Kamin's Writing Salon: getting started

A place to ponder on writing: where, how, why and why oh why we do it

Make like Vivien Leigh and do your Free Flow Pages

For some time now I have wanted a place where I can gather my writing community: my students, alumni, writer friends, those curious about writing. And this seems like a good place to try combining this disparate group that is splattered across various platforms: WhatsApp groups, a Facebook page, my Mailchimp mailing list and of course, Instagram. So many wonderful people, so many different groups… So please consider this newsletter our place to gather – one platform, one community.

This is the place I will write anything that strikes me as useful about this demanding craft, be it an article, a great quote, or a tried-and-tested tip. And I hope you will join me on the chat to share yours and bring any issues you are having with your writing. I will also be advertising new courses and workshops on here first, and I will eventually phase out all those other groups and platforms to concentrate on expanding this to encompass, hopefully, also writing groups and a different way for us to keep in touch and for me to work with my students, alumni and anyone else who wants writing support, mentorship, tuition and inspiration.

I won’t be clogging up your inbox more than a couple of times a month so do subscribe if you want to be part of this community with me. And you will be holding my hand too, as I will use this newsletter to share my own writing process as I work on my new book. Which of course I am dragging my feet on starting, so I really hope you will come along to hold my hand. To kick us all off, here is my first word on the writing process.

What Stops Us Writing

“The cost of discontinuity is tremendous: what should take days—weeks—can sometimes take months to write; what should take a month, takes years. And, “I think I have only spent about ten percent of my energies on writing. The other ninety percent went to keeping my head above water. Teaching . . . keeping house.” Katherine Anne Porter, author of Ship of Fools.

It’s called LIFE. Life stops us writing. Everything else pretty much always comes first, even if you are a jobbing writer like me; unless hemmed in by a hard deadline (ie: the magazine I am writing for will miss its print slot if I my piece is late), the business of daily life always takes priority. I’ve always thought that domesticity is the death knell for creativity, but what to do? You can’t not engage with the rest of life (falling in love, setting up house, making a family. Oh and earning a living) so here are my topline tips on how to overcome this one:

• Commit to your writing. I know this is boring and commitment blah blah blah but it really does require intention

• Once you have intention you anchor that intention with ritual. I’m all for ritualising your morning Free Flow pages, so find a little routine that precedes the writing: light a candle, make a coffee, sweep the doorstep or whatever little physical activity gives you this sense of space clearing/making. Whatever works for you but carry it out with reverence every time

• Fast Flow Pages. Those of you who have taken a course or workshop with me know that this is my version of Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages. But in my version, you set a clock (start with 7 minutes, or if you are really pushed for time/resistant, then set it for 3) and once your pen hits the paper, you don’t hesitate, cogitate, meditate or stop to think at all. Pen does not leave paper and you just keep writing. Don’t stop and chew your pen if you can’t think of the right word, just write the wrong word or even XXX and keep writing. The important thing is to keep writing and not worry too much what you are writing about. This way you will develop the habit of forward motion – so important when those first drafts need to get written. Remember, all writing is made in the edit, and without words on paper, there is nothing to edit. So, get it down, badly if need be, but get it down.

This little exercise above, if done daily on waking (I know it’s hard not to pick up the phone first but really, it’s a much more pleasant way to start the day. Just try it), will start to transform your writing, your day and indeed, your life! It will loosen the wheels of imagination, help you to develop those writing muscles, and clear your head for the day and the creative writing ahead of you. Plus the habit of setting the clock if you are pushed for time, or are just an arch procrastinator like me, will really change everything when you apply it to your creative writing routine too.

Trust me. Try it and write me a comment to tell me how it’s working for you.