Tag Archive for short story

Journaling and Freewriting

January 26, 2013 Uncategorized One comment
Just a few journals

Just a few journals – M E Powell

I start each day by writing in a journal. I write three pages a day – well, most days. I started writing three pages because of The Artist’s Way, a book by Julia Cameron (http://juliacameronlive.com/). She calls these “Morning Pages” but I’ve done them at all times of the day – and night – and middle of the night when I can’t sleep.

I’m lucky there’s no such thing as the Journal Police.

People often say, “How can you write three pages a day? I wouldn’t have time for that.” But I’d have to agree with Cameron: I wouldn’t have time if I didn’t.

I write fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and poetry. My fiction and poetry appear in literary magazines and anthologies. Traditional publishers (Scholastic and soon Red Line) publish my children’s books. And my nonfiction appears in more than 70 consumer and trade markets across Canada and internationally. And I’ve won awards in all of them. On top of this I hold down a busy day-job, I’ve founded a professional association (PWAC-SK), and I’m a productive member of two writing groups and several associations.

On days when I don’t journal, I don’t accomplish half as much. Frankly, sometimes my journals contain three pages of worry. Or three pages of affirmations – even the same affirmation repeated 10 times just to make sure I get it. Sometimes I need that to get on with my writing day. Often I will try a few freewriting exercises and often I find ideas for a story, poem, or novel I’m writing, or the kernel of an idea for next time.

Over the past few years I’ve had many different kinds of journals: fancy cloth covered ones, pint-sized notebooks with pretty pictures on the cover, plain black ones, you name it.

These days writing three pages every day means I’ve been buying the cheapest, most ordinary coil notebooks I can find. The outside doesn’t matter; the act of writing is all that counts.

I love it that the word “journal” is now a verb.

Here are a few resources I like on journaling:

Writing Down the Bones – Natalie Goldberg:
http://books.google.ca/books/about/Writing_Down_the_Bones.html?id=9v5ZOh3liu0C

Other books by Natalie Goldberg: http://nataliegoldberg.com/books/

The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron
http://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Artist_s_Way.html?id=ZaC7Br7sMBMC

And just for fun – After the Artist’s Way – a blog by Janice MacLeod: http://aftertheartistsway.blogspot.ca/p/about.html

Do you journal? What’s your favorite resource? Click on the word “Comment” above to leave a comment. Let’s share our idea banks.

Best Practice: Write Every Day

June 26, 2011 Creative writing, Uncategorized, Writing 2 comments
The blank page

The blank page - M E Powell

Every time we start a new writing project, we face the same thing: a blank page. It might be a page of notebook paper, an empty sketch-book page, or a blank screen.

Sometimes a story or poem flows straight through my arm and hand onto the paper. Those are the moments when I can’t wait to get to a blank page. Sometimes when I’m revising, I get that little tingle in my fingers that tells me I’m onto something. On those days, it’s like the universe whispers in my ear, “Write faster; write faster.” Most days, though, it’s like hard slogging through soft snow. Creativity and inspiration don’t often come just because I call.

Julia Cameron says it’s important to “show up” at the page or the keyboard, whether we feel inspired or not. Believe in the process and the words will come. So here are a few ideas to keep the pen moving or the fingers dancing on the keys.

1) Read. But read with your writing in mind. Google a keyword or grab a book to research the setting of your story or the theme of your poem. Start taking down a few notes, either by hand or in the next section of your story, and let that activity flow into crafting the scene.

2) Give yourself permission to fail – leave the “product” part of it until later. As writers, we worry that we’ll end up shredding the paper for recycling (dispel that image of crumpling it up and tossing it into the garbage can!) or starting a folder labeled “Out-takes” (or worse). So face that possibility, and write anyway. Today might be the day when you find snowshoes – or skis. Only the writing can get you there.

3) Join a writers’ group. One of the best things about it is the deadline it gives you for completing that next revision, or starting a new story or novel segment.

4) Set a goal. Make it challenging, within the limits of your own lifestyle. My writing goal has changed over the years from one page a day, to 2000 words a day, to at least an hour a day. Like any goal, your writing practice goal needs re-evaluation from time to time.

I try to write every day, but if I miss a day because of family or other concerns, I remember #2 above and move on. Part of my goal today is to coach myself to remember and use my best practices. Please click “Comments” or “Read more” below and add to these thoughts with your writing goal, if you have one, or with another tip that keeps you writing.

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