Mental Manipulation for Writers

 

I'm often asked the question "How do you find time to write?" When we lead busy lives with household and family responsibilities and maintain a social life, finding that time to write is not always easy. 

There are ways, however, that we can write without applying fingers to keyboard or pencil to paper. Writers can use what I call Mental Manipulation. One meaning of manipulation is 'to utilize or manage skillfully.' When I am doing household tasks, I am often writing in my head. So you see, I am utilizing or managing my writing time in that mode.

Take ironing, for instance. It is a mindless task that we do by rote. I can hear many of you saying 'Iron! I haven't done that for years!' Consider this merely an illustration. I do iron some things, nowhere near as many as I did years ago. Still, my mind is free when I iron, and I put that freedom to good use. I start plotting a story or considering what I will write about on this blog. The smart thing to do when the ironing is finished is to jot down notes of the thoughts I had. Admittedly, I don't always take the time to make notes, and I often wish that I had. It's an important step.

There are many other places where you can use that Mental Manipulation to help in planning what you are going to write. A few are listed below

A. waiting in a doctor's office

'B. riding a commuter train or bus

C. loading or unloading the dishwasher

D. watching a tv show that bores you

E. folding laundry

F. raking leaves

G. intermission at a concert or play

H. waiting your turn at a beauty salon or barber shop

I  sitting in the passenger seat on a driving trip

J. sunbathing

There are more, of course. The point is to take advantage of those times to do a little Mental Manipulation, so that you can 'utilize or manage skillfully' your writing time.