You Can Write It Now

Time Management For Writers

One of the greatest challenges for nearly everybody these days is having enough time to do everything we need to do.  Daily life, in and of itself, is hard enough to manage.  Add in a big project like a written work, and  our lives start to feel overwhelming and pretty grim.

Of course there are a plethora of books on the subject of time management.  I've read quite a few myself.  Instead of pulling them out to review here, I'd rather ask you:  do you feel you have enough time to write?  If the answer is no, I invite you to join me in exploring some new ways to think about time.

Write What You Know

Write what you know.

Most books of advice for writers say this sooner or later.  It seems logical, doesn't it?
But what does it mean?
What do you know?

I like to ask writers, both successful and struggling, to tell me what they know and feel confident writing about.

Of course the common answer is:  "It depends...."
Bear with me. This is actually a helpful answer.

Depends on what?

Why Writing Groups Are Helpful For Writers

There is nothing like DOING, to learn. 

What I've learned from running writers' groups is how often the problems writers face don't come from lack of ability but from lack of support.  There are a few blessed souls out there who don't need external support and positive feedback to keep their confidence high, but for many, many people the lack of these two key factors can lead to crippling self-doubt.

A writing group takes time to develop, but it offers amazing benefits for those who stick out the formative stages.  Like any group, a writing group starts with separate individuals who come together hoping to gain something from each other.  They're all in the same boat, as the saying goes, and they hope that rowing together will pull them out of the doldrums and into the fast lane.

Of course, since they don't know each other, everyone tends to be tentative at first.  So it's the leader's job, in the beginning,  to help them feel more comfortable and identify the strengths they bring to the group--for themselves and each other.  There are a lot of different and enjoyable ways to do that, and  it's generally a great relief for group members to realize (and get the feedback that others realize) how many areas of significant strength they can draw on to reach their goals.

Much of the research in Positive Psychology shows that focusing on strengths rather than trying to remedy  weaknesses leads to better results when one is an adult.   This is a new concept for a lot of people.

The evolution of disparate individuals into a group is a fascinating process for the members as well as the leader.  The benefits that accrue from it are sometimes unexpected.  I'll describe this in more detail in another post.

What an "ABD" Really Needs

There is an illuminating article in the New York Times today (October 3, 2007) on the plight of so many graduate students who are trying to write their dissertations.   Finally somebody is noticing!

My husband, who wrote a dissertation many years ago while he and I worked to support our young children, read it and reminisced.   It certainly took him longer to get his degree than it would have if we hadn't had financial pressures.    We were fortunate to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where cheap, decent housing was readily available.  But even so, he didn't have the luxury of a sabbatical, say, where he could devote himself to writing.

Several crucial points are made in the Times article.  One is that graduate students, whether married and with families or not,  need adequate free thinking time to write.  The graduate teaching assistant/instructor system is antiquated, and students are still treated more like indentured servants than budding professionals.  They are still poorly paid and have few rights.  No wonder many students have to go out and find demanding jobs to make decent incomes before they complete their dissertations. 

Where Does the Energy TO Write Come From?

I'm reading Bill O'Hanlon's new book, Write Is A Verb.  Great title!

He talks about 4 kinds of energy that can fuel writing.  I know from other contact with him that he talks about the same 4 energies as fueling other active, basically positive responses to life too.

The 4 energies are:  blissed, blessed, dissed, and pissed. 

Briefly, when you feel blissed, you're in touch with the inner passion you feel for your subject and project.  When you feel blessed, this comes from outside encouragement and help.  These are positive energies.

But negative energies can be useful too!  When you feel dissed, you've experienced rejection or disrespect from others or even a terrible loss.  You respond with "I'll show you!"  Feeling pissed comes from situations that inspire indignation and the desire to right a wrong or show a better way.  Mary Pipher's books, which I discussed in my last post, comes from that sensibility and energy.

I like the idea that we can use all energies to propel us into writing.  I wrote an article for the All But Dissertation Guide Newsletter on this idea.  I called it "Motivating Yourself Over the Long Haul," and outlined ways to use both the carrot and the stick to keep yourself going.  You can read the article by clicking here.

A Book For Writers Who Want To Change the World

A book that I enjoyed recently is Mary Pipher's Writing to Change the World (2006).  Part of it is basic encouragement to start and continue writing and part is more focused discussion of different kinds of writing one can do in the service of positive change--e.g. personal essays, blogs, poetry and music.

Pipher's metaphors made me smile and want to keep reading.  Here's one example:

"A blank page can feel like cold water.  ...we have to dive in.  And when we do, it can be miserable until we warm up.  Then we relax and write without effort."

Here's a piece of advice which she quotes from Michael Crichton:  "Work inspires inspiration.  Keep working.  If you succeed, keep working.  If you fail, keep working. "

Visualizations Can Help You Write More Easily

I'm not a particularly visual person--I never notice that my husband has had a haircut, for instance--but visualizing has always touched a powerful chord in me. I also find that it helps many writers. 

One visualization I have used is to ask blocked writers to close their eyes and imagine themselves in a place they particularly love out in nature and spend time immersing themselves in the setting, using all their senses. 

