My process is very disciplined, which is good for ticking the boxes and getting my hours in…but I’m still amazed at how my days evaporate with all the other stuff that needs to get done. I keep my daily writing very short and manageable: 5 minutes (timed) of day-dreaming/staring out the window and then 20 minutes of free-writing. And oftentimes, that’s ALL I get done. It’s helpful to understand that this is still a great effort…and that magic can still happen in 20 minutes. And it still leaves me time to eat chips and watch TV. 🤓
I keep a writing process journal that I start with every morning. I write down: 1. what I wrote the day before, 2. why I wrote it, and 3. how I feel about it. That tends to put me in writing mode and remind me where I left off the day before. That being said, I was so glad to read your post as I'm in the middle of a family medical "crisis" that requires me to do some caretaking for several weeks and my routine has disappeared. After reading your post, I see that everything that is not writing, even "crisis" are just "life," and writing still has importance in these moments.... we have importance in our own life... if I may be so bold, we are our first priority.
For a while I had trouble sleeping, so I was getting up at 5:30 AM. The best thing about early morning writing is that you don't worry about the to-do's. No one wants to hear from you at that time, nor do they want to hear you cleaning, etc. I find that journalling helps me through the chaotic times. It keeps me connected to writing and helps me process my emotions, and my to-do list.
Yes! This is something I struggle with a lot. My writing practice feels so chaotic and I really want to find a routine that works for me. I’m accepting that the perfect routine doesn’t exist, but I’d still like something general, like using the same block of time every day, but that’s also really hard with a day job.
I got my ADHD diagnosis a couple of years ago and can relate to many of your points. The Psychiatrist who confirmed that I have ADHD, also said I'm likely an 'artist on the spectrum'. He doesn't diagnose Autism, and it is hard to find a Psychiatrist to do this for adults in Canada. If you do find someone, it costs around $3,000 🤣 Now that I know that I am likely on the spectrum as well, it explains so much, and is a relief. I am working on accepting that my routines will change fairly often, and your sharing this post has helped with that :)
I loved every word of this. Sometimes the free time we get to write in a particular season takes a weird angular shape that shifts every day, because it has to come up through the cracks of the broken system we are trapped in. That any of us write at all is a daily miracle that gives me hope. To say that it has to be a specific consistent shape or it’s not Real Writing is doing this extremely resilient and wily art itself a disservice, and discouraging the very resilient and wily people whose voices we most need to hear.
I can relate to so much of this, Sonal! I hate routines and like to work when I feel inspired. It takes me forever to get started, but once I do, I can’t stop until I’m done. I relate to so many of the symptoms of ADHD, even though my psychiatrist won’t give me an official diagnosis (because I did well in school). Thank you for validating this and offering some suggestions!
My process is very disciplined, which is good for ticking the boxes and getting my hours in…but I’m still amazed at how my days evaporate with all the other stuff that needs to get done. I keep my daily writing very short and manageable: 5 minutes (timed) of day-dreaming/staring out the window and then 20 minutes of free-writing. And oftentimes, that’s ALL I get done. It’s helpful to understand that this is still a great effort…and that magic can still happen in 20 minutes. And it still leaves me time to eat chips and watch TV. 🤓
I keep a writing process journal that I start with every morning. I write down: 1. what I wrote the day before, 2. why I wrote it, and 3. how I feel about it. That tends to put me in writing mode and remind me where I left off the day before. That being said, I was so glad to read your post as I'm in the middle of a family medical "crisis" that requires me to do some caretaking for several weeks and my routine has disappeared. After reading your post, I see that everything that is not writing, even "crisis" are just "life," and writing still has importance in these moments.... we have importance in our own life... if I may be so bold, we are our first priority.
For a while I had trouble sleeping, so I was getting up at 5:30 AM. The best thing about early morning writing is that you don't worry about the to-do's. No one wants to hear from you at that time, nor do they want to hear you cleaning, etc. I find that journalling helps me through the chaotic times. It keeps me connected to writing and helps me process my emotions, and my to-do list.
Yes! This is something I struggle with a lot. My writing practice feels so chaotic and I really want to find a routine that works for me. I’m accepting that the perfect routine doesn’t exist, but I’d still like something general, like using the same block of time every day, but that’s also really hard with a day job.
Thanks for sharing this!
I got my ADHD diagnosis a couple of years ago and can relate to many of your points. The Psychiatrist who confirmed that I have ADHD, also said I'm likely an 'artist on the spectrum'. He doesn't diagnose Autism, and it is hard to find a Psychiatrist to do this for adults in Canada. If you do find someone, it costs around $3,000 🤣 Now that I know that I am likely on the spectrum as well, it explains so much, and is a relief. I am working on accepting that my routines will change fairly often, and your sharing this post has helped with that :)
I loved every word of this. Sometimes the free time we get to write in a particular season takes a weird angular shape that shifts every day, because it has to come up through the cracks of the broken system we are trapped in. That any of us write at all is a daily miracle that gives me hope. To say that it has to be a specific consistent shape or it’s not Real Writing is doing this extremely resilient and wily art itself a disservice, and discouraging the very resilient and wily people whose voices we most need to hear.
I can relate to so much of this, Sonal! I hate routines and like to work when I feel inspired. It takes me forever to get started, but once I do, I can’t stop until I’m done. I relate to so many of the symptoms of ADHD, even though my psychiatrist won’t give me an official diagnosis (because I did well in school). Thank you for validating this and offering some suggestions!