From my blog (ohmygodgirl.blogspot.com):
I’ve mentioned a few times that I am a daily writer and a lot of people like to ask me about this habit. So…I thought I’d do a little entry to tell you about my philosophy behind my writing, my tools, and all sorts of other things that are boring to some, fascinating to others.
GOAL
When I was in high school I wrote almost every day of my life. I had a journal…I wrote down my deepest, darkest thoughts…I read poetry…I was THAT girl, the stereotypical Gothy geek who had a lot on her mind. (Hello? My name IS Lydia, after all…I had to live up to Beetlejuice standards!). I continued journaling in college, especially when I was in London, but somehow got away from my daily writing habit when real life came calling. I was far too busy figuring out life as a grown up…life with a 9 to 5 job, bills to pay, and not enough time to devote to my writing.
Now that I’m 32, I figure I’m not getting any younger, and I’ve learned that I need to make things happen rather than waiting for them to happen. I want to quit my job and make a real salary from being creative…by writing. So THAT’s my goal. And now that I have it out in the open, it’s up to me to make that goal a reality.
PHILOSOPHY
Writing well is a skill. Yes, there is some degree of art and magic to it, but like any other skill, it requires constant honing. In my daily writing, I free myself from dealing with perfect grammar, perfect spelling, or writing anything of substance. I just write. Four pages, handwritten, whatever is on my mind, very stream of conscious. Sure, sometimes I’ll write a short story or tackle a creative writing exercise, but usually I just write about whatever pops up in my mind. In some respect, my daily writing is an active form of meditation. It gives me valuable time (whether it be 10 minutes or a few hours) devoted only to one thing: getting pages filled with words. My words. I don’t have an audience in mind for these words and I have no standards for my writing. That freedom is essential…it’s also terrifying.
TOOLS
I am not rigid in my demand for daily writing. If I am too tired to write one day, I take the day off. My ultimate goal is to fill one spiral bound notebook each month. I don’t use anything fancy—I just have a pack of cheap notebooks and pull one off at the start of the month to fill it.
Since I am writing (not typing), my pen choice is extremely important. Back in February, my fabulous husband gave me a Retro 51 fountain pen that I have used every day since. It’s an ink hog—I must have gone through about a half dozen boxes of ink cartridges already! I love pens, and when I find one to die for, it inspires me to write.
I’ve also recently begun a new goal of filling a moleskine journal with writing and drawings and doodles. This makes me really think—not just about words, but about colors, shapes, and forms, and again…since I don’t have any standards for my work, I have an incredible amount of freedom. Plus holding a moleskine in my hands just feels good. I love those little black journals!
RESOURCES
This is going to be a very abbreviated, very incomplete list of books that have helped me with my daily writing habit:
- The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: I’m a non-believer, so I have a hard time with some aspects of this book. Plus Cameron is a little preachy, but overall it has some useful nuggets.
- Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg: This is much more realistic than Cameron’s classic and it’s where I got the idea of a notebook a month. There are plenty of ideas in this book that can be used for a daily write. I highly recommend it.
- Naming the World by Bret Anthony Johnston (editor): This contains all sorts of writing exercises suggested by some well established writers. I find it fun to tackle these in my daily write from time to time.
- On Writing by Stephen King. Say what you want about Mr. King, but he’s been extraordinarily successful and he knows how to tell a story. I dare any wannabe writer to read On Writing and not feel inspired. Hell, you don’t have to even give a damn about writing…this tome will teach you plenty about life as well.
I’m not going to list out all the magazines, literary journals, and resource books I use at this time. Why not? My allergies are killing me and I have to cook dinner!
So there you go: I’m a nerd, but I’m totally okay with that. My daily writing habit is not one I would give up, and I am so relieved to be back at it. It feels good to write…even to write badly!...and to explore different worlds in my mind. Writing is basically daydreaming, though less of a waste of time. Daily writing focuses me, lets me get out all my negativity, and leaves me open to all sorts of things I would never have explored if it weren’t for my habit. If you’re anything like me, you’ll benefit from this habit and I encourage you to try it out for yourself. What do you have to lose?
