from my most recent newsletter…
Are you still writing when you show up and nothing happens? You know, those times when you are all prepared to write and your fingers are on the keyboard and you are staring at the blank screen, and nothing happens?
The other day in class, one student was berating herself during check in. “I sat there for a whole hour and didn’t get anything done.” I hear this a lot during check ins. “I showed up but I just struggled.” “I showed up but only wrote one paragraph.” “I showed up and all I got was one sentence.” In all these cases, the tone is one of failure. They didn’t fulfill their commitment. They didn’t actually write.
I disagree. The reason I always suggest starting with a time commitment rather than a word commitment each week is because in the creative process, the only thing we can commit to with any certainty is to show up. Creativity is like the tide. Sometimes it’s high, sometimes it’s low, and sometimes it’s in between. There are times when you are in the flow and may easily and effortlessly write five pages, or ten. Another day you may struggle to put together a few good sentences or a paragraph. And, as in the example above, sometimes you may have nothing to show for your time. Here’s the secret. This is what writing is. You may think nothing is happening, because you are looking at that blank page. But inside you, underneath, in the way back of your subconscious maybe, a lot is going on. Showing up in the ebb tide is the most important part of writing. Learning to trust it is essential. Struggling with the unknown is the deepest part of writing. I sometimes suggest you get up and take a walk rather than stare at the page or shuffle papers around on your desk (although that can be necessary too). Studies have shown that walking helps integrate the two sides of your brain. Pacing in your room can also work, by the way, if you can’t get out. I also suggest no matter how difficult it is, to come back for the last five minutes of your time and just jot something down. I often find that then I manage to eek out something that will be useable to me in my next session.
Can you begin to trust your writing process today?
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