Alternative to Morning Pages: Voice Recordings

In her wonderful book, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron suggests that writers write three pages every morning. Just write. Don’t think about grammar or complete thoughts. Write whatever comes into your mind. I found this to be a good “loosening” tool for writing, back when I had time to do it.


Now, I struggle—fight, scheme—to make time in my schedule for my real writing, i.e. my Work in Progress. Morning pages would take time away from the limited amount I have for my story world, where I struggle with my characters’ issues, and my own.

My own issues include grappling with the tools of the writer’s craft which, adequately done, will enable me to render the story I’m trying to tell. Expertly done, they will enable me to create a saleable work of art.

That said, I do understand the need for morning pages. Depending on what gets poured out, they can, potentially, lead to greater self-awareness. Gaining clear self-awareness, and an understanding of our destiny, is the great purpose of our lives.

Let me never be so busy that I neglect to reflect! Because if I do not reflect, I do not grow as a human being. My gifts as a writer are diminished as well. There is less of me to give.

So instead of writing morning pages, I carry a pocket voice recorder with me on my jogs. When I’m not jogging (which is most of the time), it’s in my purse. On my commute, I will often take out the recorder and pour out my thoughts.

I always begin with the date, and then launch in. It’s instructive to listen to the recordings over time to see what issues I was struggling with, and how I resolved them, and how quickly. Speed is important to me. I do not want to be "broken down" for long.

There are always issues. My life is a never-ending rollercoaster of struggles. I expect the same to be true of anyone attempting to accomplish something outside the ordinary routines of daily life.

Often, I am on a long, slow, upward climb toward some end. Then, once I’ve achieved the goal, I enjoy an exhilarating, if brief, ride back down. I take very few moments to rest, and then I start the inevitable climb again toward the next big (for me) achievement.

How do you deal with your issues? Do you find morning pages useful? Do you use a voice recorder? Other ideas?

Flying Adventure: Elk River, Idaho

I celebrated my birthday yesterday. My husband bought me what you see at left: a noise cancelling headset for the airplane, a Zulu model by Lightspeed. Now we both have them, and let me tell you, they're wonderful. Typically, headsets start to give you a headache after wearing them for a couple of hours. These are so well padded, and they cancel out noise so well, that your head feels perfectly fine once you're on the ground again.

We flew to Elk River, Idaho, as planned. Elk River is up in the mountains, and the air strip is a private, grass strip, not one that an inexperienced pilot would dare to fly into, or out from. Heading into Elk River, around 10:00 am, the air was reasonably calm, but by the time we left again at 2:30 pm, the thermals had picked up, which are up-drafts and down-drafts, and are typical of mid-summer, afternoon weather. What it means that we were kicked about mightily. My husband and I have been flying since we were 22 years old; we've been in a number of scary situations. This was by no means a dangerous one, however I did need to keep reminding myself to breathe, and to unclench my fists.

Here I am, sitting next to the airplane, in Elk River, while hubby is walking up the airstrip, determining where his "go" and "no-go" markers are for when we take off again later that afternoon.

I happened to be reading (actually, I finished reading, yesterday, another delightful book by Elizabeth Berg): The Last Time I Saw You, about a 40-year high school reunion, which I can definitely relate to, however ... good grief, are we really that old? Elizabeth Berg is about six years older than I am (according to Wickipedia). I felt she didn't quite get my generation right, but close. And I always love her characters, as I do not live an urban, suburban, or even small-town life. I find it totally charming to read about people who do.


 Hubby and me standing in front of one of the three falls at Elk River. We were with my son and his wife, their two kids and some friends of their kids.

Later, we flew home and, as planned, had pizza with our daughter, her husband and their three kids, as well as our son and his family.

It turned out, however that the pizza place I'd read about isn't opening until October. So we ate at another local pizzarea, Rocky Mountain Pizza, in Moscow, Idaho.

I feel bad about being in such a bad mood about the mess of re-roofing (and posting about it!), when my husband and son-in-law are up there on the roof, doing all of the backbreaking work. By contrast, I did housework for only seven hours on Saturday, and they're on the roof for 12-hours a day, and probably will continue to be, all of this week. My hubbie is hoping thkey'll finish by the Fourth of July. We had hoped to fly to Astoria, Washington, McCall, Idaho, or possibly even Yellowstone Park over the fourth, but it looks like the re-roofing project will be keeping us closer to home.

Picture of my son-in-law carrying a 65-pound packet up to the top of the roof. It's a good thing he lifts weights for a couple of hours each day, and has been doing it all of his adult life. Even so, it's quite a heave-ho! to get each packet up. Consider that he'll be hoisting a couple tons of roofing materials up to the top, and you have to admire his strength and stamina.

Love of my life, on the roof. Like my son-in-law, he is also a bit of a Hercules, with energy that is legendary within our family. Even my son-in-law, the weightlifter, envies "Dad's" energy.

Constraints

This is the spiral stairway that, until one week ago when my husband tore down our deck, used to lead to the slider and then into our family room. In the 34 years since we built the house, we almost never used the deck, and so when we put a new one up, it'll be much smaller. We're just not the type to sit. When there's free time, we're on the go.

The past couple of days, I’ve been in an ongoing email discussion with a good friend who, like me, recently finished a manuscript, or is in the latter stages—ready to revise, or possibly send to an agent.

We’ve been mulling how remarkable it is that any book ever gets written and published. I mentioned that it’s almost as much of a miracle as creating and giving birth to a baby.

But really, conception is pure fun and takes no time at all. After that, during nine months of gestation, a woman’s body does all the work.

In contrast, making a book takes copious amounts of mental blood, sweat, and tears. And it’s not just writing that’s hard, but finding the time, and financial means, to write at all.

It frequently boils down to making a choice, and when you’re married, it’s not simply your choice but that of you and your spouse. I might not mind living like a starving artist, but my husband certainly does not want to live that way. (Truth, at this stage in my life, I don't want to live like a starving artist, either, if I ever did.)

I’d said a while back that I was planning to apply to the Pacific Coast Writer’s Workshop. As it turned out, I wasn’t able to finish revising my manuscript in time for the deadline. I took several days’ worth of annual leave to work on it. I’m still not finished, but I’m not discouraged. I simply love my story, and all the things I’m learning about writing in the revision process. Eventually, hopefully before September, I will finish it.

In addition to not finishing the revision in time, I started having second thoughts about the $2000 cost to the workshop (when including all expenses). We’re in the process of putting a new roof, windows, siding, deck, garage door and exterior doors on our house, and so the $2000 that might’ve been spent on the workshop will go instead toward necessary house maintenance.

So in case you were wondering if I applied for the Pacific Coast workshop, I did not, and now you know why.

Blog Award!

Lovely Margo at Margo Kelly gave me an award. The rules for this one are simple:

1. Thank the award-giver. Thanks, Margo!
2. Pass it on to five deserving blogs. Will do ... (Crossing my fingers that I'll be able to leave a comment on their blogs, so they know they've won the award.)

Caitlin Darrell
Sarah at From Sarah, with Joy
Sari at Confessions of an Aspiring Author
Corrine at Inside Looking Out
Liz Fichera