan, don't be scared! I hope you had a chance to see some of the fun things on Monday -- it was about voice, and lots of people contributed a short snippet based on a puppy chasing a ball, and it was fascinating to see how different everyone's story, and voice, was.
I applaud you for stretching your muscles with poetry. I find it tricky -- mainly because I need more words than that! LOL I always envy anyone who can do it.
You won't convince me you have a blackhearted soul. You are much too lyrical for that. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 08, 2010 at 08:10 PM
Jan - Poetry is hard. It's very concise and takes picking the perfect word. Not the perfect words! It is about the hardest thing around to do!
Posted by: Maureen | October 08, 2010 at 10:30 PM
Maureen, you are so right -- poetry is harder because of the precision involved. It's more like surgery than clear cutting with a machete. LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | October 09, 2010 at 09:11 AM