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Thursday, 11.20.2008 |
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| Beyond the Words |
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Product Details
Notes
INTRODUCTION
it's about nurturing the writing life and the writing self
there are three aspects of writing that can give you more fulfillment
1) Percolation - the process that takes place before a first draft
2) Revision - the writer's role after the initial draft
3) Going Public - a writer's mission once the writing is done
CHAPTER 1 - RESPECT YOUR WRITING
how much you respect your writing self is how fulfilled you feel as a writer
accept and appreciate all the ways your writing nourishes you
create a dynamic relationship with your writing rather than a frustrating one
remember that it's an evolving creative force that changes and grows
all writers feel like fakes sometimes, being a "writer" has many expectations
watch out for all the "yes, but" excuses, like:
i've never been published, or i don't write every day, or i'm not that good,
or i've never had formal training, or i never finish anything, or i don't have time
these excuses give us an explanation for our frustration
but all writers struggle with these issues
it's more than just putting words on the page
you need to develop a personal set of tools for your writing life as a whole
otherwise you lose respect for the writing and the ability to do it
writers block doesn't come from lack of skill or knowledge
it's a mental block that comes from losing sight of the whole writing process
the only true obstacle to creative writing is a lack of faith
this manifests as fear and self-judgment
writers block can stem from an imbalance in your writing life
look at obstacles as readjustment signals, not lack of ability
it's like a chiropractic view, when you are blocked, it's a sign to adjust things
you are your own chiropractor, you need to make adjustments as you go
use the challenges to regain balance and grow from the difficulties
also develop strategies for future obstacles knowing they will appear
think of obstacles as fuel for your creative process
challenges can spoil your writing, or they can enrich it as you evolve
problems are gifts really, they are invitations to grow as a writer
remember the body-mind link and keep a positive posture
your physical position will translate into a strong mental state for writing
CHAPTER 2 - THE IMPORTANCE OF PERCOLATION
percolation is the process writers go through before actually writing
this includes the time thinking before starting the first draft
but it also includes the time between writing sessions and during breaks
it's about all the different ways we get inspired and develop the ideas
some methods of percolating once a line pops into your head:
1) repeat the line to yourself and notice the effect, let it grow
2) percolate the opposite of the idea and see how it plays off the original
3) look for connections between your idea and things that are part of your life
4) notice how your idea suggests something to try in your own life
5) fully experience your excitement, curiosity, or wonder about the idea
6) let the idea float in the back of your mind while you do something else
the goal is to find out if the seed of the idea can grow into something real
you can't force an idea into the light of day too early, it might die
wait for the right time to write, let the idea percolate in your mind first
don't be afraid of forgetting the idea if you don't write it all out, jot down notes
there's no set amount of time, you may percolate for ten minutes or ten years
live with your ideas, get to know them, and intuit when they are ready to write
most writing ideas have been gathering momentum within us for a long time
they surface as inspiration when they grow urgent
you need a stillness to recognize the extraordinary within the ordinary
percolation gives you the patience to full realize your ideas
in the idea stage, things are safe from criticism
once words are formed, you start to form opinions:
it's stupid, it's too hard to write, it's been done before, etc.
but you have to accept this as part of the process
percolation gives you time to fall in love with the idea before criticizing it
it gives you the spark that will carry you through the hard work of finishing
we may avoid percolation if we're impatient
or we may want measurable progress through word or page count
procrastination may sometimes be confused with percolation
percolation is not procrastination, the difference is energy input
percolation requires thought energy, we are actively feeding the idea
procrastination is when you're not writing and you're not thinking about writing
percolation can happen on its own, but it's best if you concentrate on it
percolation is not meditating, you're not clearing your mind of thoughts
instead, you're opening your mind and letting your imagination carry you
one exercise is to focus on negative space
look at the space around objects in paintings
listen to the silences and pauses in music
examine the shapes between dancers in a dance performance
now do the same with writing, look at the formatting and the pauses in speech
those are the moments where percolation comes through strongest
remember that you can percolate while doing chores or other work
this is one way you can be "writing" even when you are busy with other things
try to even connect your other task with your writing
if you're paying bills, think about how money affects your characters
ask yourself related questions, notice interesting connections and ideas
percolation can help you stay connected to your writing during travel or breaks
some authors have written their entire stories in their heads
CHAPTER 3 - READ
reading is like exercising the opposite muscle of writing
it helps to build the entire structure in a complementary way
don't be afraid of reading something similar to your own work
you don't have to stop because your idea has already been done
instead, think of how you can add your unique angle to the core idea
be careful not to replace writing with reading though
you may want to limit your reading while you're writing the first draft
read as both a student of the writing technique, and as a receptive reader
CHAPTER 4 - DON'T WRITE EVERY DAY
self-care is about balance, and so is the writing life
what's your attitude toward work vs. rest?
