Writing is playing

Remember when you were little and you wrote just for fun? When writing was another form of playing? When it naturally flowed from you?

I didn’t, until I found some old notebooks when I was home for Christmas. I have always been writing stories. And when I was 13 and 14, I planned, outlined, wrote and rewrote a still incomplete novel in half a dozen notebooks and binders. I spent a lot of time over my break rereading the pages and smiling. The writing is not too great, but there are some wonderful gems. I even got an idea for a novel to write now.

And from these notebooks I’ve remembered some important lessons about the writing process. 

Brainstorming.

1. Allow it to flow freely.
My scribbling shows little hesitation.

Don't hesitate. Just write. Let it bubble over like a fountain. Write so fast you don't have time to listen to your critic.


2. Have confidence. Believe in your work.

I was very (probably overly) confident in my writing. I had always received positive feedback for my writing and so I believed in myself and thought of myself as a good writer.

Trust in your natural ability. Everyone has the right to write.

3. Treat it as important and be ready to work hard.

I was devoted to my work. I got stuck sometimes, and when I did, instead of stopping, I wrote out my thoughts in stream-of-consciousness. I wrote commands to myself like, “Stop doodling and think!” I poured my effort and energy into my story.

Approach your work with intensity and devotion. 

4. It's play.

I had fun. My writing was full of energy. Nobody was telling me to do this. I didn’t feel I had to. It excited me. One idea lead to another. And I was hooked on the high. I devoted hours and hours to these notebooks, in spite of school, sports, homework. Why? Because I loved it.

Remember how fun writing is and fall in love with your story. 

I admire my enthusiasm and excitement.

5. Have a running movie in your head of your story.

What I remember of this time is that I was completely obsessed with my novel, so much that I dreamed about it and saw reminders of it everywhere. I had a clear picture in my head of the story, like it was a movie playing in my head, over and over and in immense detail. You could easily say that I spent 'too much time' 'daydreaming'. Yet it was necessary. I was creating a world.

The more I thought about the novel, the more I worked on it. Because of my daydreaming, my vision of the novel evolved, and I kept reworking the story. Each time I did, it got a little more focused, a little stronger.

Allow yourself to daydream excessively about your work.

I'd like to thank my 13 and 14 year old self for all of the helpful advice.

I recommend digging through some old boxes and finding some writing you did when you were little, if you can. I bet you'll discover many of the same things I did. When you are writing, try to bring back some of that joy, that confidence, that freshness. Perhaps you, like me, have trouble getting into writing sometimes because you have built up resistance. It's time to peal back the layers of resistance and time. It's time to get back to being imaginative and creative. It's time to write like a kid.