Is that a truck I'm pulling?
Why would I do that? Cuz it helps me write.
It keeps me strong and focused and it's my metaphor for my process of both writing and revision. Every time I train I'm writing, even though I don't have a pen in my hand or a laptop in front of me. For me, writing happens all the time. Writing also requires that I be embodied and aware. Nothing does that for me like pushing, pulling, carrying, squatting, hinging and lunging.
Sometimes, when I write, I just need a new perspective, I need to a new way into a story or character, a fresh point of view.
Returning to the page again and again builds discipline and habit and that, in turns, gives me the strength to quiet self-doubt.
I often have to close my eyes to assess what's and what isn't. I have to see the action, hear the dialogue.
I've learned it's important to celebrate even the smallest victories. That's how to gain momentum and play the long game.
Writing requires preparation and care, knowing that you're trying to do what you couldn't do the day before. It means making funny faces when you do what you thought you couldn't do, then just sitting with it and letting it sink in and thinking, "OK, what's next?" Sometimes you just have to deal with awkward shit, know how to get your hands around you don't yet understand and see where it takes you.
When I'm done with all that I feel like this.
