Only Ten Minutes?

 

Of all the things that make writers successful, nothing works as well as practice.

But ten minutes? What can you possibly achieve in ten minutes? What exactly is the point?

 

Actually the point is that you want to write without any expectations. However, those regular ten minute intervals will stack up to achievements without your doing anything but putting your pen to paper (or hands to the keyboard) and enjoying it.

 

You Learn to Enjoy the Process

 

Our culture is on “instant” mode. From fast food to instant messaging, we come to believe we can have it all now. But trying to do too much too soon leads to frustration. Push just enough to move toward where you want to go, but not so much that you sabotage your efforts. You can always build to longer writing period or more frequent sessions, but you have to start with a foundation.

 

Once you understand what you can achieve in regular but short periods of engagement, you start to understand that the ultimate goal—a memoir, a novel, publication—is accomplished through a series of smaller goals that are not at all intimidating.

 

Hone Your Skills

 

Atul Gawande in his article “The Learning Curve—How Do You Become a Good Surgeon” (New Yorker, Jan 28, 2002) said “The most important talent may be the talent for practice itself.” If this is true for surgeons, why would it not be true for anyone, including a writer?

 

When you practice regularly, you learn to write more fluidly with less frustration. The more you practice, the more you’ll find that you become fully engaged in what you are doing and the rest of the world recedes. With regular practice it is easier to enter this frame of mind, often referred to as flow. You come away more skilled and even refreshed through regular writing practice.

 

Learn Your Voice, Discover Your Niche

 

Sometimes people don’t write because they are not sure what they want to say. Writing practice is for you alone, and that sets you free to explore. If you allow yourself to spill onto the page regularly, you will find that elusive quality that you hear referred to as your “voice.” This is your unique form of expression, that ephemeral quality that makes a piece one that could only be written, as it is written, by you. Writing that stands out does so because of the individuality brought to the piece by the writer.

 

The ritual of writing practice also allows you to find your stories. Judy Reeves in Writing Alone, Writing Together states, “One of the most common remarks heard in writing practice groups is, ‘I don’t know where that came from.’”  Give your innermost thoughts and feelings an outlet they trust and they’ll make themselves heard.

 

If you show up at your page, inspiration will know where to find you.

 

Minimizes Distractions

 

We can all relate to what Leonard Bishop says in Dare to Be a Great Writer: “For every desire to write today, there are multitudes of distractions to draw you from that creative disposition—family, employment, depressions, entertainments, feelings of futility, drinking, drugs, bowling leagues, church picnics, television, etc.”

 

He goes on to advise:

“The only way to stop these distractions from stopping you from writing is to deliberately fortify yourself within an impregnable structure of writing habits. There is no other way.

“If possible, write at the exact same time and in the same place….The place where you write must become your sanctuary, the realm in which you ignore the existence of the world. This writing time must become so vital and intrinsic to your life that whatever attempts to distract you should be regarded as a vicious threat to your welfare.  This may seem fanatic, inconsiderate, ruthless. It is not. If anyone tried to prevent a lawyer, doctor, plumber, pastor, or musician from going to work, they would be dealt with mercilessly.

It must become more difficult … not to write.”

Start now to embrace the idea of regular writing practice.  Think of these small slivers of time as rays from the sun.  They’ll warm you and they’ll make you grow. Judy Reeves sums it up best when she says, “Practice is not just to get better at something. Practice is how you become what you want to be.”

 

©2003Dekat

 

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©2004 Carolyn Dekat
Last Modified: March 1, 2004