Favorite Writing Hacks
My current working definition of a story: This certain quirky character, in pursuit of a difficult goal changes...internally. No change No story. Why didn't they teach me this in college?
Write for fun: I write to discover what I think, to pen new forms that reflect how living in this time feels in my body. Braided essay anyone? A helix?
Aim for truth, whether it's fiction, a memoir or visual art, in compelling work, there's always something emotionally true. Excavating cultural biases and digging under what seems obviously true, these are my superpowers. After writing a passage I may reread and ask: Is that as true as I can make it? How does that serve the story, the point, the protagonist?
Creatively meditate. So creatives use all sorts of hacks to call in the muse or simply get into a focused creative mood. Me, I sit. As in meditate. I play in the liminal, in-between states of consciousness using ancient yogic meditations to not only chill out the noise, but to access deeper creative states.
Live smaller to create bigger. I zen-ified my scene with a minuscule mortgage, a well-paying part time day job and a tiny purple writing shed! My burden is light so I have the freedom to create.
Thank you for reading. Feel free to look around. And stay well out there!
Imagining all of you happy, healthy, safe and free!
Kathryn
