Get Comfortable

Writing Life – I’m glad these posts are now called Writing Life, I always had a problem with Wisdom.

For instance, I’m sitting down now to write a Writing Life post wearing jeans and a jumper. If I were sitting down to write my Wisdom, I feel I would first have to change, ideally into a gown and mortar board, but as I have neither, then I would have to find something a great deal smarter and more suited to my esoteric audience.

So, this is a jeans and jumper Writing Life. 

I could title it How To Be a Writer, but that sounds pretentious, so instead I’ll call it Get Comfortable, with the boring but equally pretentious subtitle of the Importance of Comfort For the Aspiring Writer by the little-known author Jos Biggs.

For instance, do we have to be starving in a draughty garret, scribbling away with a quill at all hours of the night by the light of a guttering candle? I don’t honestly see how that helps. I’m sure a laptop, a comfy chair, decent lighting and a cup of tea at the elbow is a far better incentive.

If my body isn’t comfortable then neither is my mind. If it is uncomfortable, it will not even think high and lofty thoughts, far less allow my freezing fingers to transpose those thoughts onto the page. I can’t see how self-imposed physical discomfort can be conducive to the writing of a masterpiece. Personally I couldn’t see myself sticking with it – I’d rather be an overnight shelf-stacker in a nice warm supermarket.

So that’s my first piece of writing life advice – get your body comfy.

Now that I’ve got the comfy chair etc, I need to get my mind comfy. Maybe I’ll fetch a chocolate hobnob to go with the tea – I am a firm believer that chocolate aids the mental processes.

Having eaten the hobnob I am now ready. 

I allow my mind to wander where it will, I let it enjoy itself and I let my fingers follow it. I just write. I know what I want to write; how many words, for whom and for when it has to be ready, but for now I just write. 

And when my mind has finished wandering and starts asking what’s for supper, then I stop writing. 

I smile at my potential masterpiece in a kindly manner, tuck it up in bed with a warm milk and honey, wish it goodnight and let it sleep peacefully.

The who, the when and the how many can wait until tomorrow. As can that bane of my life – the typos!

When I’ve got it all neat and tidy, hair brushed and shoes shiny, I wrap it up warmly in a coat of confidence and press Send.

And there it goes, stepping out boldly into the world! It’s mine, it’s unique, and no-one else could have done it!

And that’s my second piece of writing life advice: be you. It is of no great import what the rest of the world thinks, it’s yours, and if you are happy with it, then that is all that matters. Don’t let anyone burst your bubble. 

In your world the most important person is you. Just ask your mind!