At Centauri Arts Camp, writers spend 4 hours a day focused on their own work and share their pieces with other writers every day. No wonder many of us feel our most creative under the Centauri Poet Tree! Inspiration and time to write are harder to find when we’re not at camp, but there are some tricks that get me writing during the other 10 months of the year.
Set a schedule. I’ve had times when I’ve written only “when the inspiration strikes,” and, the truth is, that amounts to one poem every three months. I am most inspired to write when I’m already writing, so, for me, the best way to make sure I write is to make myself do it, every day.
Set a goal. When I don’t write, it’s usually because I a. don’t know what I want to write or b. feel intimidated by what I want to write. I try to set a concrete, measurable goal: I will write 500 words before I stop for the day or I will fill three pages in my notebook during my writing time. This stops me from getting overwhelmed by how much I have to do and challenges me to get creative if I run out of things to say before I meet my goal.
Set a timer. At Centauri we freewrite everyday: for 20 minutes we keep our pens moving, no matter what we’re writing. Every session, I see students write some of their favorite pieces during our daily freewrite. Freewrites let us turn off our self-editing function and surprise ourselves. Try a freewrite at home—you might come up with something intriguing.
Read like you write. Usually my reading tastes bounce from one genre to another, but when I’m working on a longer piece, it helps me to read stories like the ones I’m writing: novels with young adult protagonists, for example, or stories about families. Immersing myself in the genre I’m writing helps me to get my head in the right space.
Be patient. Every writer goes through periods when they don’t write or don’t like anything they write. Be patient with yourself if you accidentally take a couple months off or if you feel discouraged with a project. And even if you’ve gone the whole school year without opening your notebook, inspiration always manages to strike once you’re back at Centauri.
Maria Rothenberg
Writing Instructor
Centauri Summer Arts Camp