Pros and Cons of Treadmill Writing

I’m not here to discuss how great or dangerous it would be to have one of those treadmill desks (although I just came across a blog post where a writer found that while her husband and cats were perfectly willing to bother her while she had her butt in the chair, nobody bugged her while she was on the treadmill, so she started writing there); I’m talking about the process of continuously “writing in place.” Many times over the years I have found myself reaching a writing plateau and I need to find something to shake it up. Taking stock of my use of treadmill writing is one way to break free from the writing stagnation it sometimes causes. Let me explain:

• Pro: Treadmill writing gets SOMETHING on the page. One of the most simple, yet true, pieces of writing advice is “Just Write.” Getting to the page eliminates the first obstacle, showing up.
• Pro: Treadmill writing allows you to get your writing in shape. If you are just starting, you get a chance to discover your limitations. Set your writing treadmill to high, and sprint through a quick draft; how do you feel? Winded? Exhilarated? If you've been away from writing for a while, it serves as a rehab. Start off slowly. Remember how it feels.
• Con: If you spend all of your time writing in place, you may discover you are not going anywhere. You have written pages of premises, possibilities, and ponderings—but your story, essay, or book lacks a real structure. By standing in one spot, you can’t take the journey. In writing, that includes (at minimum) a beginning, middle and end. Be aware if your “just writing” is keeping you from finishing.
• Con: Treadmill writing, like treadmill running, is different than “the real thing.” If you go on a treadmill at the gym, at a level that mimics a “real running path,” your body gets a little bit of a shock when you go outside to run in the real world. If you grow too accustomed to writing without rules and structure, you may find it difficult to finish a polished work.
  
  

My own treadmill writing has served me well, and I will continue to come back to it often to get my writing engines fired up. But when it comes to getting something on paper that I want to share, I need to quit running in place and work on things that may seem uncomfortable at times. Just like I can’t stick to the treadmill at the gym for overall fitness, I can’t expect one practice-- “just writing” -- to lead to better results. Those uncomfortable planks and ab workouts? Those are the writing equivalent to creating an outline for my memoir. I had a general  idea where it was going during the treadmill writing phase, but to really get to the guts of the matter- I need to create some kind of outline. I may not like doing it now, but, like those planks, it will be worth it later.

Happy Writing!

--Tina

Do you have something you'd like to share about the writing process? I'm accepting guest blog posts! Email me: tina (at) excuseeditor.com

4 Lessons Learned From Editing

I'm not just the editor of excuses, I actually edit other writers' stuff from time to time. As a matter of fact, editing has become my one of my primary responsibilities at my day job. I'm very lucky, because I was originally hired as a temporary employee to help out doing financial things, which often involves numbers and math, and, well, let's just say its best for all involved that I stay away from that.

Instead, the owner of the company asked me to look over one of his upcoming newspaper columns and I practically rewrote it. I liked the challenge to make a published columnist's work even better, and I wasn't worried that he would take offense. I was SUPPOSED to be temporary.

It was clear my talents were better suited to low-calculator-use environments, so I shifted to the marketing department and have been there ever since. By editing my boss' and other people's work, I've learned a few lessons that serve me when I approach my own pages.


1. Agree to Disagree
You may disagree with the philosophy of the writer you are editing, but this is not your work; this is not your message. You were hired to make the author's point of view as understandable as possible. It actually helps  the work if you disagree, because you won’t take their point of view for granted and you will be better suited to show the author where they need to be more convincing.

This helps your own work by reminding you to be creative, think of your opposition, and consider those who would call your scene unbelievable.

Every Day is New Year's Day

I’m writing this on December 29, and I'm thinking about the weight we put on this time of year. Your focus these next few days may be on many “lasts,” the last cigarette (THIS is the year you will quit), the last overindulgent meals and snacks (the cleanse begins on January 1), your last morning of laziness and sloth (new workout regimen starts at 5:30AM, January 1, er, 2^nd—you really can’t expect to start anything at 5:30AM after New Year’s Eve, right?).

Your writing goals may be following the New Year’s Resolution script, as well. Starting on January 1, EVERYTHING WILL BE DIFFERENT. Just like last year. You will have daily, weekly, and monthly writing goals to keep you motivated, and you will start, as soon as you wake up on that first January morning. OK, well, maybe not THAT morning. It is a holiday, after all. You deserve a little break. One day will not put you that far behind. As soon as you get home from work on January 2^nd, that will be perfect. No, you won’t want to start in the MORNING on January 2^nd. It’s tough to get going after a long weekend, you know? So, after work. And after dinner. And after cleaning up. And, oh, is “Modern Family” new tonight? It’s only a half-hour, after all. You know, you are going to be tired. Maybe better to wait until the weekend.

