SOME COMMENTS ON THE PROCESS OF WRITING: Guest Blog by Louis Swartz

First of all, I want to thank Chandra for the opportunity to appear as a a guest on her blog. Her invitation happened to coincide with a time when I, personally was really looking at the process of writing and more specifically, the process by which I write.

Earlier this year Constructed of Magic was published. I wrote this book in an aesthetic frenzy and had not looked back until now at the process by which I write. I was asked about this and got to looking at it. I saw some things that I think may be of value to others.

I have a place where I write. It is at a lovely desk from India that my son got me for my birthday years ago.Everything is there in the desk: pens, notebooks, 9 dictionaries, laptop, printer and favorite books within reach. I keep a pen and notebook accessible at all times, on the desk when I am home and in my shoulder bag when I am away.

This is what occurs. I will have a thought. It may be engendered by something I heard, an image I saw, something I read, music I heard or it may come out of the “clear blue”. Regardless of from where it came, I write it down immediately. This is important. In my personal experience these thoughts are like shooting stars. They appear for a moment and then they are gone. So I get them down! There may be one word or a phrase, or a line from a poem, or a stanza, or an entire poem or a concept for an entire book. No matter what, I get it all written down. Sometimes it takes five minutes, sometimes I’ll keep going for hours developing that original thought.

I want to give an example from Constructed of Magic. The first poem in the book is called, Some Things I Want to Show You. This is the sequence. I had the thought, “…the things I left behind…”It was in the middle of the night. I wrote it down in my notebook which was at my bedside. Now, I was wide awake and at my desk. These five words were on the page. Then, a character came to mind fully formed. He was 85 years old. He was a Classical Composer and a poet. He was a man possessed with a terrific grace and kindness. He was grappling with the subject of death and immortality. Below is an excerpt from the beginning of the poem. I think the development will be visible.

 

A lovely man died yesterday.

He was at his piano

Working in his usual way

 

He’d been composing

At a fevered pace

And writing reams of poetry

Unrestrained in single space.

 

He was just nearing

Four score and five,

But one hundred percent there

And intensely alive.

 

He kept telling me

He had something to say,

But we never got a moment

And now he’s gone away.

 

He wrote me a note

A couple of days ago:

“Some things I want to show you

That gave me peace of mind.

You will surely find them

In the things I left behind.”

 

I hope you will find this data of use. I wish you great inspiration in all your aesthetic endeavors.

Best,  Louis Swartz

Constructed of Magic: And Other Poems on the Immortality of the Human Spirit

 

5 Basic Things Every Writer Needs to Know

You know about plot. You know about character development and conflict. You know about setting and resolution. So what else is there? What are you missing? What else needs your attention?

You.

You are the crux of everything that you write. If you don’t take care of yourself, how are all of those beautiful words (or horrifying, or amusing, whatever your genre) going to get out of your head?

Here are some of the most overlooked but most important ways to make sure that you’re on top of your writing game.

 

Eat Your Heart Out

Your brain can only live off Yoo-hoo and Doritos for so long. It may save you time, but it’s costing you brain power. Not getting the proper nutrition can result in illness, aches and pains, and listlessness.

Listlessness may sound familiar. If you are looking for sugary foods to boost your energy level, here’s what actually happens:

Sugary snacks create a spike in your blood sugar, giving you that oomph of energy. Except your body then looks for more fuel, but since it burned everything on that spike, there’s nothing there. Then comes the crash, and goodbye good writing!

Next time, when you’re looking for a snack, see if you can munch on some veggies or a protein bar to satisfy your hunger. And if you’re not quite ready to give up your Fritos and bean dip, at least bolster it a bit with fruits and veggies. At least it will counter the effect.

Pro Tip:

Before you sit down to write, prepare some good-for-you snacks so when you’re on a roll and get the munchies, you don’t result to picking up something that won’t give you as much brain power. Be prepared.