Here's the process:

Look around you and notice the intensity of color in things.  What else do you see? What pleases you most?

Listen for the sounds of wind and life around you.

Sniff the air and notice what scents you enjoy the most.

Touch trees, flowers, water--whatever attracts you.

Taste something growing there.

Notice the energy all around you and breathe it in.   

Feel your self on the ground or in the water, starting to move.  Feels your muscles carrying you where you want to go.  Are you smiling?  Enjoy the sense of motion as you swim or walk or run or skip or float.  Vary what you are doing.

You are going to bring this memory back with you and hold it in your body when you return to your writing.  Pick something in your visualization that will represent the whole experience for you.  Maybe it's a particular tree that seems well-rooted and bends in the wind yet keeping growing upward.  Maybe it's a kayak that will hold you and carry you swiftly across a lake, propelled by the wind as much as by a paddle.   

Yes, there is effort involved, but it's not grim and unnatural.  It's energy that you can tap into from a constantly renewable source.

Try it and share your experience with us.

The Older Woman Writer

I think the older woman writer has a special role on this blog.  First of all, what do I mean by "older"? I'm thinking of the women I coach who are writing their dissertation in their fifties and beyond.  This reflects a changing demographic. 

A colleague and I started a Women Only group and attracted primarily these women.  Why?  They are all working in their fields, most holding down demanding jobs, very involved with their families...and trying desperately to finish their research, contact their committees, find time and a place to actually write. 

I think of one woman whose husband is incapacitated; she is the primary breadwinner. 

Another takes care of her grandchildren regularly so her daughter can work.

Another has an aging mother who has developed dementia and lives across the country from her.

Another had her child later in life and is trying to cope with his needs and share household responsibilities with her husband.

All work full time too. The list could go on.

One of the things I admire most about these women is their determination to get their degree.  They set goals and often can accomplish only a small part of them in the time they allot because, as the saying goes, "life intervenes."  But they reset the goals and keep moving forward.

What keeps them going?  Their connection to us and each other, for one thing.  They tell us how important the group is for their morale.  They are great sources of encouragement and real information for each other.  How do you deal with an advisor who doesn't seem interested?  How do you narrow your topic so it's manageable?  How do you find the time to do concrete work?  We tackle all these topics and more. 

I feel a special commitment to these women because of their tremendous spirit and willingness to try new strategies and most of all because of their determination.  The group allows them a place to feel unembarrassed by what they consider their chief failing:  they haven't finished yet and they are so old.

It's an especially wonderful moment of celebration when they are successful and get that degree.  That makes all the effort and time spent worthwhile for all of us.

Exercise For Writers

A Tip from Lynne

I’m doing Pilates with a trainer these days.

Pilates is a body conditioning method that (to grossly oversimplify) focuses on strengthening abdominal muscles and increasing flexibility through lengthening other muscles.

The exciting news is that regular work on strengthening and lengthening muscles has already paid dividends after just a few months: I have better balance now that I’m using more kinds of muscles to hold myself upright. It turns out that I was walking around slightly tilted, depending mainly on my back and shoulders instead of my “core” for support—not a good idea.

Who knew?

New benefits keep appearing. Now, when I get down on the floor to play with my grandkids, I can actually jump up instead of laboriously pulling myself up via the furniture.  I feel about ten years younger!

What does this have to do with writing, you ask?

A lot.

If you think about it, writing also requires strengthening specific kinds of muscles. Regular exercise makes it much easier to do well.

The good news is that if your writing muscles are flabby, you can strengthen them by cultivating the right kind of mindset that will lead you to take action.

First of all, admit that you are out of shape.

Next, be willing to commit to a conditioning program for what you are trying to write. This means establishing a schedule of writing times during the week when you will exercise the muscles you need for your particular project. The most important point is to write on your topic very regularly. The more you do that, the faster you will develop those “writing muscles.”

The greatest benefits will come when you can set realistic goals for yourself and do the work to the best of your ability at that time, without self criticism. 

When I first started Pilates I had very little stamina and no abdominal muscles to speak of. I certainly didn’t do the exercises perfectly. But I kept my goals in mind and got benefit from the simple act of showing up repeatedly, however embarrassed I felt at my awkwardness.

Honestly speaking, steady discipline isn’t my strong suit. That’s why I decided to get a trainer. I had tried exercising on my own and just didn’t do it. The same can be true with a writer.  Getting help to stay on task can make the difference between your success or failure to complete it.

Remember: for most writers, the problem isn’t lack of intelligence or ability; it’s the mistaken belief that writing should be easy and take little effort. So, embrace the effort and feel yourself grow strong.

 

 

Powerful Books About Writing, By Women Writers

The first book I ever read on women and writing was Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own.  I remember being very excited (this was back in the late 1950's) that someone had put into words the difficulties facing women who wanted to become writers.

My strong sense of constraint certainly came from the beliefs I was raised with about women.  The amazing thing to me was that Woolf had  published her book in 1929 and the ideas and feelings in it were still true for me.

The even more amazing thing is that, although women are major writers now, so very many of us still struggle with feelings of guilt over making time for our own work a priority.