Not listening is something I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of at one time or another. Make a point of listening more keenly than usual just for one day. Note in your journal everything you can hear from where you sit to write. Remind yourself throughout the day to tune into the sounds around you. Focus on limiting the things you say. Be open to receiving sounds and words from others instead of filling up the air with your own sounds.

Turn off the radio or music you normally have blaring. I think it was Julia Cameron who suggested in her book The Artist’s Way an entire week of no reading, radio, TV or internet. While one week may be a bit extreme, one day couldn’t possibly hurt. Write about your experience in your journal. What did you hear? What did you discover? What did people have to say when you weren’t jumping in with your comments every few moments? Work on listening as a habit and write your discoveries in your journal.

Please share any thoughts about this journal writing prompt in the comments section below.

Heather

Post from: Blisstree

Are You Really Listening?

Today someone from a forum I’m in was kind enough to share an article, Creating a Treasure Map, which is very like the exercise by Julia Cameron. Actually, I found the descriptions in this article more thorough. I hope you use this one for ideas if you’re still thinking about writing your goals for 2008.

Heather

Post from: Blisstree

Your Treasure Map

David LaMotte, a songwriter, gives an excellent description of how he uses Morning Pages on his website in his advice to aspiring songwriters. Scroll down the page until you find the heading Warming Up: Free Writes.

I used Morning Pages consistently for over four years and found them a powerful creativity tool. While writing those three pages in longhand faithfully each morning I increased my regular writing output significantly. I don’t agree they’re for everyone, though. I do think you should try them for a good three months just to see if they suit you.

Although Morning Pages are considered journal writing they’re more a way to clear your headspace for the start of the day. Still, all journal writing is a tool to help you live a better life. Perhaps Morning Pages will be exactly what you need.

Heather

Post from: Blisstree

What Are Morning Pages?

I did take away the practice of Morning Pages with me; more on that in a later entry, but have stopped doing those since I discovered I was pregnant last year. I look forward to getting back into that habit once my baby is more settled in his sleeping patterns.

While The Artist’s Way is a structured and even severe introduction to Cameron’s view on creativity, The Sound of Paper is far gentler on the reader. With this book the author assumes you’ve already established the habits of Morning Pages, Artist’s Dates and Walks which I think were introduced in Vein of Gold, please correct me if I’m wrong. This book softly urges you to stay with these practices, not to give up and to continue creating whatever art you’ve come to call your own.

I found myself romanced by the short essays, wanting to create more writing for its own sake, feeling a welling desire to lift my pencils and paintbrushes again. I couldn’t rush the reading of this book. I needed to take in and digest each simple thought. Although I didn’t actually pick up a pen and attempt any of the exercise at the end of each essay, they were simple and achievable. I’d recommend the book for the simplicity of those exercises, most of them requiring little more than making a list.

Although there’s nothing really new in this book I would recommend it to anyone interested in refreshing their creativity or who is facing a block in their work.

Heather

Post from: Blisstree

The Sound of Paper