Photo by: David Drake — Blue Pilot G-2 07 pen, a Moleskine dotted notebook, and an hour of work in a park
Handwritten day 1 of 60 for developing a writing habit
2021/06/22 @ 17:03
A full week since I last wrote slowly and, yet, the memory of it feels significantly fresher in my mind. I wonder if there’s something to be said for incorporating the physical act of writing in the actual satisfaction, and therefore memory of writing? In a similar fashion to meal memory that occurs when you actually sit & focus on eating a meal, I think it’s quite possible the same exists for the act of writing.
Maybe typing out a quick post is more akin to snacking; we certainly don’t have to commit as much mentally when doing so. Mistakes are effortlessly corrected and endless amounts of editing can occur until it’s “right” or “correct.” I must admit, it’s now been a number of years since I attempted any sort of long-form writing so it is entirely possible that I am overstating the benefits of this slower writing process. But that begs the question: why am I writing like this at all? What is driving my desire to produce writing that looks like this?
2021/06/22 @ 17:32
There’s now a spot of water on the previous page and it briefly upset me to have that occur & smudge the ink. So there is clearly an aesthetic motivation behind this in some capacity.
Cursive is very much a dying art in addition to penmanship in the general sense. Are we losing something because of this? It’s quite doubtful that the literary world has suffered in any way due to this loss. But will my generation, one of the last to experience mandatory cursive classes as part of the public school system, be the last to experience the joy that I am having now? The calm that comes with a forced slowness of mind necessitated by the physical act of writing in script, combined with the desire for an aesthetic? Is that something that is already lost?
2021/06/22 @ 17:51
I have observed that the physical and mental experience that occurs during this process is very much akin to mindfulness meditiation. That is, I must engage my full attention, both mentally & physically to achieve this process. Indeed, I have found that the practice of mindful meditation is one of my favorite habits that I have introduced to my life. Perhaps I am more addicted to that particular form of body and mind engagement than I am to the writing itself. Put another way:
“Is it the words or the act that is driving me here?”
Today I learned about the Japanese term “ikigai” or “reason for being.” Having direction or purpose in life. To feel ikigai is to feel accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when one pursues their passion. I love to write and to share ideas. Is it possible that writing is, indeed, one of my greatest passions? Only one way to find out: pursue it seriously and see if will develop into a habit. Is it the words, or the act? We’ll see.
Day 1 of 60 for developing a writing habit.
Day 2 of 60 for developing a writing habit:
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