My Essential Question is how does an out of practice writer become an active, disciplined writer?

One thing that I’ve started doing that really helped me in the beginning was clearing a physical space for myself to write. I had never done that before, the idea was completely new to me. I had only cleared a mental space, but having a designated writing spot was incredibly helpful, especially for putting me in a mental space to work. The body and the mind are much more connected than I originally thought. I have never realized that not only do I need the mental zone to write, but I also need a physical space as well.

So recently, since I’ve been so agitated and can’t sit still, this has affected my writing. I did try many other techniques that people recommended, like lighting a candle, although I suppose this helps creating ambience in the physical space. I also tried the method of eating a certain food during writing, but I found this more distracting than helpful, because I kept only focusing on the food rather than working.

Another thing I tried switching up was what I wrote on. Sometimes I would write on my laptop, other times, I would write in a notebook and transcribe the stories after I’d finished them. I came to the conclusion that writing by hand is much better, and in fact, aids the stream of consciousness type of writing. But when I’m trying to write a story with narrative and plot, writing by hand is not the best way for me to write.

Prompt:

Critical Reflection #5 Assignment: Metacognition [CR5]
What have you discovered about your process, your habits?
Now, what do you know you don’t know? Circle back to your essential question.