I’ve been on vacation and Fire Island for two weeks and it was fabulous.
I wanted to take a vacation from everything, but writers must write. The question was: how to write but take my mind off the current project?
I solved the problem by using a technique I learned long ago when reading Julia Cameron’s wonderful book, The Artist’s Way. The exercise, called “morning pages” is that you get up and write three pages of whatever is in your mind before you do anything else.
I kept to this regime most mornings. I added a few adjustments to make the the exercise more useful. I found that the freedom to babble on paper made me feel freshly creative, and after a few days, new images and ideas began to pour in.
I found that Morning Pages help me to warm up before working on a main project. I also found this exercise.
1.Set a timer for 15 minutes.
2. Find an image that makes you happy. Start writing.
3. Try to write steadily until your alarm goes off.
4.Reset the timer for five minutes.
5. Now write something about the project you’re working on such as what you intend to achieve.
Finally, either get to work on the project, or mediate if you haven’t already!
I was very privileged to be a judge at the Electric City Screenplay Contest. The winners were announced on July 20, I want to congratulate them all. I also want to offer props to Donna Pennell, who runs the contest. She is a dynamo. Be sure to keep this on your radar for next year.
I also want to congratulate my former student, Ronit, whose magazine, Honeysuckle, just received the New York State Assembly Citation Award.
It’s great to be back!
Here’s to your successful writing,
Professor Marilyn Horowitz