Dream on …
Here’s something funny. In all the writing groups currently underway one among many common themes is new writers announcing “I really haven’t done much writing this week”.
We laugh. We drill down. Turns out they did write. They did! The point of the program is writing taking its place in the everyday world of the writer, not being the only thing you ever do.
AND writing is not all there is to writing!
Writing has 3 delicious elements: dreaming, planning, writing.
Dreaming: the process of mind-wandering – while you wash up, while you sip on tea staring out the window, while you wander the river bank, while you gaze at your book-structure-on-the-wall. Dreaming your book in is everything! And it takes its own time.
Planning: the process of working the structure-on-the-wall, or sitting still and cosy through the evening with a notebook scribble-working your contents, your content, your chapters, your themes, and so on.
Writing: yes, at some point you have to show up at the page. It’s daunting, to be sure. And you can do it. I know this because so many new writers have done it!
Dream on writers – as one of our new writers said recently on her surrender to the process: “I’m on fire! There’s sparks and insights in my mind all the time.”
Stephanie Dale is an award-winning journalist, author, researcher and founder of the International Wellbeing-through-writing Institute. In 2014 she launched The Write Road, a wellbeing-through-writing initiative for rural and remote Australians. She is passionate about pilgrimage, and in 2017 initiated Walk&Write holiday writing adventures.