Meditate Before You Write

Meditation is essential t to prepare a karate ninja for a major event. It helps them clear their mind of outside distractions, calm their nerves, and get everything under control. For a writer, it is no different. I am to a point where I have finished up one novel, have another ready to go to press, and have two new novels that are about five pages in. I think it's a good time for me to slow down and take some of my own advice. The following is some tidbits of wisdom I gave as a guest blogger on another site last year:

Before you even put a single word on the page, you need to think it out first. I don’t mean out-lining, though that is important in some form or another, (and is a subject for another day). I literally mean meditating. Find a pleasant location, away from distractions, and let your mind romp through the tall grass of your imagination. And then let your thoughts make frequent jaunts into that corner of your brain that houses who you are. More specifically, your philosophy on life. Let those values infiltrate your imagination and weave themselves into your story.

Now you are ready to write that first page, whether it be as an outline if you are the outlining type, or as the beginning of your story if you are a “pantster.” (Writing by the seat of your pants).

But beware of the tendency new authors might have to be heavy-handed, and try to put a “message” into your story. That will turn off readers faster than having no plot.

This is where effective meditation comes into play. As you contemplate the values that are important to you, let them stir your emotions; let them establish a foothold in your everyday thoughts and actions. That way, when you write they will naturally express themselves in your stories’ characters. Meditate often to allow this to occur. And then when you write, rather than creating candy for your readers brain, you create meat and potatoes. Not that candy is bad—once in a while. But you’ll have your readers hungry for your books if you can provide them something that leaves them with a satisfying feeling when they are done.