 

The Hydra Station

I know that writers are supposed to stay up all night, drinking coffee by the gallon, and chain-smoking cigarettes while they crank out the next great American novel.

Studies show that’s probably not the best idea. It turns out that caffeine, in addition to being a stimulant, restricts blood vessels, pulls water from cells, and causes dehydration. So, I hate to be the one to deflate the stereotype, but trade in your coffee for water. Your brain is made of 70% water. Give that thing what it wants! Replenish its fluids and it will reward you by working properly.

Pro Tip:
If it’s not feasible to cut out coffee in lieu of water, try to drink at least one glass of water for every cup off coffee.

 

The Sandman Cometh

With a busy schedule, sleep is usually the first thing that gets cut—and writers get hit more than anyone—especially when there are deadlines. Maybe you get up early to write. Maybe you stay up late to get a little more done. Either of which is fine—but not both. You also need to make up that lost time. If possible, when you stay up late, sleep in. If you get up early, go to bed a little earlier.

Naps can be a two-edged sword. I find that if I sleep in the middle of the day, I wake up two hours later, wondering what year it is. So instead of napping, I try to make sure that I get enough sleep during my normal sleeping hours. I do understand that that’s not feasible for everyone. Enter the power nap. When your brain shuts down and you can’t think of another word, find a quiet spot, and close your eyes for 10-15 minutes. It is usually enough to get you over that bleary-eyed hump.

Pro Tip:
If mental clarity isn’t enough incentive to get adequate sleep, keep this in mind: shorting yourself on sleep can cause symptoms of premature aging such as wrinkles and disease.

 

Get Busy, Child

When you’re writing, it’s super easy to sit at your computer for 15 hours straight, even after inspiration wanes. Moving your body around brings blood back to your cells, including the ones in your brain.

It would be ideal to get half an hour each day to get moving. You could go to the gym (I know) or you could do something as simple as take a 15 minute walk in the morning and a 15 minute walk in the afternoon. Or turn up the music and dance around the living room. Or stretch. Or walk up and down some stairs. Or just step outside. It doesn’t have to be hard. Just get up and move. Any type of activity is better than none.

Pro Tip:
Set an alarm to help you remember to get away from your desk for 2-5 minutes each hour.

 

The Spirit Calls

Studies show that regular practices of the mind result in sharper memory, increased productivity, and increased creativity flow. You don’t have to become a full-on Yogi, but regular relaxation is needed, even if it’s just 5 minutes per day. You can meditate if you want, but gardening, reading, drawing, or even just appreciating nature for a few minutes is enough to do it. It’s very unhealthy to go full-tilt all the time. Even if you are on a roll, take time for yourself and give yourself a mental break.

Pro Tip:
Here’s an exercise that is easy to do with minimal effort. Get away from your desk and to a comfortable place. Get yourself comfortable and let your eyes close for 5-10 minutes. Forget your problems, forget your worries, just be. When the timer goes off, you will feel surprisingly refreshed. At the very least, you gave your brain and eyes some rest and will be ready to get back on that writing wagon.

 

The most important tool that a writer possesses is his mind. A well-rested, well-fed, and peaceful mind is ready to examine, explore, research, and express. Taking care of it will ensure that you are energized, clear, fresh, and inspired.

So, go ahead. Indulge in some self-care. The results may be just what you’re looking for.

 

In a Slump? Motivational Tips You Can Use Right Now!

 

You know you need to get your work done. You know you need to do it now. You sit down, crack your knuckles, put your hands on the keyboard and… nothing. You try to keep at it, you dig deep and look for the motivation, but it’s not there. Suddenly, you feel like doing anything but writing. There are three movies on your Netflix queue that you need to watch. For the second time. Your dishwasher needs to be emptied. The ducks at the pond need your bread scraps or they may starve. Anything but writing.

