Happy Friday, Dear Readers!
I have a confession. I suck at morning pages, for one simple reason. You’re supposed to write them in the morning, when you first wake up.
I always plan to get up earlier. I also plan to go to bed before it’s the following morning. Neither plan is often successful with me. I wonder if evening pages would work just as well….
Last week, I was able to complete the morning page exercise three times, and a funny thing happened…everything I wrote about came true. I wrote about wanting to return to the gym, and I went back the following day. I wrote about needing to get back to my rewrites, and I did. (I didn’t write about winning the lottery, but maybe I should.) I think I get it now. Putting your thoughts down on paper can transform them into action. It’s a powerful thing.
But this week I messed everything up by sleeping in until the last minute and not writing those morning pages once. I did have some help: two fabulous novels that are highly addictive: Woman in Black by Susan Hill, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. A remake of the movie version of Woman in Black is in theatres now, and I hear it’s terrifying, but you should still read the book if you enjoy a good ghost story.
Thankfully, I’m managing to put in some solid work on my rewrites everyday, even though my gym attendance is still suffering.
Did you try the Morning Pages? If so, how did you fare? How are you spending your long weekend? If you’ve seen or read Rebecca or Woman in Black, what did you think? Would you recommend them?
Have a great weekend!
i know you get up early now, but part of me still thinks “morning pages” is an oxymoron when it comes to my good friend, holli! i remember how you used to be such a night owl.
I (almost) always sleep in – weekends and week days alike. And, when I do finally drag myself out of bed, I’m in a mental fog that only coffee can dispel. By the time my head clears, other obligations have taken precedence. Morning pages (yes, I have tried them in the past) will never work for me. On the other hand, late evening pages do. And, when I get hooked by an idea, late night pages are my most productive. If you add into the mix, any public location for my writing venue (Bread and Circuses was my favourite, wasn’t it Holli?) I can be quite prolific. So, morning pages? Zzzzzz…
Thanks for your comments, friends. Now that I’m back to blogging, everyone seems to think I’m still away! Ha-ha–my own fault. 🙂
@ Lisa – they are still an oxymoron, and I’m still a night owl. Holli’s natural biorhythms and a 9-to-5 don’t easily coexist. If only Javier would agree to a 12-8 work day!
@ Rick – Welcome to Chez Holli! I always envied your ability to write anywhere, anytime. I wish I could. Unless I’m scribbling down notes, I need complete silence in order to work. I love the idea of writing while surrounded by people in a friendly environment, or writing to music, but it just doesn’t work for me.
The ability of Morning Pages to turn thought into action intrigues me, though…and it did seem to kickstart my rewrites. Perhaps I’ll turn over (another) new leaf next week.
Thank you both for reading, and for your comments. They mean the world to me.