How good writing comes from practice, not perfect writing conditions ~
Writing Desk Angst - Image via Unsplash
By Lindsey Vernon
Lewis Carroll famously wrote, "Why is a raven like a writing desk." Scholars and fans have speculated the answer since its publication, though Lewis himself initially said there was no answer. He later joked, "because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is 'nevar' (sic) put with the wrong end in front." However, the answer I like best is, "Because Poe wrote on both." I'll go further to add, "and he needed neither to be a successful writer."
As serious writers, we know better the writing will never get done if we wait for inspiration to strike. However, we still often convince ourselves our writing conditions or environment must be just so to create our most worthy work. Well friends, that is a myth mostly sold to us by the marketers of candles and writing desks (see what I did there?). The truth is, good writing happens out of habit, not environment.
Now, I will not insult your intelligence by giving you the banal advice so many others (let's face it, non-creatives) have given to me, which is to "Just sit down and write." The mere act of sitting down and writing, repeatedly, may produce volumes of work. Yet, my guess is your creative well will soon run dry, and your love of writing will dissolve into resentment over process. Unless you must write as a profession to pay the bills, few creative writers find success on the page or with publishers when forced to write for the sake of writing.
You have all put in the time and hard work to master your craft, and I'm sure you have the color-coded bookshelves and moody-chic writing rooms to show for it. Now is the time to develop your skill of writing as habit---which is to say, "Sustainable, and sustainably enjoyable, writing" which can only happen when we prime our minds for it.
Here are two simple things you can do right now to develop your writing habit and produce valuable writing: Movement and Recall.
Research continues to show we experience up to a 60% increase in creative output following a walk. I'll add a new spin. Just before bed, spend a few minutes jotting down up to three sentences that summarize your day (more commentary, fewer bullet points). We'll call this your Memory Journal. When you first wake up, read what you wrote then go for a walk, reflecting on what you wrote. The moment you return home, sit down and do an uninhibited free write for twenty minutes. When your timer dings, pick up your current writing project and continue that flow.
Expanding on the movement-creativity connection, try this simple writing exercise:
Write down the first five words that come to mind. They don't have to be profound, fancy, or complex. Begin by reflecting on your Memory Journal with these words in mind. Go with the first word that connects with a memory then write a 350-word flash fiction or nonfiction piece. Feel free to write from the couch or bed while staring at your beautifully staged writing desk.
And here is my PSA, my gifted friends. Please, please ditch the word count goals entirely. This type of goal setting originates from the manufacturing world where quantity is almost always prioritized over quality. We are humans, not assembly lines, and these industrial-based goals are certain to halt your creative flow.
What conditions have you convinced yourself are necessary for your best writing? Often, our most meaningful work emerges not from the perfect setup, but from the simple commitment to show up consistently, wherever we are.
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