Practice Makes Perfect ... Well, at least improves it!

I’d love to say that I’m a creature of habit, but let's be honest, life gets in the way. I seem to be endlessly juggling, work, childcare, running a household, being the focal point for two rambunctious dogs. Sometimes I wonder how I manage it. 

So here I am, 5am, having crept out of my warm bed to get some quiet time to write. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t do this every morning but generally three times a week at least.  

I usually settle myself at the kitchen table with a hot mug of something, pad and sharpened pencil to the ready. For the first 10 minutes I do what I refer to as a proverbial barf, literally writing whatever comes into my head down on paper. No thoughts, no engagement, just let that pen travel across the page automatically. There’s something quite cathartic about the process and it’s quite illuminating what your mind has been mulling over in your sub conscious… oh the things I could tell you! 

This practice, for me, sets me up. Flexes my writer memory muscle and generally after that I’m raring to go. 

For those of you starting out on your writing journey. I would suggest you try to create a routine. Have a dedicated place you can go to to write. This will help you settle in a lot quicker and try, for the first wee while at least, to just write without worrying about grammar, punctuation or syntax or even content for that matter. There's plenty of time for the rest. For now, just free yourself from all the things you were taught in school and release that wonderful creativity of yours. Go ahead. You just might surprise yourself.