Thursday October 16th, 2008

The exercise:

I'll have a post scheduled to go up tomorrow evening since I won't be around for most of the day. That's because my super awesome girlfriend has rounded up some of my super awesome friends and family and they're all chipping in to send me to this workshop as a (slightly early) birthday present. I'm super awesomely excited about it. I'll let you know how it goes.

As for today? The starter du jour is: finding time to write.

Mine:

Finding time to write can be an incredible challenge to overcome. You think about sitting down to scribble thoughts on paper and your mind goes numb. That little voice starts telling you nobody wants to read what you have to say and your ideas are dumb.

My biggest obstacle is a beast called Procrastination; maybe you've heard of him and his friend I've Got Better Things To Do? But I've managed to write every day for the last 130 days, so there's no reason you can't too.

There's no question, I have sacrificed other things I enjoy doing in order to write. I've gone to bed later than I would have liked on many a night. Admittedly, I didn't have much choice in the matter - I could never sleep with all those ideas running around my head like mice.

The thing to remember is this: writing is its own reward. I don't write hoping to be adored. I know there's a good chance my words will be ignored. I write because not writing isn't something I can afford.

2 comments:

Olivia said...

I believe passion under the time pressures of obligation and complexity inevitabley emerges as expressions unrecognized and flowing.

I have been trying to attend the Grind Writer's group since Spring; however, like most of us, i am very busy, and perhaps more uniquely, struggle immensely with creating my space/time so as to facilitate optimal creativity, love, and expression.

I appear to be distracted by ridiculousness often. My mind seems to enjoy dwelling in mindlessness.
And i also have terrible habits of procrastination and faulty coping mechanisms (which only seem to further detract from a more meaningful experience). Sigh...sigh...alas...i am changing this; i will improve. I am convincing myself now; it will happen:)

Anyways, i have noticed that my emails have become quite poetic. Depending on my comfort level, they can be quite lengthy. The other day i sent an email that was perhaps inappropriately thoughtful. I trick myself into thinking that i am writing to this person or that person for a specific purpose; really, i think i am often expressing my passion for words and sentences and meaning and beauty and life and love and pondering...

As well, writing can be procrastination in itself. Presently, i should be studying for an exam that takes place at 830am.

Thank-you for the writing space:)

Marc said...

You're more than welcome, I'm glad you're finding it useful.

And I find it fascinating that your writing is invading your every day details like that.