Lately I’ve been enjoying it whenever I’ve managed to sit down to write. I would like to write more.
Came across and have been pondering Daniel Pink’s 7 rules for writing. Rule number 3 in particular:
3. Don’t do anything else until you’ve written five hundred words. I mean it.
(Yes, I know, I seem to read more about writing than actually writing. Is that part of the reason why I don’t have the time to write?)
500 words doesn’t seem like very much. [84 words at the word “much”.]
I think I could make the time if I didn’t spend the first hour of the day idly reading things online. 500 words in one hour, is this possible? I don’t know, but I can try.
What would I write?
I have a couple of papers I could be working on, for a start. I also have plenty of inspiration from the many books on writing that I seem to have accumulated. Take this suggestion:
- “Tell about the quality of light coming in through your window. Jump in and write. …
- “Begin with “I remember.” Write lots of small memories. …
- “Take something you feel strongly about, whether it is positive or negative, and write about it as though you love it.”
From Writing down the bones: Freeing the writer within by Natalie Goldberg, 1986, p. 20.
Or:
“… draw the path you are currently walking.
- What does your life look like realistically, symbolically?
- Write to yourself about your life path. What do you know about where you are coming from and where you are going?”
From Life’s companion: Journal writing as a spiritual practice by Christina Baldwin, 1990, p.8.
The last time I blogged about writing was at least a couple of years ago now, I think (like this post). I do think my writing skills have improved since then, but I think I have reached a point where I need to push myself some more. Also, I am interested to see what happens if I do start writing (and thinking) more. Last time, making the effort to write regularly at this blog, lead to me finding and building very useful relationships with colleagues from around the country and even internationally.
Also, at the moment, my head feels a bit like the mess in the picture illustrating this post. Lots of clutter, too much going on. I’d like to start to try to organise my thoughts a bit, and in some instances, even work out for myself what I think about certain things. Writing things down might help.
I don’t know that I will necessarily publish everything I write here but we’ll see.
[Ha, 452 words. That’s counting the quotations, but still.]
6 Comments
I recall back when I first started blogging, I started a bunch of things to encourage me to write. one of those was writing 500 words per day. It worked, then died out…though the blogging persists…mostly. Perhaps it’s time to revisit that plan and write some more.
Pleased to say that I did manage to get 500 words down this morning. Will see how this goes…
Is that the book arrangement in your new house? Looks lavish and homely. I’m moving this weekend and am facing the prospect of keeping lots of my books in boxes for a couple of months 🙁 while we find a house. Glad to hear you are looking at doing some more writing, I always enjoy your thoughtful posts.
Hi Sheena, no, that’s not our new house – it’s actually a picture from a very cluttered and messy secondhand bookshop in our neighbourhood. There are way too many books teetering in huge piles all around, and I don’t find it a comfortable place to be in because I keep expecting to have piles collapsing on top on me.
I also don’t think it’s possible to find anything in there!
I have to post some pictures of our set up at home soon 🙂
Good luck with the househunting!
Have looked more closely at the picture, and can see that it looks much more like a bookshop, albeit as you say a very cluttered and unorganised one. I apologise for implying you would keep your house like that, but I did think it might be transitional. The househunting might not be too bad – it’s the cramming of stuff from two different places into one which is the nightmare! And my cat will have to live inside for a while as the complex we’re temporarily in is a “no cats or dogs” one, poor little girl.
I started my blogs with 500 words a day in mind. I write on paper regularly, and some of my short stories are now getting published. Blogging, however, has taken a back seat.
Writing down the bones is an amazing book, refer to it whenever I’m at a loose end.