Inspired Writing

Beth Tew ~ author, coach, writing consultant

9 tips for writing consistently every day

I ran a 30-day writing challenge for my meetup group recently. Seeing that my writing output increased, I wanted to keep improving,  but I knew I would need a more systematic approach. So I wrote this memo to myself to remind me of all the possible resources I can use. The hardest part of writing is always starting. What helps you kickstart your writing day?

Memo: It’s time for my daily writing session, either at my chair or desk. As I try to conjure my first written words of the day, my mind is blank. Fortunately, I have a system for getting started that never fails, consisting of several tools and methods I use that rev up my writing engine on demand. Here is what I find:

1. An organized file system where ideas are just a touch or click away, in a folder on my desk with articles I’ve saved and printouts of helpful notes and checklists; a computer file where I save ideas while I’m reading online; and a notes app on my phone for ideas that come to me during the day.

2. My journal where I do longhand freewriting to get my brain going every day. Reading some paragraphs I’ve already written, in the style that my thoughts usually flow, is a surefire way to get into my writing groove.

3. My favorite background music on my computer or music player to create the perfect ambiance while I’m writing.

4. My bulletin board above my desk that has positive affirmations, mottos, and pictures of things that inspire me and make me smile.

5. Templates that have headings for the structure of various forms of writing, like blog posts, chapters, articles and essays. My favorite fonts and styles are saved in the templates with keyboard shortcuts. Even if the writing is eventually going to be digital, I know that I benefit from writing with visible formatting.

6. My calendar that shows I’ve been writing every day this week so far. I can’t break the chain. I must write or edit at least two pages. I have a minimum unit of writing, but I can always keep going.

7. A timer already set to how long I do my average writing session, which is 45 minutes. After I finish the  session, I can reward myself with a quick break, short walk, or a fresh cup of tea.

8. Although I have a flexible schedule, I still have two alerts on my phone to remind me to do my daily writing sessions, a warm-up session and a working session. I put aside all distractions and open my  notebook or laptop when I hear the alerts go off.

9. Lastly, my bedtime is 10 pm, so I can be up by 6, dressed, exercised, and ready to start freewriting at 8 am to plan my writing day. I know that with this daily writing plan in place, tomorrow’s writing will begin with ease and generate consistent results day after day.

I hope you found these tips helpful. For ideas about using writing as a planning and focusing tool, check out my book on kindle, Write for Success: 7 Ways Writing Can Help You Be More Successful in Your Work and Life.

The zen of writing motivation

I recently reread one of my favorite writing books, “Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg. This book galvanized my identity as a writer in the late 80s. It was like a blast of fresh air to get a dose her zen motivation medicine.

Natalie was very practical in her teaching of what was essential in writing. She cut to the chase by teaching beginner’s mind and writing practice as “first thoughts” on the page, based on her 12 years of Zen meditation training. In “Bones” she advised, “It is important to have a way worked out to begin your writing; otherwise, washing the dishes becomes the most important thing on earth…” I have this quote heavily underlined in red pencil from my previous  journeys through this book.

Clearly, I can relate. Even though I have multiple writing projects going, I don’t always follow a particular regimen for doing them. I tend to write when my day-to-day world feels “settled.” A certain amount of quietude is needed.

As Natalie says, we like to complicate things, but keeping things as simple as possible works best.  Make a schedule for writing or call a writer friend when you get stuck. Otherwise, she says just pick a time and a place and then buckle down and do it. It’s okay to reward yourself afterward with your favorite cookies.

Some years ago I took a poetry class with a teacher who said that reading the King James Bible gave her inspiration for writing poetry. That was the first time I heard the idea called “priming the pump”.  As an English Lit student in college we had to read Chaucer, and I loved the musicality of his Middle English poems. I fell in love with the sheer sounds of vowels and wrote poetry for two decades. Certain poets and writers, or musicians and artists, can do that to you. What inspires me to write now is reading some really good writing that I enjoy or reading about the lives of amazing writers and artists.

Natalie was struck by poetry too. She hand copied poems of her favorite poets to inspire her writing. She taught writing workshops for 15 years before Bones was published, taking the advice of her beloved Zen master who told her to “go deep”  into writing. Writing was a vehicle for self mastery as worthy as Zen.

In Natalie’s view, you practice writing whether you want to or not. You don’t wait for inspiration. You do it to develop your writing muscles, so they “are in good shape to ride the universe when it moves though us.” If that’s not an incentive, I don’t know what is.

Haven’t read this book? Check it out here, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within. Your purchase through our link helps support this website.

 

Daily maintenance of the creative

In her book Finding Water, third in the Artist’s Way series, Julia Cameron says “My sanity requires daily maintenance.” Daily maintenance is the practice of nurturing your inner artist, a big theme in her Artist Way books. Like writing the daily morning pages, we must take daily action to keep our creative drive in motion.

Her statement reflects on a necessary part of creative life. We learn to understand and anticipate our needs, to commit to doing the ongoing maintenance of keeping ourselves healthy, balanced and “in tune.”

The metaphor of music and how we play it is fitting. We are like musical instruments that must be carefully “maintained” to remain in playable condition.

The care of instruments is not always daily, but if neglected, even electronic instruments will stop being able to make music. Instruments need to be cleaned, polished, and protected. They need continual adjustments to keep their various parts working.

It reminds me of going to the chiropractor when my neck gets out of alignment. An adjustment makes me feel better, sleep better and have a lot more energy. Without a chiropractor, a yoga workout works about as well.

As artists we are played by the forces of the Universe. When we’re in tune, creative forces flow easily in and out of our lives; inner movements spurring creations of books, paintings and songs, and outer movements expressing our creations to the world.

When we get out of tune, we have to recalibrate ourselves. We have to rest, meditate, turn within and listen. It can take time to make corrections. We may have to renew our commitment to creative life again and again. You have to make time for it, which is not easy at first. But the more you do it, the easier it is.

The payoff for doing the work of daily maintenance is actually having more time (less time recalibrating) and more energy, resulting in more creative and inspired ideas and actions. Like athletes who train daily for peak performance, a well-tuned artist enjoys more effortless creation.

Recommended reading: Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance. Your purchase through our link helps support this website.