51. Write It Out

"There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know 'til he takes up a pen to write." - William Makepeace Thackeray, novelist (1811-1863)

Thoughts are crazy things. Sooo hard to pin-down sometimes. If you're wrestling with an issue and you can't work it out... write it out. Get it out of the recesses of your mind and onto the PAGE where it can be viewed more objectively.

Expressing oneself in writing brings clarity to a whole new level... Even if the only thing that you clearly discover is how very UNclear you are about your feelings. Still, the writing of it will bring the unclarity into greater focus.

I prefer stream-of-consciousness writing... Which is a lot like my normal writing like I do here on the blog... except I never edit, don't worry about spelling or structure and allow myself to bop around from subject to subject on a thought-by-thought basis. This technique is based on Julia Cameron's "Morning Pages" from her best-selling creativity manifestio The Artist's Way. She calls it "brain drain." And it soooooo IS!

Nobody ever gets to read my "brain drain." In fact, I hardly ever go back and read it myself. It's nice to be able to wrestle with my thoughts using my pen and then just close the book and let it go.

Never used to think of myself as a writer. But I guess I am, sort-of... because I write things... a lot. My writing has gotten better over the years because I've been writing "Morning Pages." And I have a lot more fun with my writing now, because I don't judge it so much or worry about it being "good." It is what it is for now and that's good enough. I'm not trying to win literary awards... just want to be able to express myself and enjoy that process.

brain + cluttered with too many thoughts = unhappiness

When in need of a little clarity... Write it now. Write it out. Write it down.

If your pen tries to lie to you... you'll know. Your own personal truth is hard to deny in pen and ink.

Don't judge. Allow. Enjoy the process.

Love,
V

P.S. I've got a monologue coaching session today with Kathryn Bild! Yay! My four pieces have been chosen. Now the fun part begins... playing with the words and discovering these characters and learning. Fun!

"Even though you can't physically see a tree growing, doesn't mean it's not, right? Every day you get closer." - Mike Dooley, Tut's Universe