Bug was writing about beginning again today, and what she said really resonated with me. I had the luxury last month of working on revisions. This month, I am trying to start something new and it is in that shapeless, aimless early stage where the only thing that keep me moving forward is faith in the process. I have 10 pages and fear that they all need to scrapped. Nevertheless, I am going to keep moving forward with it, adding daily until I have 10 more pages. Then I'll go back to the beginning and start looking for its shape and its point.
I love Julia Cameron's suggestion to put this sign in my creative space: Great Creator, I will take care of the quantity; you take care of the quality. I know from past experience that I cannot sit down and plan to write something brilliant. I can only do my part by showing up and leave the rest to the process. If I am going to get to the other side of this transition as a writer, I need to accept that there will be many, many beginnings. I have given myself two touchstones this month. (1) Ralph Keyes' The Courage to Write sits on my desk. I don't even need to read it anymore; I just let it be there. (2) I am re-reading the freewriting after the "finding true north" meditations that we did in the very first MFA seminar. In January, it helped me get centred and find the vein of the essay I was writing. Perhaps it can work its magic again this month.
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7 comments:
I can't figure out if blogger won't let me post this or if I'm posting it over and over. So apologies if I am.
Don't be too hard on yourself. You're my inspiration and I often think of you up at the crack of dawn or before the crack (haha) writing away while I am fast asleep. The important thing is the act of sitting down and doing it and you are!
I agree with gili. Your discipline is inspiring. Mine seems to come in waves. I write intensely some days for hours, and others not a word. I'm going to try to be more regular with it & see what that brings forth.
I like quotes too.
Yes, your discipline is incredible. Something I admire and hope to accomplish one day. Hope the rereading helps!
You guys are all too kind. I have NOT been getting up at 5 this week. Trust me. I have my ups and downs just like everyone else. It's just that when it's going right, I like to talk about it! I love you women.
Hang in there, TI. You ARE doing great work. Your essays are proof positive of that.
Repeat after me (because, you know, I need the boost right now too): it's all about the journey. It's all about the journey. It's all about the journey.
When you get tired of that, have a glass of wine (or two, or three, or...)
;)
I'm having a really tough stretch as well. Let's blame it on the cosmos (because that's a helluva lot easier than taking responsibility, right?)
Why does every month this semester seem tougher and tougher? Yes, FC: must be the cosmos! Thank you all for your encouragement!
Pass the chardonnay.
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