look for activities in which you receive rather than produce
think about resting through each of your five senses
one of the basic necessities of writing is pleasure in the process
pleasure in this sense doesn't just mean what's comfortable
it's feeling connected to the sense of wonder and discovery through writing
if you don't feel connected, step away until you can find the spirit of writing
you may reconnect through the writing itself, try that also
constantly look for the feeling and inspiration that drives you to write again
remember that you are a writer even if you aren't writing every day
your identity as a writer is not tied to your word or page count
there will be periods where you don't or can't write for whatever reason
don't engage in self-criticism during these times
you don't need to validate yourself as a writer, your identity is secure
embrace the process of writing, not the end results or proof of it
ask yourself questions about your concept of rest:
do you feel rest is an earned or given right?
do you rest to live or live to rest?
what did you learn about rest as a child from your family and from society?
remember that any unpleasant work can actually connect to what you love
learn something about your favorite activity from your least favorite ones
CHAPTER 5 - DISTILLATION: CATCHING THE SPIRIT
distillation is extracting the essence of your idea in the first words
in the beginning, don't worry about where you're going yet
you should be more interested in what you discover along the way
don't get too attached to the specific words, just let the idea flow out
you can use a journal to do this part
a writer's journal is different than a traditional journal
you use it to develop ideas and distill them
a traditional journal recounts a person's life in a normal progression
a writer's journal is more of a collage or laboratory to collect ideas
the raw material collected in a journal is not a complete piece of writing yet
you can organize multiple ideas here to keep them separate
the journal is a no-pressure place to jot down notes without worrying about prose
you can also use the journal to support your writing life
keep notes on what you've learned about your technique and methods
record your progress in the publishing industry, or insights you've gained
this gives a voice to your thoughts and makes them clearer in retrospect
it allows you to get to know your writing self better, and become more secure
everyone has their own methods of distilling
try extracting a key concept and writing around that as a theme or hook
or try to setup your state of mind so you can dream about the story idea
you can also brainstorm, make outlines, or speak your idea and record it
try writing a formal book proposal about your idea to develop it
include notes on the following:
why you want to write the book
how you plan to structure it
who might be interested in reading it
how it's different from similar work by other authors
a short summary of the book itself
and finally, why you are the ideal person to write it
CHAPTER 6 - WRITE EVERY DAY
writing every day combines distilling with percolating out loud
it trains you to think in writing, not just form ideas in your head
this helps you overcome the block from thoughts to written words
daily writing also gives you a strong sense of accomplishment
often it is a set of standards that blocs writing, not a lack of material
if you're stuck, just lower your standards for that writing session
remember that your writing should change over time
focus on different things on different days, like scenes vs. journal entries
two methods of daily writing:
1) write for a set amount of time each day
2) write a set number of pages each day
try both methods and see which one works better for you
make a plan for your writing - freewriting vs. scene vs. idea to explore
be reasonable with the quantity you want to write, start where you can succeed
don't be too rigid about your plan, if you drift toward something, follow it
start by limiting yourself to a much shorter time than you have available
with the rest of the time, pay attention to your thoughts about your writing
this will let you become more conscious of the way you percolate
later on, try to stretch the amount of time beyond your scheduled amount
this will help you learn to think by writing, don't pause, just write it out
try writing about one subject day after day for three full weeks
this will show you deeper connections as you explore it fully
try writing about totally unrelated subjects to broaden your perspective
this will open up unseen connections across many different areas
CHAPTER 7 - SO, DID YOU WRITE TODAY?
