Notes from PLU - Dreaming Awake

I attended a session on how to find inspiration (or get into "the zone" to write) by fiction writer Ann Pancake, who is an incredible person and writer.

Yesterday the class shared techniques of what they do to access that unconscious part of themselves. As she puts it,there aren't too many books that explore that "without being to woo-woo."

Here are a few she recommends:

Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande (1932)
On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner (1983) --there's a section in here about self-hypnosis.
Writing Down to the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (1996)
Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott (1997)


Some students recommended -
Zen and the art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
Writing the Australian Crawl by William Stafford

And also the Stephen King book called On Writing was supposed to be good as well.

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Techniques to tap into that unconscious place and be in "the zone" vary and are individual to each writer. We are each unique beings that need to find what works best for us.

Here were some things that worked for others--

Have a ritual (make a pot of tea to bring to your writing place, light a candle, say a prayer)

Find your best time to write (either early morning, midmorning or late at night-- she says a lot of times it's that closeness to sleep that helps, before your brain has done something --say pay the bills--that turns off that your unconscious mind)

Set a writing time/place and stick to it - the visual cues or stimuli around you will eventually tell your brain "this is where I write" and you can faster access your unconscious mind.

Do a repetitive task-- laundry, dishes, filing, running, walking

Use music - some students have a soundtrack for their novel that they play over and over while writing. Some use just one song.

There a CD called "Creative Mind" that is supposed to help access your unconscious mind. One student listed to a CD of waves.

Ask for help before you begin-- Literally, ask the unconscious, God, universe, whatever you believe or call it for help with your project.

Listen to the voices in your head. Allow yourself to follow what they say even if it doesn't make sense or isn't logical

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To generate work, write from "the zone." Write in fragments and the things that come to you that you don't completely understand. Allow yourself the freedom of not editing, just moving forward. You can edit later.

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For me, the best suggestion was that - Before you begin writing, ask yourself "What do I need today" or "What to I need tonight" and write down what you'd like to accomplish in your writing.

We're finishing up part two of the class this afternoon, so I'll add a few more things about this later today.

Check in from PLU - Final Residency

I'm typing from my dorm room at PLU. This is my final residency as a graduate student. It's odd because we're not required to go to classes. We can attend if we choose to, but all our work and credits have been completed. We meet in the morning to discuss our manuscripts and we give a reading later in the week. Some students have opted to teach their critical paper. I did not. My thought is that I'm here to say goodbye and then move forward --or-- I'm not out to impressed anyone, to be the over-achiever this time, it's time to move to the back of the class then out the door.

Dorm/college/MFA life is interesting. There are so many people in this program now it can feel lonely. It is the opposite of what you think. Less is more intimate, more connection. More = a thousand highways you drive by yourself. I feel that way, then a friend arrives in my room with a plate of organic cherries. They are cool from the refrigerator. I feel better, less alone, more connected.

On my desk is a bag of peppered beef jerky. I haven't had beef jerky in hears, but for some reason I craved it today. On my shelf I have a box of Junior Mints, Raisinets, oatmeal raisin granola bars, and a box of Total cereal. For me, much of dorm life is all about the snacks.


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Notes from today's morning talk--

This morning Kevin Clark discussed accidents that come up during the writing of a poem. He says you might fail and you might risk embarrassment, but this is a risk you have to take. "Sometimes when you're most embarrassed, you're getting closer to what matters. You have to risk." He believes our authentic vioces are signaled or involved with the way we incorporate, organize, or deal with external stimuli. He says though you may go deep inside yourself for your poem, allow outside sources to take you to a diffent place.

"Art should demonstrate the guise of accident." Alice Fulton.

"Poetry is the art of surprising yourself." Kevin Clark


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Now back to my day already in progress.