A Mindful Writer (Part 2 of 3)

Where do I write?

I am not a solitary writer. Sitting on a balcony overlooking the sea ain’t gonna get my fingers moving towards a draft of anything. I’d sit and watch the waves until I dozed off and started work on my 2^nd degree sunburn.

I don’t like writing in my bedroom, my study, my living room, or in secluded places. There are plenty of exceptions, and I’ve written many things in all of those places, but they aren’t my preference.

I am a social writer. I like to write (as I am right now) at a fast food joint where there is a constant swirl of human energy. I enjoy the sounds and sights and pure dynamics of the variety of humanity.

Sometimes that stilts my writing. Some environments are too chaotic and distracting. But the ebb and flow of humanity is by itself a wonderful distraction. They just can’t be people I know, or I’ll stop writing and visit. J

I know some professional writers who basically lock their study door and demand solitude and quiet from the rest of the household. If that’s what they need to do, then by al means I wish them success and productivity. It just isn’t my way.

How do I write?

As I’ve mentioned, I’ll write on just about anything in a pinch. But I’ve somewhat turned away from my love of pen and paper and embraced the flow of my computer. I use my laptop which is connected to a USB keyboard for easier typing.

What happens when the words stop coming?

Hey, it happens sometimes. It can be frustrating as all get out, but I know that the words are just ocean tides. Some of the waves wash up way down there and never really get to me. Sometimes the waves are brief. Sometimes I get a tsunami.

If the tide is high, I write with the waves. If the tide is low, I find something else to do until the tide rolls in again.

Yes, I’ve felt the drive to write when nothing pans out. I have spent hours and written thousands of words, and none of them combine into anything satisfactory. It’s cool; I wanted or needed to write, so I did, whether or not it resulted in anything that could be measured as productive or usable. I save everything anyway, in case the words become useful later down the road.

Sometimes the words I want to write are non-fiction, and the topic just isn’t happening. If I still need to write and I’m getting too frustrated with my current topic, I’ll switch topics. Or maybe I’ll write some verse, or a short story, or some ramble about the fact that nothing I’m writing is working out (yes, I’ve done that; ironically that is often the only thing that actually works out that session).

So, what if too many words come?

That also happens. If I need to sleep or attend to other matters, I will stop writing if possible (and it’s almost always possible). I just make sure that I jot notes at the end of what I’ve written to act as road signs for the next time I sit down to write.

I know that some folks insist on riding that creative wave as long as they can, even into the wee hours. That’s excellent for them, and they need to do that.

For me, I’ve never lost my inertia by setting out pointers for the next day and then getting necessary rest. In fact, as mindful experience attests, without proper rest my mind will start to lose its way. Focus drifts, frustration comes more often, and burnout can become a danger for me.