Basic Tenets Of Writing
1. First 10 words are harder than the next 100 words.
2. Writing session starts with pre-writing activities: ideation, planning, unconscious writing etc. Acknowledge them.
3. Writing session is a period of stillness, intense focus and awareness - threat to the normal mode of mind. It will get in your way.
4. Regularity gives strength, irregularity breeds guilt.
5. It is courageous even to keep sitting on a chair, not writing - making this choice over distracting oneself in the event of non-writing.
6. Protecting writing schedule ruthlessly gives big returns which can be acknowledged only by looking back.
7. Challenges of writing do not melt down because you have figured them out, met, conquered them previously. They come afresh every single day and you have to battle out all over again. There is no other way.
8. Solitude, silence -must.
9. Reading helps you get in the mood for writing. Music can help set the mood for reading/writing. Music can enthuse you, pacify you; reading helps you recall all that you know about writing. Use them wisely.
10. When you sit down to write - enter the battlefield that is, you feel unarmed. It is only when you fight it out that you find your weapons again: they come as you need them.
11. A good period of writing is too precious to terminate when satisfied. It is rare, be in it for as long as you can; utilize it.
(11, because the back side of the used paper was over. Will append, when and as they come)
2. Writing session starts with pre-writing activities: ideation, planning, unconscious writing etc. Acknowledge them.
3. Writing session is a period of stillness, intense focus and awareness - threat to the normal mode of mind. It will get in your way.
4. Regularity gives strength, irregularity breeds guilt.
5. It is courageous even to keep sitting on a chair, not writing - making this choice over distracting oneself in the event of non-writing.
6. Protecting writing schedule ruthlessly gives big returns which can be acknowledged only by looking back.
7. Challenges of writing do not melt down because you have figured them out, met, conquered them previously. They come afresh every single day and you have to battle out all over again. There is no other way.
8. Solitude, silence -must.
9. Reading helps you get in the mood for writing. Music can help set the mood for reading/writing. Music can enthuse you, pacify you; reading helps you recall all that you know about writing. Use them wisely.
10. When you sit down to write - enter the battlefield that is, you feel unarmed. It is only when you fight it out that you find your weapons again: they come as you need them.
11. A good period of writing is too precious to terminate when satisfied. It is rare, be in it for as long as you can; utilize it.
(11, because the back side of the used paper was over. Will append, when and as they come)
loved it! thanks!
ReplyDeleteIts an amazing entry.....though I am not sure abt the absoulute silence thing..........Ive written in midst of ear deafening trance music :p
ReplyDelete@sarad, riku
ReplyDeleteThanks
@Kunal
I think if you try to write consistently, and in long sessions, you will prefer silence over loud music.
Thank you for the advice! Sadly the majority of my 'wishful writing' is done in my head - before I can catch the thoughts they fly away - and I suffer from writer's block when I have to sit down and actually write. Weird.
ReplyDelete@funny gypsy
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Unconscious Writing? Try writing three pages, caring not the quality of prose. Not even the grammar, the language.
They might help get over the initial block.