And so on.

Yoga & Creativity Workshop in Wichita Falls

Fueling the Creative Fire

Saturday, November 10

2:30-4:30PM
Breathe Yoga Studio

508 Indiana Street

$25 or $20 for Breathe Yoga Studio Class Package Holders

Do you use creativity in your daily life? Maybe you’re a writer, artist, dancer, painter, crafter, chef, designer, sculptor, musician or yogi? This workshop will blend specific yoga poses (beginner friendly!) to help move the body and mind toward new perspectives. By opening space in the body, you’re able to open up space in the mind for new possibilities.

Join us for two hours of juicy brainstorming, creativity and movement to help inspire you toward your next creative project.

Great for artists and creatives of all types. Bring a yoga mat (extras will be available at the studio) and journal, writing utensils, markers, colored pencils or whatever inspires you to create.

SPACE IS LIMITED, so reserve your spot today by email:

tina (at) excuseeditor.com or ashley (at) ashleyjosephine.com

Payment (cash, card, check) will be taken at the door.

Led by AshleyJosephine and Tina Haapala

Hello, writers! I'm excited about sharing the news of a fun project I have coming up. I've enjoyed yoga practice for over a decade, and have always felt that it inspires my writing. Now, with Ashley's help, I will be able to explore this connection between yoga and creativity. I hope those in the area will attend.--Tina

More Than Words

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Writing is a struggle. Just because we love it doesn't mean it's always easy. We know this. There are times, however, that getting back to our writing is more difficult than others.

My friend, Paula Bruno, has been a storyteller all of her life, and has enjoyed spending time with her own words, creating fictional worlds to visit and analyze for years. But lately, she feels as if she's in a bit of a rut (although many of her recent blog posts are extremely inspired and heartfelt, in my opinion). And while I feel it's my duty to tell writers they must continue on their journeys no matter the roadblocks, the truth is, there are times when it is certainly understandable to pull over, and catch your breath.

I offer space in my blog to my fellow writers (that means you!), and Paula sent this to me when I had asked the question in our writing group about what excuses they make when it comes to writing:

I've had a rough two years.  After a year long illness, my husband, Ronnie,  passed on, and now everything he used to do for me, I have to do for myself, such as take the car to get the oil changed, refill the windshield washer fluid under the hood, mow and trim, tend to his pigeon flock etc.  A few months after Ronnie passed to the hereafter,  I hired a young man to do some work which turned into an absolute disaster.  So on top of everything else, I have to figure out how to either fix or learn to live with the remnants of mess he left behind.

Ronnie was paralyzed from the waist down for five months before he died.  If you have never tended to anyone in that predicament, it is hard to imagine what it's like.  I'll put it simply; everything that you do for yourself – everything – must also be done for this other person.  There was much to do for him in addition to everything else – household chores, laundry, meals. Needless to say, his needs came first.

I completely lost my ability to focus on one chore long enough to complete it. I stopped writing fiction.  I stopped posting to my blog. I even quit writing my morning pages which I often refer to as "counting my blessings".

He's been gone a year now and I'm still using all the above as excuses not to get started back writing on my third novel.

I heard myself telling a friend recently that I didn't have time to read much of anything.  Then I backtracked and admitted, "Actually, I have plenty of time to read and write, but I spend a lot of it doing absolutely nothing but staring into space."

Having lost her husband a few years ago, she assured me that this is part of the grief process and that it'll pass.  She recommended that I be kind to myself.

Writing fiction has been my life long passion.  If I'm not writing, I'm not happy.  My favorite quote is one of my own, "I know it's going to be a good day if I start it off writing."  Not many start that way though these days.

So how can I get past all these excuses I'm using not to write?  If you've been in this situation, and worked through it, I'd like to hear how you did it.  --Paula Bruno

I'm sure Paula would appreciate any words of encouragement you may have for her. My sense is, her characters aren't going to let her abandon them for long (and neither will our writer's group, who now see the fictional Kirklands as part of our extended family), but then again, I have not suffered a loss in the same way, so may not be able to offer what she most needs to hear. Feel free to comment below or to email her at pewwriter (at) aol.com.

Thanks to Paula for sharing!

Click for Book Trailer

Paula A. Bruno is the author of Come Hell or High Water and The Hell About Stallions, available through Amazon. Her blog is called Lookin' Out My Back Door.