when we lose touch with the process of writing, we often get frustrated
we become critical of the writing self and start to keep a mental scorecard
the days we write go on the winning side, and days we don't make us losers
writing becomes a proving ground rather than a source of nourishment
the key struggle is to accept the whole of what it means to write
1) do you accept and embrace your desire to write?
2) can you accept who you are?
3) trust that the aspects of personality you need develop through your writing
are you grateful for the opportunities?
are you excited about the challenges you face?
or are you frustrated because you haven't met the goals you set for yourself?
free yourself to delight in how the different stages of writing interact
you can't always control how much you write, or what you write about
but you can commit to the work of writing and accept the time involved
let go of the idealized fantasy of results and embrace the process itself
learn to listen to your thoughts, rather than just forcing action for results
many writers consider percolating to be less important than actual writing
acknowledge any preconceived notions about what it means to write
which aspects of writing do you believe to be more important than others?
when do you feel like you're engaged in "real" writing?
figure out where your notions about writing come from
think about how you can replace your old views with new ones
approach writing intuitively and learn to experiment, play, and discover
now accept the person who is writing, with your personal circumstances
the author writes for two to three hours a day, five days a week
the rest of the time is spent doing business and other tasks
she could spend more time writing, but it wouldn't be better
the reason is that her sense of self includes all the other things in life
so you can't assume if you had the time, you would write more
mentally, it may be too exhausting to continue after a few intense hours
accept the reality of your unique personality and style
design your circumstances and environment to support your writing methods
don't focus on how hard your circumstances might be, that's a waste of time
accept who you are as a writer, and embrace it so you can get down to writing
you can develop useful personality traits through the act of writing
take the time to reflect on the changes in your writing style or habits
instead of asking if you wrote today, ask what you did for your writing self
everything counts in writing, even the stuff you throw away or never publish
you have written, even if you end up deleting it, the words still count
you wrote today even if you only did research, or read past scenes
even if you just thought about a character, or figured out a plot point
try a writing session and note when you get distracted or tired
find the natural session length that works best for you
look at what types of writing you enjoy most and you do the most of
measure journal entries, fictional scenes, short stories, nonfiction, etc.
list three aspects of your writing self you love, and three that are challenges
CHAPTER 8 - PERCOLATION OBSTACLES
writers block isn't just an obstacle to writing, but to feeling satisfied as a writer
three common symptoms:
1) you feel like you don't have time to write
2) you believe you don't have anything to say
3) you are paralyzed by critical thoughts about your writing
you always have time to write, it's just a question of how much
use the time you're stuck in other things to think about your writing
that way you'll be writing even when you're not in a writing session
and when you do sit down to write, you might get ideas down quicker
after completing a project, many writers may feel like they have no more ideas
take time off and rest, read, listen to music, experience your senses with wonder
check your expectations, make sure you have enough time to daydream
don't force your next work to be good, or assume that it will be bad
just let it be, and let it go where it wants to go, embrace the process of art
focus on clarifying the reasons you want to write in the first place
discovery, clarity, catharsis, pleasure, wonder, imagination, exploration
write down your reason and contemplate it before you begin writing
experiment! what if you wrote the scene in these words? or in another way?
most writers will say what they want to say in varying ways through their writing
their books will often have a common theme, but explored in different ways
our role is to pose the same questions that humankind has always pondered
but to do it from our uniquely individual perspective and place in time
be clear about your intentions for today's writing session, what's the goal?
