What I’d like to focus on in this post has less to do with any specific writing or editing techniques, but can still be applied to it. Personally, I’m feeling a bit burnt out when it comes to writing, as I’m sure many of you feel at this point in the year. We’re all just two weeks away from a long-deserved break from school, from work, and from the tedium of daily life. The closer it gets, however, the less focus we tend to put on the most important things occurring in the present moment.
That being said, what I want to focus on today is the idea of “mindfulness.” I’ve heard this word thrown about a lot in recent memory, but I didn’t have a full understanding of what it fully entails until I started reading up about it online this past week. To put it short, living in “mindfulness” is essentially living “in the moment”: acknowledging how you are feeling physically and emotionally and understanding that it is a by-product of living. It represents the notion that one is better off focusing on how they are feeling in the present and not dwelling in the future or past. If one puts their focus on the present moment, on how they feel, and how the external world impacts us, they end up getting much more out of their days and out of their lives in general.
Mindfulness, while an intriguing idea, is sometimes quite difficult to put into practice, especially with seemingly dozens of outside influences that can distract us from the moment, including but not limited to news media and social media. According to those who practice it, living mindfully takes practice until it becomes habitual.
When connected to writing, I think that lack of mindfulness is the key culprit behind the dreaded affliction “writer’s block.” We’ve all experienced the pain and pressure of opening up a Word document and having not a single word to write. Truthfully, it’s exactly how I started out writing this. The analytical side of our brain all but blocks off the creative flow and sees us analyzing our words on what sounds right, what we should edit, etc. We can’t help but focus on the next step because this is how we’ve been trained.
At a certain age, we start spending more time looking forward, thinking about our futures while still focusing on the present moment. It is a lot for a young mind to handle, I know, which is why I felt the need to bring up mindfulness today and suggest some possible techniques to become more present in your writing.
The hardest part of writing is starting to write. Therefore, the first steps you take before writing can make the difference between writing mindfully and suffering another bout of writer’s block. First, try to get yourself into a physical space free of distraction. If possible, working in “a room of one’s own,” as writer Virginia Woolf put it best, is the perfect place to start. Even still, your own personal space can have its share of distractions. Removing these distractions is step number two, starting with putting your phone across the room on silent or in another room completely. If at all possible, you should try to disconnect yourself from the internet as well. This will help you avoid the temptation of spending time on Facebook or YouTube between paragraphs.
With two of the larger diversions out of the way, you can spend time de-cluttering your work-space. Clear your desk of other papers or junk or any type and keep the area in your frontal view free of distractions as well. Cutting down on the clutter will help things feel more open and might be beneficial to your mental flow as well. Now that we’ve taken care of the external factors, now let’s focus on the internal.
As you begin to write, acknowledge how you feel inside. Are you nervous? Are you apprehensive to start? Good. These are all natural, common feelings not just for writers, but for anyone. By focusing on these feelings in the present moment, you are making a very important effort to understand both how you feel and how to use those feelings to drive your writing. For example, if you’re feeling nervous, tell yourself, “I’m feeling nervous, and that’s okay.” From there, turn that nervousness energy into positive energy to direct towards your writing. Some quick meditation can help turn this energy into something positive. Close your eyes, take some deep breaths, focus on the relationship between your body and your mind, and when you feel you’re ready, then move forward.
Start with the important things, and then fill in the blanks. If the hardest part of writing is starting, then writing the first sentence is definitely the most daunting part. If that’s the case for you, then skip it. In starting your first paragraph, get the most important stuff written first, including your argument/thesis plus any relevant background information. If you’ve started with an outline, this will be an easier step. Once you’ve got all the important things included, see what you can do to fill the spaces in between. A clever, insightful hook or transitions between ideas are all things to add at this point.
The editor is out for today. Give them a little vacation while you’re focusing on your first draft. Now is the time for your inner-Kerouac, your hidden Faulkner (both very stream-of-consciousness-style writers) to shine and write without restraint. Your first draft might feel unfinished or sloppy, but don’t forget that’s why it’s called a “rough” draft. Let it be rough for now; you can always smooth things out later on.
When stuck, stop and re-focus. If you feel yourself getting lost in each sentence, or are letting the editor come back to the office, remember to re-focus yourself back to the present moment when you find yourself over-thinking about your writing. Stop and remind yourself that nothing needs to be perfect, nor should it be at this point. This time is about getting all the thoughts and ideas out of you.
When all is said and done, acknowledge how you feel when you’re finished. You might be feeling relieved, relaxed, or even anxious to get to the revision process. Pump your brakes before you reach for the red pen, however. Give yourself some time, first to once again acknowledge and accept these feelings, and then to take the chance to re-charge and focus on something else besides writing. Try going for a walk or at least going outside for fresh air. If you want, you can turn your internet back or check your phone at this time. This time is your time, so spend it how you want. Nonetheless, try to focus on how this free time makes you feel in the moment.
Congratulations! You’ve just merged the act of writing with the art of mindfulness. Now, there’s only one more question to ask: how do you feel?
For further reading on mindfulness and helpful exercises, consult these resources, articles and more:
What is Mindfulness?
https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/
Mindfulness: Getting Started
https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/
When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom
Mindfulness Exercises
7 Mindfulness Tips To Energize Your Writing
https://writetodone.com/7-mindfulness-tips-to-energize-your-writing/
Read. Write. Grow