Use Time to make your Writing Tick

It’s amazing what you can get done in 30 minutes.

A few weeks ago, I drove my stepson to his guitar lesson. Instead of spending my time there, losing another round of Words with Friends, I decided to try and be productive. I had a few ambitious goals for that limited time frame, but rather than think about it too much, I just waved goodbye and went about my business.

It was time for an eyebrow wax. I don’t torture myself in this particular way very often, but it really was time. I rolled the dice and drove to a salon a block or so from the guitar shop. Amanda was able to help me right away, and when the ripping and tweezing was done, I still had 15, maybe even 17,  minutes until I had to head back.

Do I dare? I had to go to the post office. The horror! As I walked in, I knew immediately I had pressed my luck. As usual, there was a line creeping along at lava’s pace. But wait, holy kiosk, Batman! I didn’t have succumb to the herd, I could weigh my envelope and get the exact postage printed for me with only a swipe of a credit card. I even stoned that other bird, checking my business P.O. Box. I am sooo productive!

With the minutes I still had to spare, I took a few notes for this blog post back in the car. I didn’t write the whole thing, of course, I’m doing that now. Besides, I had to drive back to the guitar shop. If I wouldn’t have had to take a left across a busy street, I would have been exactly on time. My stepson was ready to go, saving me from even glancing at my pitiful Words with Friends standing.

 Time is what you make of it

Sometimes the self-defeating chatterbox in my head tells me not to start something NOW, because there’s just not enough time to get anywhere with it.  When I tell myself that often enough, guess how much I get written? Nada.  Sure, sometimes getting to the writing is as pleasant as a waxing, but you will feel so much better when it’s over (You’ve heard, “I don’t like to write, I like to have written.” I’m pretty sure it’s the same with waxing).

Excuse Editor Tips:

·         Skip the “ready, set.” Just GO!  If you know you have time constraints, just force in as much as you can

 

Who are you competing against?

If you work on deadlines, either from your employer, client, or self-imposed, you have probably figured out your “racing” style. You may be best writing under pressure, forced to open up the creative muse with mere minutes left to submit your work. You may have learned that kind of pressure puts you at a complete standstill. Writer SK Walker said on my Facebook page recently, “This is creativity, not boxing chocolates on a conveyor belt”. So instead of the pressuring procrastination, you keep a slow and steady pace, arriving at your deadline rested and on-time. I'm not here to say what is best, I'm here to remind you to discover what works best for you.

I recently finished up a “bootcamp” program at my local YMCA. It involved some running, in the almost brutal North Texas heat. The last day was the big hoo-rah, as we were scheduled to take a 4 mile run. I think about 100 people had signed up for the class 6 weeks prior; there were 10 of us for that final run.

Although I hadn't made it to every run, I felt pretty confident that I could make it through. Now, I didn't think I was going to set any records, but that wasn't my goal. I just wanted to say I made it. Throughout the run, I found myself smack dab in the middle, and giving me time to think about the writing journey:

Your only competition is yourself

• This can be a tough one. You may have a friend who is racking up jobs left and right, while you are still struggling to get your first acceptance. You may feel pretty confident about the sales of your new book, but there will always be someone else selling more. It's difficult not to place yourself on this competitive continuum, and react accordingly. Unfortunately, that can leave you in a manic state-- either ecstatic or depressed depending on how you feel you compare to others.
• When you are in a state of constant comparison, you are allowing others to determine how YOU are doing. This is not entirely fair or accurate. Just because someone else has succeeded does not mean that you have failed, just as someone losing out doesn't make you a winner.

You are not in a race against everyone else. You are only on a mission to create the best you that you can be. Compare your current writing against the work you did last year. Step back and analyze the steps you took to complete your last project-- the one you rushed to finish at the end to meet a deadline: did that give you a creative push, or did it cause the work to suffer?

Near the end of my recent 4-mile run, I could see the expert runners already stretched out and heading to their cars to drive home, and I could look back and see some others walking, still quite a ways from finishing. Everybody has their own journey. When I made it back to the finish line, I was proud of my accomplishment. I kept moving forward, even about a quarter of the way through when my feet, calves, and hamstrings were all fighting against me. It didn't matter that I didn't complete the run with the athletes up front-- maybe someday, if I decided to keep working on it. But that day, I ran (ok, jogged) the best I could, and for that, I am thankful.

Because I didn't just start, I finished!

Happy Writing!

P.S. The new version of The Scoop writing contest list is available, remember to sign up if you haven't!