CHAPTER 9 - LOOK AGAIN (AND AGAIN . . .): REVISION
many writers like revision the least out of everything on their list
but revision is a natural process that is simply adjusting in order to improve
don't look at revision as a way to fix problems
look at it as an opportunity to improve and evolve
revise using intuition, curiosity and a process of discovery
ask what revision means to you, are you set in your ways of doing it?
during revision, you can add, subtract, restructure, or replace sections
we relate to our thoughts differently than written words
so get the first draft out, then enter the creative process of revision
converting a thought into words is about making choices and decisions
you decide what to portray about your idea, and how to portray it
you can present the idea visually, or through dialogue
you can set the camera wide-angle or close-up
you can reveal information gradually, or all at once
look for places where you had a picture in your mind already
so the written words might be sparse, because you already had the thought
now revise the written words to give the reader the same image
look for clues about structure from your favorite novels
but also look at patterns in your life experience to get creative ideas
approach revision by making small adjustments that may have big results
think about the viewpoint and perspective, first or third person
try changing the setting, the weather, or the surroundings
look at format changes like adjusting white space or switching sentences
add character depth by thinking of unique attributes or a childhood memory
read your work aloud and notice where it stumbles or sounds awkward
if you're stuck, try playing more, purposely write a bad version of the scene
do something funny, something playful and silly so that you enjoy revising
seeing the words on the page can give you ideas on how to improve them
if you know that a section is awkward, try focusing on the idea behind it
or pick a few words or phrases and brainstorm new words around those
open yourself up to the images and random associations that come to mind
revision allows you to think about specifics, which lets you practice clarity
rewriting is practice and discovery, not some impossible task of perfection
record yourself reading your work aloud and mark any problem areas
then listen back to the recording and note spots where your voice falters
write on separate cards: add, subtract, restructure, shift perspective, replace
then pull a random card and try applying it to the section to revise
the goal is to use your intuition rather than thinking too logically
sometimes the work as a whole doesn't feel right, even though the idea is good
try rewriting with present, future, or past tense
change the point of view from first person to second to third person
take some time away and come back to look at the work with fresh eyes
try printing sections and cutting up the pages with scissors
then play around with rearranging the order
do this with real paper, not on the computer, feel it with your hands
try rewriting from scratch without reading the previous draft
trust your memory and let your intuition guide the new draft
when revision seems overwhelming, try changing one small thing
don't focus on grammar, focus on content
like changing the weather, giving a character a pet, etc.
use this minor change to propel your revisions
scan through your draft and mark places that you feel ready to rewrite
if a section needs work, but it feels daunting, skip it for now
chunk down the process of rewriting into small, manageable pieces
what does revision mean to you?
how do you do it?
why do you do it?
rewrite a section without "trying", whatever that means to you
don't scrutinize every sentence, or make sure every plot point is perfect
don't even worry about making the section "better" through revision
give up whatever you're supposed to do, and whatever seems hard
just play with the scene and see what happens
revise to improve the music and texture of your words
choose better flowing synonyms for commonly repeated words
look for connections between writing and other activities
how does revision apply to other projects you engage in?
what can you learn from those things that you can apply toward writing?
