Comments for Find the Write Mind http://findthewritemind.com It's a process...damn it! Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:44:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 Comment on Writing Distractions by Annie http://findthewritemind.com/writing-distractions/#comment-16 Annie Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:19:43 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=17#comment-16 Oooh. Good point. Even good things can distract from the ultimate goal. Not that you can't spend time on those other ideas - just not when you're writing on the idea at hand. Oooh. Good point. Even good things can distract from the ultimate goal. Not that you can’t spend time on those other ideas - just not when you’re writing on the idea at hand.

]]> Comment on I Wish My Writing Sucked by Heather Stewart http://findthewritemind.com/i-wish-my-writing-sucked/#comment-9 Heather Stewart Tue, 15 Jan 2008 06:14:15 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=15#comment-9 May I reiterate...please go out and buy "The War of Art" right now. The author is Steven Pressfield. It will change your life. May I reiterate…please go out and buy “The War of Art” right now. The author is Steven Pressfield. It will change your life.

]]> Comment on Resolution Solution by Mark H. http://findthewritemind.com/resolution-solution/#comment-8 Mark H. Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:08:18 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=14#comment-8 "What is important is that each day I choose to use my time to align with the priorities in my life." Amen. Underline that word "choose." Isn't that the hard part. “What is important is that each day I choose to use my time to align with the priorities in my life.” Amen. Underline that word “choose.” Isn’t that the hard part.

]]> Comment on Resolution Solution by Annie http://findthewritemind.com/resolution-solution/#comment-7 Annie Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:11:16 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=14#comment-7 Great point. I was actually thinking about some of this myself recently. On the one hand, New Year is an opportunity to start over, but on the other hand, it's a time of unnecessary pressures to change in a noticeable and admirable way. I've even found that setting colossal goals takes the joy away from daily practices, because I'm so focused on the end product that the little daily choices seem meaningless in themselves. And with writing, that is a deathblow. Right now, my goal is to continue to write SOMETHING everyday, and I'm also trying to create a space for myself in our house - a place conducive to writing without distraction. Great point. I was actually thinking about some of this myself recently. On the one hand, New Year is an opportunity to start over, but on the other hand, it’s a time of unnecessary pressures to change in a noticeable and admirable way. I’ve even found that setting colossal goals takes the joy away from daily practices, because I’m so focused on the end product that the little daily choices seem meaningless in themselves. And with writing, that is a deathblow.

Right now, my goal is to continue to write SOMETHING everyday, and I’m also trying to create a space for myself in our house - a place conducive to writing without distraction.

]]> Comment on The Inner Defeatist by Annie http://findthewritemind.com/the-inner-defeatist/#comment-6 Annie Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:21:00 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=11#comment-6 Let me just speak to your desire to have a big chunk of time free of 'work' in which to concentrate on writing: you're right, the pressure is huge. But I think the level of writing pressure is a constant - it's just that writing when you don't work, it creates a different kind of pressure than when you do have a job. The wish for something to be different is just a part of this defeatism you're talking about. It's a very safe and comfortable thought that if you could just change one thing, everything about writing would fall into place. It implies that it's the way things are that makes writing so hard - it's out of your control - which is simultaneously cozy complacency and a jab in the heart, because it's a message that you can't do it with things as they are. One guard I have against the defeatist is to write without thinking at all. If the thought to write comes into my head, I just sit down immediately (or as soon as I can gather the necessary tools), crowding out as many thoughts as I can until I get pen on paper or the right file opened. It's a little like running the gauntlet - once I make it to the other side and actually start writing, it may be difficult, but at least I'm safe. Because, like you've told me before, it's not the writing itself that is so torturous, it's all of the thoughts and feelings and fears swirling around it. Let me just speak to your desire to have a big chunk of time free of ‘work’ in which to concentrate on writing: you’re right, the pressure is huge. But I think the level of writing pressure is a constant - it’s just that writing when you don’t work, it creates a different kind of pressure than when you do have a job.

The wish for something to be different is just a part of this defeatism you’re talking about. It’s a very safe and comfortable thought that if you could just change one thing, everything about writing would fall into place. It implies that it’s the way things are that makes writing so hard - it’s out of your control - which is simultaneously cozy complacency and a jab in the heart, because it’s a message that you can’t do it with things as they are.

One guard I have against the defeatist is to write without thinking at all. If the thought to write comes into my head, I just sit down immediately (or as soon as I can gather the necessary tools), crowding out as many thoughts as I can until I get pen on paper or the right file opened. It’s a little like running the gauntlet - once I make it to the other side and actually start writing, it may be difficult, but at least I’m safe. Because, like you’ve told me before, it’s not the writing itself that is so torturous, it’s all of the thoughts and feelings and fears swirling around it.