It happens to us all at some point. Except for Stephen King, who seems to have a limitless well of material inside him. Or Ray Bradbury who wrote every day until he died. Okay, fine, maybe it is just me, but I am willing to admit to the possibility of others who have run into the same thing.

If you wait for motivation to come to you, you’re in for a long, long wait. If you are waiting for inspiration to strike, it might, but there’s always the chance it may not. Here are some tips to create your own motivation. Even if you’re not a writer, these tips can be modified for motivation in any area.

1. Get into a Groove, Not a Rut

Create a groove for yourself. Write the same time every day, if possible. I have a sliding schedule and have a hard time with this, but I found a time that works for me. It may not be as often as I like, but it’s better than not doing it at all. A writer I knew used to get up an hour earlier every morning to write. She got up at 5 a.m. instead of 6, but she got her novel written that way. When you do finally find your groove but have to miss your scheduled time, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just get back on it at your next scheduled time.

2. Visualize the End

Visualize your finished piece. What do you want it to look like? Who would you like to see reading it? Putting a finish line there for yourself helps you to see that there is just that. An end. It’s not just a endless cycle of sitting down and writing. You are working toward an end product. This will also help you from getting into the dreaded rut from number 1.  

3. Put Yourself on the Hook

Make yourself accountable by committing to a deadline. Publicly. Whether it’s with your writer’s group, on your Facebook page or Twitter, or just telling someone, make your deadline known. You will be more motivated to get it done if there are people paying attention.

4. Dust off that Photo of David Hasselhoff

Do you have a book that always makes you want to write? Don’t put it away on a shelf; keep it next to your writing space. For me, it’s a newspaper article written by my stepfather about my birth father before he died. I want to make both of them proud, which is a great motivation. Keep your muses close to you to inspire you at those moments when you need inspiration.

5. No Labels

Don’t limit yourself with labels. Avoid ideas like “When I publish this, I’ll finally be a writer” or “When I sell a million copies, I’ll be someone.” You are already a writer. You are already someone. Work instead on being a great writer. Don’t place your worth in the future. The only thing that will accomplish is the feeling of worthlessness now. Feelings of worthlessness never got anyone anywhere. You know the trap is there; you don’t need to throw yourself into it.

6. Do Not Deliberately Throw Yourself into the Sarlacc* Pit

Don’t be hard on yourself. Don’t constantly punish yourself for not having sold as many books as Stephen King or writing as much as Ray Bradbury. This is a greased trap every writer should avoid. Falling into a hole of despair will not help you accomplish anything. Stop yourself when you start to recognize the signals. Don’t let yourself fall in. It’s a hard climb back up.

Do pat yourself on the back when you do well. Reward yourself when you reach your goal. Your day-to-day efforts deserve some acknowledgement. You don’t have to throw yourself a parade every time you write a paragraph, but, hey, you got it done. Have that double-shot macchiato with extra whip as a reward. You deserve it.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarlacc

7. Don’t Sabotage Your Progress

If you have found your groove and are in it, don’t let anything stop you. However, don’t take it too far. If I overdo it one night and stay up until 2 a.m., it may take me out for three days and I don’t produce anything. Keep it on an even keel and don’t exhaust yourself. I also find that the quality of my work suffers if I drink that third cup of coffee and push through. The time spent in revision is not worth the effort spent on sub-par work.

8. Work through the Suck

A friend of mine once gave me some advice that I have never forgotten. Work through the suck. It may not be going the way you imagined, but keep going. It will get better. It’s not going to get worse the more you practice. Quite the opposite actually. Natch.

9. Keep it Moving

If you don’t feel like working on your novel, short story, or whatever you’re working on, don’t push it. But do write something. Journal, blog, write story outlines longhand on your Snoopy notepad that you keep because it’s cute, it doesn’t matter. Just write. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, but it will keep your chops up. After all, that is what Steve and Ray do. Imitate your heroes. Pretty soon, you’ll be up there with them. And if not, at least you didn’t end up in the Sarlacc Pit.