CHAPTER 10 - DON'T REVISE
sometimes your writing will be inspired, and you won't need to revise
but most of the writing should happen in between the inspired moments
those are the times when you need to just push through it and revise it
don't rewrite immediately after receiving feedback, let it settle down first
otherwise, you may jump into changes that aren't right in the long term
ancient Greeks purposely included flaws in their creations
this avoided perfectionism so they wouldn't seem arrogant to the gods
some artists identify with trying more than achieving
this is a form of fear of success, where finishing something is scary
another problem is high expectations, when you or others expect too much
you feel like you have to do better than the last work, or you have to be great
your worth as a writer is somehow tied to the quality of your current writing
remember that the writing process isn't linear, you have to go up and down
sometimes you learn the most from the worst writing, not the best writing
revising is mostly about being intuitive, not being critical
your critical facilities are meant only to serve your intuition
don't just look at what's wrong with a piece, notice what is working
look for opportunities to expand and improve, not just reasons to fix errors
CHAPTER 11 - DIRECTED REVISION: WRITING TEACHERS AND CLASSES
learn from teachers who have experience, but modify it to fit your needs
separate the way a teacher delivers the lesson from the lesson itself
you can learn what to avoid from bad teachers or negative feedback
a writing master may be great at writing, but unable to teach writing to you
CHAPTER 12 - COMMUNAL REVISION: WRITING GROUPS AND PARTNERS
all members should be valued equally, even if some are published or not
when you ask for help from a reader, request feedback in a specific area
you can even ask readers to only tell you what they really like about it
have clear goals on what you hope to gain from a writing group or partner
when you give advice to others, pause and think if you need to follow it too
CHAPTER 13 - REVISING OBSTACLES
part of rewriting is linking ideas, a conversation relates to a later event
when you get stuck in the middle of a draft, it's often because you are revising
you're trying too hard to make it all fit, instead of letting your intuition guide you
try reading favorite novels, taking time off, journaling and getting creative again
if you have trouble beginning the draft, you're too worried about the opening
jump in and write from the middle, the beginning will probably change anyway
common reactions after the first draft are hate, love, and balance
at first you may think your draft is complete garbage and not worth revising
get some distance from it and come back to the original inspiration and idea
remember you original purpose and goal in writing this piece
if you're afraid of revising, that means you've picked a good challenge
another possibility is that you fall in love with your first draft
you think it's perfect and you can't imagine changing anything
try writing the next piece, then go back and revise an old one
sometimes you get flooded with ideas in the beginning
note them down for future reference, but pick one and go with it
try to relate the different ideas and combine them in interesting ways
if you're stuck in the middle of a draft, try writing the opposite of your idea
try making your characters do the opposite of what's expected or planned
if you're stuck in the beginning of a draft, try writing a bunch of openings
pick the most interesting one and go with it to see what develops
CHAPTER 14 - IS IT FINISHED YET?
everyone will have their own definition of being "finished"
it may vary depending on the particular piece or genre
you could always keep revising old pieces, but they are markers in time
they are like old photographs that show who you were at that time
notice when you feel you are finished with other tasks besides writing
when you love the writing process, the finished product is like a souvenir
it doesn't define your success, it gives you something to remember the effort
CHAPTER 15 - GOING PUBLIC
your main reason for sharing your work can't be just to receive praise
you can start by sharing the work of other writers that you connect with
then adjust your mindset about sharing your own work
think of it like offering a favorite recipe to a friend
even if they don't love it, you still enjoying baking it
maybe you'll try the recipe again and work on improving it
or you might give up that particular recipe and try a different one
but you don't give up baking in general, if you love the process
you can do it even if your creations aren't a huge commercial success
if you're able to write, you have a responsibility to share and enrich others
when you go public, you release your work so you can start on a new piece
sharing allows you to say that you did it, with no regrets that you never tried
even if most people don't like your piece, one person might be deeply touched
writers think deeply about life, and by sharing we urge others to do the same
you never know who your work will affect, but you can be sure it will affect you
make a list of writers you respect and admire, and see how they are similar
CHAPTER 16 - DON'T GO PUBLIC
find your satisfaction internally from releasing your work
don't let your happiness depend on the congratulations by others
praise or recognition by others is just the icing on the cake
you want to be open to praise, but not needy or expectant
the key is to stay grounded to your writing itself, not to all the outside influences
your self-image is independent of others and their reactions
your writing is also separate from you
people can like you and hate your writing, or love your writing but not love you
when you tell people you're a writer, they'll ask where you've been published
that's not because they actually want to read anything you've written
it's basically them asking, "how impressed with you should I be?"
your goal is to feel satisfied and abundant as a writer through the writing itself
you can write things that are disloyal or shameful about others
but think carefully about your core values before sharing these works
don't be afraid to write them privately, they can be powerful to you
this helps you avoid the internal censor that might hold back your best writing
reread your most emotional or passionate journal entries
they can give you the courage to write freely, and true to yourself
they are proof of the power of your words
CHAPTER 17 - YOUR AUDIENCE: THE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF SHARING
three possible outlets - one other person, your community, the world at large
each circle influences the others, what you read influences what you write
people who read your writing may read other works with a new perspective
going public is not climbing a ladder, it's sharing circles that overlap and connect
ask yourself who your piece really speaks to, who does it speak for?
