6.6: Invention and Anxiety Reducing Activities

Journaling as a Way to Reflect on Writing (and to discover new ideas)

The following is a brief journal entry I wrote while gathering my ideas for this essay that reflects on the connection between feelings of anxiety and other related emotions that can affect one’s writing processes:

Notes: April 18, 2009 (Visual Feelings)

When I think about starting to write, I feel both an
excitement about the possibilities, but also some uncertainty
as well—some anxiety about creating an actual
text that resembles the one I can imagine. The
feeling of potential often comes to me as a vague sense
impression of a visual image. For example, around
2:00 a.m. yesterday as I was thinking about writing
this, what I felt was an image of a starlit midnight
with crickets chirping and perhaps a moon in the
sky, or a streetlight. And I suppose that image makes
sense as a way to think about the feeling of anticipation
that comes with starting to write—the very early
morning hours tend to be cool and crisp, and one
tingles a bit as a result of that coolness. Anticipation
or the sense that one is on the verge of creating a text
that is somewhat stirring or artistic has the same kind
of tingle to it. Sometimes, creativity feels like an eagle

soaring or like a bright, warm sun. These feelings
and faint visual impressions are almost always part
of what’s going on in my mind and spirit when I am
planning a piece of writing. Once, when I found myself
with only two hours to write a seven-page paper,
my feeling was that of being like a racecar driver, with
the keyboard as my steering wheel. (Incidentally, my
limited time wasn’t because I procrastinated—it was
because I had thought so much about the topic that I
couldn’t get the ideas organized, and so, even though
I had put a lot of hours into the paper, I found myself
running out of time.)

I had little idea what I would I write in that journal entry when I first touched pen to paper, but while writing, I became consciously aware of the way anticipation and excitement feel very similar to anxiety. And that gave me an idea—what if there was a way to turn one emotion into another? Essentially, this is what many of the activities I use to reduce stress do—redirect the emotions into a more constructive direction.

Just as it did for me, taking the time to journal about your thoughts and feelings related to the activity of writing and to specific writing assignments can help you to gain insight and find new ideas and directions.

Be a Star

Even though you may not think of writing as fun, try to enjoy it and role-play having a positive attitude. The following role-playing activity may help you:

1. Pretend you are an established writer, that everyone loves your work, and that your audience is eager to read your next exciting publication, which they will love simply because they adore you. You have to do the work of writing eventually anyway, and optimism yields better results than worrying. Staying positive gives you the best chance of doing your best. So, imagine an audience that will be delighted with everything and anything you write.

2. If this is hard to imagine, ask a friend or two to role-play your adoring public and make the whole thing a game.

3. Pretend you’re giving them the press release about what your next book will be about. Let them ask questions, and let it become a conversation.

4. Let yourself be over-the-top with the ideas you share, and have a good time.

5. Dress up in pretentious or obnoxious clothing and pretend to be more eccentric than you actually are if this helps to create the mood and make you feel more outgoing.

If you are anything like me, you and your friends will likely find yourselves laughing at some point during this activity. Laughter is a great way to beat anxiety and build a positive attitude. You’ll be retraining your gut response to writing tasks, and you may even find yourself looking forward to these sorts of fun interactions with your friends or classmates during the early stages of writing. Take turns being the star and audience. A more serious peer review can be done later, after you actually have a completed draft.

If You Can’t Avoid Distractions, Use Them

I find that being slightly distracted helps with invention, and that sometimes, it’s helpful to watch TV or a movie while thinking about a writing project. Doing so lets me take micro breaks and keeps anxiety to a minimum. It can be counterproductive to see all distractions as a problem—rather, use and even create distractions to consciously
adjust the emotions you feel when trying to get started with writing. It may help to have a couple of fun objects within reach. Items that light up and make sounds are great for this. Small puzzles can also help, especially the kind where you try to fit different plastic geometric shapes together to form a particular outline. A glass of water to drink
or a healthy snack can serve as a brief distraction.

I do find that activities involving sound can help. I have a Bodhran, which is an Irish frame drum, and a singing bowl. If I seriously need to de-stress, I go and bang on my drum. Both of these instruments require movement to produce the sound. The drum has to be stuck with fast, rhythmic movements using a stick called a cipin or beater, and the singing bowl is made to sing, or produce harmonic tones, by rubbing the outside rim of the bowl with a suede covered striking tool or mallet. Listening to the drumbeat or whirring of the bowl is calming, giving the mind one thing to focus on, and the arm movement releases tension by using up excess adrenaline.

Figure 5. Bodhran

Figure 6. Singing Bowl

Once you’ve indulged in a few of these methods of intentional distraction, bring yourself back to the page or screen. I have found that it is important to make the very small step of writing something, even if it is not much. Even if it is only a word or two, or one sentence, write it down. Take a break, and come back in five minutes and write down
another few words or another line. Eventually, you’ll find you have more to say.

Movement

Movement helps. With as much work as I often to do, it is very easy to be sedentary, and sitting for long periods of time each day can lead to sluggishness and fatigue. Students with a full load of classes and the accompanying hours of studying are likely to face similar issues. Getting up and moving gets the circulation and adrenaline going and can sometimes build enjoyment. I find that I become more excited about my writing projects—usually because I will have had a miniepiphany by then—after I take some time to engage in some type of physical activity, whether it is taking a walk or doing some manual labor around the house. If you feel nervous, physical activity like lifting
weights or taking a walk can help. I like to go for a walk or a drive and listen to music just to unwind and think. Getting the circulation moving improves thinking for me. When writing, I often feel the urge to get up and pace for a few minutes before getting back to work. It’s both a way to release excess energy as well as to celebrate the energy that
writing tends to generate for me. Keeping the adrenaline regulated can help you to avoid getting too worked up, or feeling too overwhelmed.

Change of Scenery or Method

Another strategy that I find helpful is periodically moving to a new location. If I am writing at the table downstairs and start to get stuck, I’ll take the laptop upstairs, or take it to the office and work there instead. Changing the scenery every few hours helps. Also, even though my composing primarily takes place on the computer, I do switch back
and forth between the computer and paper if I am at a sticking point. Usually, the change is all I need to get going again.

Describe Your Plans—Even if You Don’t Have Any Yet

One strategy that I often use is to write a brief summation of what I plan to do with an essay I am starting to work on. I am someone who usually doesn’t have more than a vague idea of what I will write until I actually start writing. The activity of writing a plan jumpstarts that process. I make up my plan as I start to put it down in writing. I recommend that you try this and write a paragraph or so about what you plan to put in your paper, even if you aren’t sure where you are going with your general idea yet. At first, this may sound like a paradox, but for some people this will get the ideas flowing. Some writers are more comfortable with paradox than others, but it can’t hurt to give it a try.