Here's How You Can Loosen Up And Have Fun With Your Writing.
Art For Art's Sake: Vol 2 Part 10
Writing, be it a profession or a hobby, should be fun.
The moment it becomes a duty, chore, or another checkbox on the to-do list, you suck all the joy out of it.
Just like a child immerses herself in her play and loses track of time and life around her, you should have the same experience with your writing as much as you can.
Here is how I try my best to make my writing sessions a fun experience.
Don't Force It
For the last ten days, I couldn't write a single word or work on pre-and-post production of any of my writing because I was busy tackling my periods. This time of the month is the lowest for me - mentally, physically, and emotionally. So no matter how much I wanted to, and no matter how much it was pricking me that I was wasting my time, I couldn't get myself to write. Over the years, when I forced myself to write during this time, I always wrote trash. So the best I can do for myself is to live through these five-to-ten days and hope for a more productive next couple of weeks of writing. And surprisingly, I do manage to make up for the lost time.
Don't Restrict It
I don't have a word count or time limit when it comes to writing. I write as long as and as much as my writer soul wants to write. Some days, it's just a 30-minute session; some times, I am on a roll for over 3 hours. As long as I write, I am happy with myself.
Don't Judge It
The Ego loves to comment as I am writing. It took me some time, but now that Ego is just background noise. It grows loud to faint to loud again from time to time, but I do my best not to listen to it. I only listen to it when my writer soul agrees with it. Then I re-read my work and re-write wherever necessary. Other than that, I leave the judging to the rest of the world.
Don't Be Too Serious About It
I take my lifelong commitment to a writer's life seriously. To some extent, I take my writing seriously, too, because I want to write something that sensible and helpful but don't obsess over it. But what I don't take seriously is the daily labour of writing. I have to keep that fun and light. This is why I accompany my writing with drinking coffee, listening to music and taking breaks every 25 minutes.
Keep The Love Alive
I try to keep my love for writing alive by not over-working myself. I try not to over-book my day with tasks. I make sure I get a full night's rest. I stay hydrated. I make time for reading, listening to songs, and watching movies and shows - cousins of writing. I make sure that when I sit down to write, I have everything I need within arm's reach. And I keep reminding myself why I fell in love with writing and the dream of becoming a writer in the first place.
