Exercising Your Writing Muscles
December 20th, 2006, by Michael Stelzner
Do you immediately start writing with great quality and consistently?
Or (if you are like me), do you need a little warm-up before those fingers start producing exceptional content?
I was recently reading Angela Booth’s newsletter Fab Freelance Writing and she mentioned this:
Warming up your writing helps you to avoid burnout.
When you’re writing for money, it’s easy to become stressed.
Try warming up before you write every day.
My writing warm-up:
- I write a blog entry (this gets me thinking)
- I put my iPod on classical music and tune out the noise
- I begin writing very poorly, but get it all the thoughts documented
Once I have completed my warm-up, I crack open a Pepsi One and begin re-examining my work and go to town.
So, here is my question to you: How do you warm up your writing muscles?
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December 20th, 2006 at 7:14 am
Oh yes, I need to warm up too. When I used to work as an editor on a newspaper, I found my writing skills were terrible on Mondays or after a vacation and then gradually improved as the week went on. It’s like my mind was vacationing in illiterateland over the weekend.
I find that just starting writing — anything — and not expecting great things works. I write…and then when I’m warmed up I go back and edit. Then I get into the flow.
(Writing this at 9am when I’m still not warmed up.)
December 20th, 2006 at 7:50 am
A good cup of strong coffee, and New Age Music on www.magnatune.com
December 20th, 2006 at 7:53 am
Hey Simon and Jonathan;
I think *many* writers do not properly warm up.
You are right Simon about writing anything.
Jonathan, I listen to classical to get me going. I like Yo Yo Ma.
FYI, it is really cold here in San Diego (the 30s and that is like sub-zero for the rest of the country)
Mike
December 20th, 2006 at 8:23 am
Michael,
Before I start writing on a new project, I make sure I’ve read all my notes and have done my research. I also read everything the night before I begin writing. When I wake up, I usually have whole paragraphs in my head.
I’m also training myself to NOT procrastinate — which is what I am doing right now! If I don’t procrastinate, I can usually jump right in and start writing.
Read the book, “How to Write Fast While Writing Well” by David Fryxell. It’s dated, but I learned quite a bit.
Back to the salt mine!
December 20th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Aloha Michael,
Thanks for stopping by MBM today! I warm up by first relaxing through breathing exercises. As a student of Angela, she has made an excellent point about writers won’t be able to write while tense. I then proceed to write for 20 minutes…anything or writing exercises. From there, I go to blog entries.
December 21st, 2006 at 8:31 am
Didn’t know you were in San Diego; I’m in Carmel Valley and it is chilly!
To get started, I play Majong Masters for 10-20 minutes while waiting for the coffee to brew. This gets my hand-eye muscles going on the keyboard…and gets the pattern recognition parts of my brain fired up.
I try to avoid opening email next; if I can think clearly, then I want to use that energy to write a new article fresh in the morning, no distractions from those pesky clients.
December 21st, 2006 at 9:40 am
Hey Dianna, Griffin and Patsi!
Patsi, cool, another local! I work up in the Poway Business Park (near old Gateway).
Hey Griffin, never heard of the breating excercised. Please elaborate.
Dianna, that is a great idea on the study before you sleep. I used to do that in college. My only concern is that I would never get any sleep!
All my best!
Mike
December 21st, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Oh, I like that ’study before you sleep idea,’ Dianne. If I am reading a book before I sleep, I usually wake up thinking about it, and that stimulates writing about it…
December 21st, 2006 at 1:22 pm
I prepare and drink coffee. I blog. I review notes from last writing session. Begin writing. Drink another coffee, reread, revise and continue.
I wonder what would happen if I killed the coffee habit?
December 21st, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Hey Bethany - Gotta have that caffeine! I would be in trouble without it. - Mike
May 28th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Hey Michael,
Great Advice. After six years I’ve come to the realization that the best writing — is in the rewriting.
For me, the most important step is to just get started. Don’t worry about the copy being perfect. Always time to edit to perfection before you submit a draft to a client.
Usually I’ll write for an hour — then play drums. This gets me away from thinking so hard about the copy. Often times while playing — ideas will come to me so fast… I have no choice but to write again!
And they’re solid ideas. Anyway, great topic of discussion.
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