These days I'm all about the writing prompts. Some days it's a painting or a photograph. Some days it's a word or phrase or question. I collect them and when I want to write, I flip through my collections to find something that sparks joy. I like Inktober prompt lists. Kortney's one word writing prompts. And any curated lists I can find. Lists I make up for myself aren't nearly as good as a list that someone else has produced. I reject my own ideas out of hand, but the hard kernel of someone else's word is often like a bit of grit I can start to form a pearl around.
I've never been good at mornings, so I'm still a late night kind of writer. Or sometimes snatches here and there in the day between tasks. Recently I've been trying to get some of my kids to write and ave been attempting a five minute free write. So far Ben is the one who has taken to it best. He tends to write about three sentences, max. Though lately after using my Haiku book for copywork, he's taken to composing a haiku for his daily writing. Anyway, if they're writing I can be writing too. So I can often snatch five minutes and at least get something onto paper.
This reminds me of Phil in "Anne of the Island," when Aunt Jamesina told her to work first then play and Phil said that these days we play our play then dig in. It resonated me with me the moment I read it and still does. The way you've found to incorporate it is ingenious. :)
These days I'm all about the writing prompts. Some days it's a painting or a photograph. Some days it's a word or phrase or question. I collect them and when I want to write, I flip through my collections to find something that sparks joy. I like Inktober prompt lists. Kortney's one word writing prompts. And any curated lists I can find. Lists I make up for myself aren't nearly as good as a list that someone else has produced. I reject my own ideas out of hand, but the hard kernel of someone else's word is often like a bit of grit I can start to form a pearl around.
I've never been good at mornings, so I'm still a late night kind of writer. Or sometimes snatches here and there in the day between tasks. Recently I've been trying to get some of my kids to write and ave been attempting a five minute free write. So far Ben is the one who has taken to it best. He tends to write about three sentences, max. Though lately after using my Haiku book for copywork, he's taken to composing a haiku for his daily writing. Anyway, if they're writing I can be writing too. So I can often snatch five minutes and at least get something onto paper.
“the hard kernel of someone else’s word” might have to steal that for a poem!
If you do, please let me know.
I desperately need some guidelines for my writing sessions (which are non existent right now), so this was v. helpful/ interesting!
Love this!
This reminds me of Phil in "Anne of the Island," when Aunt Jamesina told her to work first then play and Phil said that these days we play our play then dig in. It resonated me with me the moment I read it and still does. The way you've found to incorporate it is ingenious. :)