The Zen of Writing

 Sometimes, I have a hard time sitting down to write. My brain is in play mode vs creative mode and my thoughts flit everywhere but where they are supposed to be. It is at that time that I turn to mindfulness, a peaceful pursuit of just staring and listening to the world around me. My brain slows. It is away from the constant barrage of the news or the bits of information that show up on the computer screen you can read in under 40 seconds. Human beings are addicted to the news cycle and blogs because you get just the right amount of information in the right amount of time to keep you focused.

But because I must enter the den Zen zone, I have to quiet my mind. I must find the place of utter concentration, the silence of the novel, the creative space that detests being disturbed by anything or anyone. It is wonderful in the Zen den of writing. Characters surprise you, scenes invite you, and suspense grabs you by the arm and won’t let go.

I am one of those people that cannot tell you the end of the story before it is written. I may have a general idea, but I have no clue as to how to get there.  Why just last week a character dug in her heels and refused to let me go farther into the story unless I incorporated something that was out of character for her. It wasn’t until I did as requested that I realized the trait she displayed is one of the focuses involved in her development.

I wonder sometimes, how I can still be surprised when in the den of Zen.

I like to follow a thought to its completion and can get ah, a tad angry when disturbed by a fellow human being or dog. Yes, dog. I have three of them. All rescues, all mutts except Aggie who was rescued from a Fox Terrier mill. They all demand attention and I love to give it.

Here I am writing about the den of Zen and my dogs distract me.

When in the den, life can’t get any better. I stare at my computer screen or sometimes close my eyes. The keyboard is a lot like the piano keyboard—once you know it, you have it. You don’t need to keep your eyes open. However, I do recommend checking every now and then. There is no sense in typing out: jpe o ;pbr mu ,pyjrt om 3 rsdu esud. Which turns out to be: How to love your mother in 3 easy steps or something like that, one key over.

Once I’m settled, my mind takes on the scope of a motion picture. Colors are vibrant, characters imbued with life, conflicts rage. I decide who lives and dies. Who loves and who goes loveless in life. It is up to me when the hurricane hits or the earthquake rattles the planet. My new world belongs to me. I decide what the sky looks like, the atmosphere, the clothing styles, etc. It is a freeing yet at the same time a constricting point of view, because everything in the world has to work and since I write a lot of Science Fiction, many things must jive to keep the world(s) believable.  

My work on Gemini 3, the last book in the trilogy, is almost complete, well one third complete, and Shadowland should be out as soon as it gets assigned an editor. Simply said, I love to write. It is a form of meditation for me. I gaze off into the distance and dream of other worlds and lifetimes.

I hope you enjoy them.

((hugs)))

Louann

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