Friday, March 08, 2013

10 Minute Exercise

Jilda and I are reading this book entitled Writing Better Lyrics, by Pat Pattison and we've both found some of the exercises helpful.
One exercise has you write stream of conscience thoughts for 10 minutes each morning. But you can only write for 10 minutes, even if you're on a roll. The idea is that anyone can carve out 10 minutes each day to write and if you were to write 30 minutes one morning, the next day you'd be less likely to continue the 10 minute exercise. In those 10 minutes you're suppose to involve the following senses:
Sight

Hearing

Touch

Taste

Smell

Organic (crawl; crouching; ducking; scrunching shoulders tight; stand up quick; tingling along my back and neck; when I squint; crouching there fetal and content)

and Kinesthetic (lobbing in; tingling along my back and neck kept reminding me; avoid rusty nails waiting patiently above for my back or skull to forget them; don't stand up; I could feel Mom above me).

We've been doing this exercise all week and some of the things we've written have been extraordinary. It's helping not only with lyrics, but also with our blog, and writing in general.

The exercise probably isn't for everyone, but I challenge you to try it for a week to see if it doesn't help you write better stories.
Take care, happy Friday.

7 comments:

  1. A very interesting exercise indeed, I'll be giving it a whirl!

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  2. Definitely some good ideas here... I think I could give this a try for a week, since I am not back to a work for a week or more... this would be the best time to try this:). I am always looking for ways to better myself ;)

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  3. I may try this exercise in a blogging post and see what kind of post it inspires!!

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  4. It's fun. I have the tendency to do it already.

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  5. That sounds like fun- I used to journal faithfully every morning but find I don't do that so much anymore. My blog has been a journal of sorts. xo Diana

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  6. I took a one day class on being more creative..I really need a 10yr course but anyway this exercise was given as a great way to get ideas flowing. I realize now why it hasn't helped me..probably because I haven't done it! But this reminder will put me into gear..Thanks Rick! P.S...If you think I'm getting more creative in blogland just let me know! Ha!

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