]]> Comment on Everything’s a Reason to Not Write by Annie http://findthewritemind.com/everythings-a-reason-to-not-write/#comment-5 Annie Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:06:59 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=10#comment-5 Isn't it exhausting?! What a battle. When I started writing, I never thought it was going to require close self analysis everyday - that every morning I would have to be ready to wrestle with a new set of excuses and distractions and uncooperative feelings. Isn’t it exhausting?! What a battle. When I started writing, I never thought it was going to require close self analysis everyday - that every morning I would have to be ready to wrestle with a new set of excuses and distractions and uncooperative feelings.

]]> Comment on The Schedule by Annie http://findthewritemind.com/the-schedule/#comment-4 Annie Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:56:37 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=9#comment-4 Write something everyday. That sounds very freeing and doable. I'm going to steal that idea if you don't mind. I last left my heroine stranded in the middle of a conversation in a summer camp flashback and I've been too paralyzed by the weeks of non-writing that have elapsed to face her again. Write something everyday. That sounds very freeing and doable. I’m going to steal that idea if you don’t mind. I last left my heroine stranded in the middle of a conversation in a summer camp flashback and I’ve been too paralyzed by the weeks of non-writing that have elapsed to face her again.

]]> Comment on Thanksgiving by Annie http://findthewritemind.com/thanksgiving/#comment-3 Annie Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:53:02 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=8#comment-3 I struggle with this every time I'm away from home. Maybe it's from a lack of planning or self-preparation, but every morning I wake up in someone else's house (as I do on most holidays) it has an effect similar to water gushing into the basement. My plan for the day (particularly in terms of writing) seems a distant concern and the closest I get to writing is occasionally wishing I could get it together enough to excuse myself for a few minutes of quiet thinking. I've started taking a small journal with me when I'm away. It doesn't imply the same pressure as a full-sized notebook or (gasp) a computer and encourages short spurts of jotting whenever possible. It feels like permission to just do my best given the circumstances. I guess I should probably be able to give myself that permission without the help of a symbolic physical object, but I'm okay with baby steps. PS - I love the third cup idea. It sounds like a very funny and tender story and has excellent title options. Definitely write that one down somewhere. I struggle with this every time I’m away from home. Maybe it’s from a lack of planning or self-preparation, but every morning I wake up in someone else’s house (as I do on most holidays) it has an effect similar to water gushing into the basement. My plan for the day (particularly in terms of writing) seems a distant concern and the closest I get to writing is occasionally wishing I could get it together enough to excuse myself for a few minutes of quiet thinking.

I’ve started taking a small journal with me when I’m away. It doesn’t imply the same pressure as a full-sized notebook or (gasp) a computer and encourages short spurts of jotting whenever possible. It feels like permission to just do my best given the circumstances. I guess I should probably be able to give myself that permission without the help of a symbolic physical object, but I’m okay with baby steps.

PS - I love the third cup idea. It sounds like a very funny and tender story and has excellent title options. Definitely write that one down somewhere.

]]> Comment on The Beginning by Annie http://findthewritemind.com/5/#comment-2 Annie Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +0000 http://findthewritemind.com/?p=5#comment-2 I think your description of the middle of a story as 'wilderness' is so appropriate. Many times, the whole process feels like wilderness to me. Before trying to get serious about writing, I always assumed that becoming a writer was as simple as a choice. You decide the time is ripe and step onto the path. It never occurred to me that you wouldn't be able to see the path, that writing anything at all would turn out to be sort of a stumbling, limping process - creeping along through darkness, wildness, or (even worse) silence. This realization has made for a very difficult adjustment as I tried to weave writing into my days. At first, I wanted to change things somehow. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong. But after a few months of startups and breakdowns, my new goal became to accept the nature of the process. Maybe writing won't always feel like edging my way along a hidden precipice. But maybe it will. Either way, I've chosen to do this, so coming to a place of peace can only help. I think your description of the middle of a story as ‘wilderness’ is so appropriate. Many times, the whole process feels like wilderness to me. Before trying to get serious about writing, I always assumed that becoming a writer was as simple as a choice. You decide the time is ripe and step onto the path. It never occurred to me that you wouldn’t be able to see the path, that writing anything at all would turn out to be sort of a stumbling, limping process - creeping along through darkness, wildness, or (even worse) silence.

This realization has made for a very difficult adjustment as I tried to weave writing into my days. At first, I wanted to change things somehow. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong. But after a few months of startups and breakdowns, my new goal became to accept the nature of the process. Maybe writing won’t always feel like edging my way along a hidden precipice. But maybe it will. Either way, I’ve chosen to do this, so coming to a place of peace can only help.

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