I’ve written a page of fiction every day since 2019. These days I try to write a thousand words a day. I thought I would write a little about writing before I write tonight.
Typically, I write as the last thing I do during the day. It takes a moment to cut off all distractions. That usually means that I will write a sentence or two, then distract myself. Then write another one. Slowly, I will tune out the distractions and get to it.
The first hundred words are always the slowest. The brain has to witch from scatterbrain to focused brain. Each daily writing segment is its own story, even if it is part of a chapter I’ve been writing. Getting into the day’s story is part of the process.
By the time hit two hundred words, I am in it. From there until I hit about seven hundred, it is smooth sailing. I write quickly and without much distraction. This is also why the right music choice matters. One song flowing into the next, no too much jarring sounds.
I once watched a video where a Buddhist monk explained why they chant om while meditating. He said that it keeps the monkey brain occupied. He then explained that monkey brain was the part of us that the world trained to be aware of our surroundings. It’s always ready for a tiger to attack.
Listening to music occupies monkey brain. Mozart is perfect for monkey brain. He just sits slack-jawed and starry eyed at Mozart, and I can write happily. If I listen to Beethoven, then that drags too much of my own attention and I sit slack-jawed.
By the time I get to eight hundred words, the creative burst is slowing. Words come slower. By the time I get to the last words, I am ready for bed. The story sinks into the murky recesses of my mind, where I think about it until the next day.
Thanks for reading,
Michael
Michael Frutig 