Check out this post by Nita Sweeney author of You Should Be Writing
In meditation, we follow the breath in and out. We track body sensations, thoughts, and the movement of the mind. Meditation wakes us up to our lives. It offers a way to see the world in a clear, neutral way.
When we write, we breathe in sensory details, digest them, and exhale them in whatever way we choose to best express ourselves.
Poet and political activist Muriel Rukeyser invites us to “Breathe in experience, breathe out poetry.” Her outbreath was the poem.
I exhale creative nonfiction, these blog posts, and book marketing pitches. My friend Ray breathes out horror stories while Lisa crafts quirky mysteries and essays.
Even writers who “make stuff up” ground the worlds they build in a reality they have experienced. If they didn’t, no one could understand their work. This is why we have metaphors and similes. Things are other things and they are like other things. We pay attention, sit and walk and listen to the world around us. Grounded in the Earth’s gravitational force, we exhale our lives into form.
you should be writing
A Journal of Inspiration & Instruction to Keep Your Pen Moving
Writing Inspiration from Incredible Authors. Gathered by Brenda Knight and writing coach Nita Sweeney, author of Depression Hates a Moving Target, You Should Be Writing provides you with writing wisdom from a variety of accomplished authors.
Writing Practice on Every Page. This journal is a must-have for writers everywhere. With quotes from a diverse group of historical and modern authors to use as creative prompts on every page, you’ll be able to bring your writing inspiration with you wherever you go. You’ll find plenty of great advice, such as Toni Morrison’s encouragement, “As a writer, a failure is just information. It’s something that I’ve done wrong in writing, or is inaccurate or unclear. I recognize failure—which is important; some people don’t—and fix it.”