While some writers seem to have the ability to write “on demand,” most
of us are not so fortunate. We have to learn to find inspiration and
capture it on paper (or screen).
Excercises help writers, but they seldom lead to complete stories.
Daily Page(s)
Even if you aren’t a writer, the “Daily Page” is a good way to start
finding inspiration. The basic concept is to fill one standard page every
day, at least five days a week. The writing can be anything, from descriptions
of your day to experimental poetry. The main thing is to write. Creating
just five pages a week you will find good ideas were waiting to escape.
Some authors demand a minimum page count from themselves as a way to meet
deadlines. Maybe such routines make sense from a career perspective,
but writing daily is also good exercise. Writing on a regular basis is
like going to the gym; the more you exercise, the more you can do. What
was a page becomes two or three pages a day. We know one writer who went
from one page to ten pages a day — surpassing any goals she had set for
herself.
Keep It Simple
Daily pages can be on a computer, certainly, but we suggest using paper.
Yes, real paper. A legal notepad, a journal, or a spiral-bound notebook
all work fine without electricity or batteries.
The idea of daily pages is not that we can create “literature”
with every sentence. Instead, record every idea, even random thoughts.
What seems like a strange, odd, weird idea one morning might later inspire
a great work of fiction. You never know what you will find on your own
pages.
For the daily pages to reach their full potential, be sure to store
them! This is why it is useful to write in a notebook or journal. You
can store the pages and look back over the months (or even years) and
find forgotten ideas.
Using Real Life
start real, make bigger — most reality is
“small”
eavesdrop
history
Fiction Friction
be careful
using existing characters only with permission