IWSG(Insecure Writer's Support Group)

Yes, it is the first Wednesday in the month and that means another installment for IWSG.  AlexCavanaugh is our favorite Ninja blogger. He originated this group!  I found a book, at the book store the other day, by SARK.  I opened it at random to p. 55 and there was a prompt called "Nourish the Writer"




I flipped back, on p. 49  and see she has a whole section on  WHEN WRITING.  I will highlight some of the key points.
For those who don't know who SARK is, well she is an inspirational guru who inspires people, to dream, dare n' do.  She has unique creative ideas on how to do just that. She uses color, playful inner child-like exercises,  yet there are undertones of serious blended throughout the book.


"People often ask, "What is your routine?  Do you write at a particular time of the day or night?" I laugh. I'm tempted to make up a story that will sound sensible or inspired, or somehow magnificently creative.    ....More often, it is a random and ordinary and lucky.  ....The inner critic puffs up and becomes enormous. He stands at the gates, shouting about content, form, and grammar. His job is to prevent me from actually writing."   (WE ALL KNOW HIM or HER)

"...How do you get past the critic?"      run!    You do anything. You lie, slide on your stomach under the gate, papers in your mouth, you present false papers-whatever gets you past the critic.  ...Then, when you have written, you can wave your pages at this critic in vengeful joy."


 "The critic is not stronger than you."

"Sometimes writing feels like a Flea Circus, made of  intricate and tiny movements that are unseen from a far, but actually busy moving and building."

"I create an orb for the writing to be born into.  There are rituals for this:  
Systematic cleaning and organizing, playing certain music, and the gathering of silence."
(The gathering of silence is like cloud watching)

 HOW TO START


The list only goes up to 7!
Can't write 7. I'm not good enough
I can write because  7. You are enough.
  You have enough.  You do enough.


"Go play a game:  Parcheesi, Monopoly, Backgammon, Scrabble or Bridge.  Games provide a respite from the particular intellectual parts of the mind used for writing. You can still ruminate, and ponder and interact with another person or people. "

 SARK says: "The hardest part is starting!"

It is a SARK kind of day, I also used her inspiration for a poetry prompt~

(Off to catch some fleas, for my circus and challenge hubby (who is home today sick), to a game of Scrabble!    Do you love SARK, do you have a Flea Circus, do you play board games, do comic books inspire you?    Do you create an orb?  (I think I need a big bubble like Glinda has in the Wizard of Oz).
***  photo credit

Comments

Some wise words!
Go play an instrument. That gives time to ponder as well.
Isis Rushdan said…
I love the part about creating an orb for the writing to be born in. We all need a space for creativity to flourish.
Mary said…
Oh yes, I agree....the hardest part is starting, as well as finding TIME for our creativity to flourish. I love all your use of color in this post.
Donna Shields said…
Some meditation will work too. I found that if I take 5 minutes and clear my mind, my muse and characters begin their little chatterboxes.
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Love this, Ellie. I love SARK too. I remember my delight in discovering her colorful work back in the 90's.....
Arlee Bird said…
This looks like a unique book. I went to a flea circus once, but I think it was all bogus. I probably just need a whole lot more focus in my life. Books about writing can be helpful for finding what works for us.

Lee
Tossing It Out
Brian Miller said…
comic books def inspire me as well....ha....and we play games all the time...mostly card games though....writing is like exercise, done daily whether i want to or not....that looks like a pretty cool book though...
Johanna Garth said…
I get the best ideas and the space I need during my long runs.
Mel Chesley said…
When I started doing my paper route, I had so much 'free time' to think, I got the best ideas! Now, I'm ending the route (winter..ig) so I will have to find something else that keeps me going and writing this winter.
Yolanda Renée said…
Orbs, Scrabble, a circus. Now that I can get behind. Great post, love the pros and cons. Completely recognize me in there. :)
Liza said…
I never thought of playing a game. I usually take a walk...that seems to get the muse going most times.
Anonymous said…
So interesting! I will look this up. Thanks. k.
Melissa Sugar said…
Thanks for sharing the wisdom. For me, starting is always the hardest part. It amazes me why I don't just plunge in because I know that once I begin, I can accomplish a lot and am usually happy with the content. Yet, I still suffer from some strange phobia that prevents me from just putting butt in chair and starting.
Dave King said…
I had not heard of Sark until the other day. Since when I have run into her a few times. I think I'm getting to appreciate her.