Welcome to Writing Practice. The idea is simple: I send out a prompt, often with links to related published pieces to help fuel creativity. Then you write. (Confused? More about Writing Practice can be found here). Free subscribers get the Sunday Writing Practice emails; paid subscribers get all of them.
Write as much or as little as you like. I would recommend not over-thinking this, and just using it as an opportunity to jot down some words. I would also recommend just writing through – don’t try to make it perfect (that’s for later).
Some of these prompts may resonate, and you’ll find yourself writing paragraph after paragraph. Others will fall flat, and you’ll roll your eyes, or come up empty and feel frustrated. This, too, is part of having a regular writing practice. On those days of frustration or blockage, try to write something down anyway – even just one sentence, even just one word. And then take heart in the reality that, if we are lucky, there is always tomorrow.
WRITING PRACTICE DAY ELEVEN
As a writer, I spend a lot of time thinking about my inputs and my outputs. What am I reading, watching, noticing? What captures my attention? And what am I writing, creating, publishing? What captures my energy? I try to make space to ask myself if my inputs and my outputs feel right — if they are what I want them to be (the answer is almost always no).
Today’s practice is a bit different. Instead of free writing, make two lists. On your INPUTS list, write down everything you bring into your creative life. This can be creative works (novels, nonfiction, magazine articles, visual art, music, television shows, movies). It can be friendships, conversations with strangers, games you play with your kids. It can be physical activities or hobbies. It probably involves some garbage that you don’t feel great about (social media, video games, mindless scrolling, whatever). What are you putting into your mind and body day to day? What, in the course of a day, captures your attention? Where do you turn for inspiration?
Then make a list of your OUTPUTS. What do you create? This can be pieces of writing, of course. It can be paintings or sculptures or other works of art. It can be a syllabus or a yoga flow you taught or a TikTok dance routine you choreographed. It can be a meal you thoughtfully prepared or an outfit you put together that you feel great in or a tweet that you thought was extremely funny. This isn’t what you did today or what you’ve achieved or what you produced at work; this is a list of what you created, with the intention to create something special or at least interesting or at least out of the feeling that it should exist.
Then look at your two lists. Consider (and jot down if you like): How are your inputs feeding your outputs? Do these lists feel in balance — not equal in length or time spent, but equal in terms of how much energy you want to dedicate to each? Are you satisfied with what’s capturing your attention? Are you satisfied with what you’re making? If you look at these lists a month from now, or a year from now, what would you like to be different?
Tomorrow, we’ll return to writing longer.
And here is a good piece to read today.