Uninhibited writing

"Write a little everyday, without hope and without despair." ~Isak Dinesen

One of the best stories I've written to date came from a dream. Upon waking, I quickly jotted it down and there it sat in a notebook for a few years. Later, when I pulled it out to make a story from it, I found it needed very little editing. When I jotted it down, I wasn't trying to make it perfect, I was just letting it come out naturally. 

I wish it was always that easy. Just sit down for a few minutes and scribble out daydreams or nightdreams and viola! A wonderful story appears. Sometimes getting a story right feels like trying to bend re-bar with my hands. There are some things one can practice to help push that annoying internal editor out of the way and tap into stream of consciousness. 

1. Don't be afraid to write crap. First drafts always need a lot of work, whether you're stressing out about if it's good or not. Accept that crap will come out with the brilliance. You can always delete it later.
2. Relax. They say if you relax your face, the rest of your body will follow. In turn, a relaxed body creates a relaxed mind. A relaxed mind is more creative.
3. Write whatever comes to mind. Sometimes if you're writing from stream of consciousness,  strange and silly things appear on the paper, things that don't make sense to your internal editor. Don't delete it! Leave it there and let the piece sit for a while. When you go back to it, you might find the strange and silly parts make the story. You might decide some of them don't work at all and are ridiculous, but at least you gave them a chance.   

 Tomorrow's post - Voice