Writing is a compulsion, a necessity, for me. A voice, from somewhere deep within, keeps telling me that I need to write to be happy, to make sense of everything that goes on around me.
Basically, it tells me that to live I need to write. This nagging voice somehow perceives my innermost feelings, even desires. It knows too well that I love to write. And I must admit, the voice is right. I may not be a great writer, but writing gives me perspective, solace and helps me go on in life. So, write I must.
But wanting to write and actually being able to write, on any given day, are entirely different things. Trust me, I know.
If juggling work and writing weren't hard enough before, it has become more so with an eight-month-old at home. Well, what can I say, a baby takes precedence over everything else! So, no matter how well I plan my day, words refuse to form when I finally get a chance to write.
Truth be told, most of my days are filled with activities carefully planned, one after the other. Everything needs to fit into a tight schedule, writing being no different. Of course, the problem with that is, you never know if you are actually going to be able to write at that given point in time. It just doesn't offer the cushion that spontaneity does. But you have got to work with what you got, don't you?
Going through a period of not being able to write spells discomfort for me; more so if the reasons are the lack of time or fatigue. Going too many days without being able to hit that publish button on my blog is never good for my sanity either.
Hence, with that in mind, here's what I do to enable myself to write even on the longest of days. Here's what I do to create an atmosphere to write within my crazy schedule. These are just simple things that I do to forget the fatigue, the mental block and basically just shut off the outside world to get lost in the written word.
Get my writing groove on, so to speak. These are things which help me concentrate and bring about spontaneity, even in a planned schedule.
Music
Everything is somehow better with music in the background. I always knew that music was therapeutic, but I've learned that writing is more enjoyable and spontaneous when done while listening. So, music is what I turn to for writing at the end of a long hard day.
Just like the body swaying to the melody while dancing, my pace slowly picks up, my fingers type almost in tune, my mind sways to the symphony and word after word start forming in front of my eyes. It is especially satisfying when the music is instrumental mixed with sounds of nature. I may be exhausted but somehow all that vanishes when my fingers type in sync with a song. Words and music really do form the perfect harmony!
Books
I have seen that every time I read a good book or even a good piece of writing somewhere, I'm filled with an eagerness to put pen to paper. A drive engulfs me, and then it's just a matter of typing the words. So, all you need is to spend some time on a good piece of writing -- books, blogs, newspaper articles, anything -- for the desire to create something compelling take over you. Once that happens, a good post is just a few keystrokes away.
Tranquility
To write is to listen to your innermost whispers. And the best way to listen to yourself is to be away from the noise that everyday life is full of. Of course, it is not possible to find this invigorating silence when you have a baby at home or when you are running from one task to the other at colliding speeds.
But look for it, you must. I find my quota of calm when everyone at home is asleep. I just go to my corner and give time to my thoughts. And most times, those few moments of peace and quiet are my stimulus to write. After that, it flows with the force of a mountain spring.
Meditation
If I can be honest with you, meditating is not really my cup of tea. Well, the day just doesn't have enough hours in it for me to make it a steady companion. But some days the office work gets too hectic or the little one gets too cranky, writing threatens to become a chore rather than an enjoyable activity.
It is during those trying moments that a few minutes of deep breathing to still my nerves comes to the rescue. If only I could include it in my daily schedule! Once you quieten the upheaval within you, writing goes back to being a joy.
Reading Old posts
One of the best ways to push yourself to write, and write better, too, is to go through your old posts. I often do this. You not only get the pleasure of seeing how you have grown as a writer, but you also sometimes realize how much your thinking has changed. It fills you with the zeal to create something new again. And voila, there you have a new blog post. All you need to do is translate those thoughts into words.
Community
There are times when none of the above work. None at all. That's when I turn to my blogging community which has been with me for the better part of my writing journey. Whenever I'm stuck or can't find time, this very community somehow helps in overcoming that deadlock.
A community which shares your love for writing is indispensable. While your family might know about your love for it, they might not necessarily understand it like a fellow writer.
So, these were some of the things I try to do or turn to when my writing needs rescuing. Or, when I need to warm up to write on a busy day. Tell me about you. What do you do?
PS: A version of this post was published on Write Tribe.
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