Ent does have one more bit of experience/advice he's found helpful.
Be sure to have a writing SPACE. A spot where, once we sit down, (difficult though that is for an Ent), we know we're there to
write.
- it is a
quiet space.
- it is a space
protected from distraction.
- it is a
comfortable, clear space. (as is the space, so is the mind.)
- it is a space making us feel 'intentional.'
- it is the same space...all the time. (this is tied to 'intentional' above.)
Sometimes there is only one space. Ent, for example, works from home most of the time. So his space is of necessity his work office.
Yet Ent, when he sits to write, clears the area of 'work' stuff. A clean slate. An open area. No physical distractions.
When he's there, and if he's writing, it is 'known' he is not to be disturbed except for emergency. People need to know to respect this.
Sometimes, even setting a particular 'artifact' or personal
item on the same desk space, can be a person's 'intentional' way of saying "ok... now this is my writing space, and i'm here to write.'
Intentionality. Can make all the difference. Helps us mentally grasp that we really do consider the writing as important as everything else... and in the moment we sit, the most important thing in the world.
"The World." It loves to keep us from achievement. The battle is greater than we realize.
Final note: always carry a notebook with you. Flashes of insight will come at unsuspecting moments, and if we do not jot them down as they occur, many of them will be lost.
The author whose book Ent is currently editing will actually pull his car off the road when he has a flash, to jot down the thoughts. That's a writer..!
And back to the former advice about setting days of the week to prevent overwhelm and burnout... sometimes, we MUST miss one of our set days. Life happens.
Don't beat ourselves up in such cases... but again, be INTENTIONAL. Don't just miss it. Move that day's writing to another day on the
calendar.
It all comes down to how important the writing is to us.
For some, one day a week would be enough. For others, 2. When 'intentionality' is inserted, and maintained, it will either increase or decrease consistent with what type of writer we really are. The key is to keep that intentionality, whatever level for YOU it ultimately turns out to be. Even if only once a month,
put it on the calendar.
Ent will shut up now.