It’s All in the Timing … or: Using Writing to Raise Your Joy Factor
One thing that has been an essential tool for raising my joy factor – from the time I was 11 – is my writing practice. I’m a writing evangelist (workshop leader/coach), so I often talk to people who say they want to start a writing practice, but they don’t have the time to do it.
Lucky for them (and you), I have a secret: a writing practice requires time, but not a whole lot.
Set a timer for 15 minutes for a great jump-start to your writing practice (which is the ultimate jump-starter if you want to write short stories, songs, screenplays, books, articles for your business, or if you just want to go wider and deeper with your personal journaling). By setting aside a specific amount of time, you’ll remove the pressure for brilliance at the beginning, and you’ll have a built in mechanism to get you focused.
The rules of writing practice are few:
1. Write.
2. Keep writing.
3. Go with the first thing that you think of … jump on the train of thought and ride.
4. Don’t stop to think, judge, analyze, critique, ponder or check your spelling.
5. Tell the truth. Or not. Make stuff up that feels true.
6. Detach. Let go of expected outcomes. Accept perfect imperfection.
7. Stay with what matters. If you don’t care, you won’t care.
8. There are no rules.
As Woody Allen said: 80% of success is showing up. So grab a timer, set it for 15 minutes and show up for these starters:
- If I wasn’t afraid…
- Things that made me smile today …
- What do I need to show up for in my life?
- Marsha or Jan, and why?
Whoo hoo, look at that: you’re a writer!
About Deb Cooperman
Deb Cooperman is a meaning maker, "writing evangelist,” arts marketer, and a drag queen trapped in the body of a woman. (and a non-denominational wedding celebrant in her spare time ...) Deb has been keeping a journal since she was 11 years old when her most fervent musings centered on whether Davy Jones or Paul McCartney was cuter. These days, a writing practice is the glue that keeps her life together and she spreads the word about it to most anyone who will listen. She also has savant-like skills for recalling lyrics to pop music from the 60s and 70s. Just try to stump her. debcooperman.com
Great tips Deb! Also, love those starters. Here’s another one: “In my next life I want to….”