who is your audience and where do they gather? how can you reach them?
your audience is meant to support you, but also to wound you so that you grow
CHAPTER 18 - SUCCESS SHARING
distinguish between your mission and your methods
your mission is your larger purpose for writing, your heart's concern
it might be perspective, transformation, perseverance, healing, or joy
your mission can change over time, but it is intrinsic to your being
conversely, your methods are how you pursue your mission
this includes the genre you choose to write in, and how you go public
these are conscious choices which can change at any time
there may be many alternative methods to achieve your mission
poet Sharon Olds said each poet has an audience of about 20,000
would you be happy publishing your book if your name wasn't on it?
are you sharing to enrich society, or for a personal sense of importance?
notice how your writing improves yourself, not just others who read it
sharing with a community can be more personal and fulfilling than the world
even if you achieve success in publishing, try sharing with small groups too
think of creative ways to share your work outside the normal avenues
some artists hide their art so it will be discovered, instead of in your face
publish your words on products, in public places, through creative media
brainstorm every possible crazy method to share your writing with others
think about how you naturally rank genres or publishing routes
then think of exceptions to your ranking, great books that weren't obvious
good publicity is selective, they will make it sound like a rags-to-riches story
but most successful writers built their way up slowly, we just don't hear about it
publishing is a hugely collaborative process also
success depends on everyone in the group, editors, marketing, business
so even if you write a great novel, there's never any guarantee of success
you want to approach editorial feedback as a way to improve your writing
otherwise it becomes frustrating and the conflict can hurt your confidence
read your past work and discover your mission from the writing itself
it will come out in the message or theme of your writing
think about what you want your readers to learn or understand
also look at the themes in your favorite books by other authors
find creative ways to share your writing based on your common themes
think about your natural strengths and weaknesses and choose methods that fit
acknowledge things you don't enjoy and structure your goals around them
what do you want from your writing, and what do your readers want?
write true to yourself, not just to please others
imagine the worst case scenario and prepare for any possible reaction
draw on your inner strength to confront negative feedback
choose an interpretation of events that empowers you, not constrains you
CHAPTER 19 - SHARING OBSTACLES
three of your responsibilities as a writer are:
being precise, emotionally honest and grammatically correct
sharing writing isn't a reward for the efforts of writing
it's a response or reply to the process
sharing is the fulfillment of your partnership with creativity
don't link the response to your writing with your value or worth as a writer
anticipation of rejection can be paralyzing in itself
make sure you imagine someone reading your piece and liking it
don't just focus on every bad scenario
no matter what you write, some people will be moved and others won't
it's exactly the same with every piece you or anyone else writes
remember: what you write affects you more than anybody else
Ariel Gore said, praise is kinder than criticism, but it's judgment all the same
be careful not to let praise turn into pressure to perform
try to imagine finishing a piece without ever showing it to anyone else
don't make excuses for not feeling successful, it's all in your perspective
come up with "impact absorbers" to separate your ego from your writing
there will be lots of "almost" and "if only" cases that are close misses
don't let these affect you or get your hopes up artificially
acknowledge your past struggles and release them, don't harbor them inside
write to capture the chaos of creativity, not for perfection
look for opposing goals in your subconscious and resolve them
try to purposely write counter to one of your goals, like writing imperfectly
think of all the "what if" ideas that are blocking you
write honestly about what you really fear the outcome might be
now look at these from an emotional distance and try to help that person
clearly describe how you would like to be known as a writer
write down what you think is the worst thing about you as a writer
now figure out what is most admirable about you as a writer
ponder your wishes, weaknesses, and strengths and acknowledge them
try sharing your writing anonymously
this removes all possible chance of direct feedback
notice how you picture people responding to your anonymous writing
CHAPTER 20 - FINAL WORDS
staying power and the love of writing is more important than raw talent |
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