As some of you are aware, in what now seems like another life, I earned a Masters degree in English Literature with a concentration in Creative Writing. During that time, I served as a Teaching Associate and often encouraged my classes to think about their writing process – what worked for them, what didn’t. I encouraged them to throw all rules away – only outline if it helps you, procrastinate if that is how you really work best (but also try not doing this at least once so you know for sure).
Lately, I have been trying to revive my own writing life. I find it both scary and deeply satisfying. And it has me thinking about what enables me to write best. For me, it seems to have to do with “emotional space.” I know that sounds like kind of a fluffy, BS term. But for me – it is really true.
I need to have a private, quiet space and I need to play music that encourages me to be vulnerable – to step out of the “professional” shell I wear in my daily life. I find Sarah McLachlin is incredibly helpful for this – especially, of late, the song “I Love You.” There is a fragile beauty in her voice that allows me to “let down” my emotions – which is what it feels like to me.
I also need to throw punctuation away and rely heavily on the dash. My attempts at revision always involves an attempt to thin out my excessive use of dashes.
There is something so healing about allowing myself to just be – unscripted and alone – that draws me back to writing.
It feels like finding a part of myself I forgot I had.
