Writing with Mindfulness

Summary

The website content discusses the concept of mindfulness in writing and its benefits for writers of all levels.

Abstract

The article "Writing with Mindfulness" emphasizes the importance of being fully present and engaged while writing, suggesting that this practice can enhance a writer's experience and output. It encourages writers to approach their craft with awareness and without judgment, fostering a deeper connection with their inner thoughts and emotions. The piece argues that mindful writing can lead to a more authentic and transformative experience, allowing writers to communicate more effectively with their audience and to express themselves more truthfully. The article provides practical steps for writers to cultivate mindfulness in their writing process, including preparing a distraction-free environment, being aware of one's physical and mental state, and reflecting on the overall quality of their writing before making revisions.

Opinions

The author suggests that writers may not be fully engaged in their writing process and could benefit from a more mindful approach.
Mindfulness in writing is defined as being aware and present in the moment, non-judgmentally, which can lead to a more cohesive and fulfilling writing experience.
Psychotherapist Marianela Medrano is cited, emphasizing that mindful writing allows for the integration of one's inner and outer worlds and facilitates personal transformation.
The article posits that mindful writing involves accepting the outcomes without being overly attached to expectations, which can reduce stress and frustration.
It is argued that mindfulness in writing can improve the connection with readers by encouraging writers to focus on the communicative aspect of their work.
The author advises that setting up a proper writing environment and being attentive to the writing process can help writers avoid distractions and enhance their focus and creativity.

Add a dimension to your writing to reinvent yourself as a writer

You have started on Medium as a writer. Maybe recently or a long time ago. You may as well be an experienced writer who gets a lot done and be well paid too. But you may not have immersed yourself in your writing experience as deeply and reflectively as you really can. This can benefit you immensely, and more so for new writers.

To know the affirmative answer, you can ask yourself one question:

Do I do the other things in my life with complete presence of mind and attention in a particular moment, no matter what the activity is?

If your answer is “No”, then you probably have not actually observed or felt how you write. It came to you after a while in the beginning and you just write as is the case with most human endeavors. So you did not notice what was missing because you got your results with a lot of effort and now you are happy with them. This is fine but you may have hit your ceiling. Go further.

What is mindfulness in writing?

Mindfulness, in general, is defined as the awareness that arises by paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally (Jon Kabat-Zinn).

Hence, mindful writing would be writing with such an awareness. This would mean being fully engaged in the present moment with your writing as a singular task. You are really being more conscious of the act and involved.

Mindful Writing is a way to stitch together the seams of our inner and outer worlds.

In Mindful Writing, we don’t try to control our feelings or thoughts. Instead, we embody our emotions and experience and then externalize them. In order to experience transformation in the act of writing, we must allow ourselves to reinvent ourselves, to recreate ourselves in different ways.

Observing our feelings, physical sensations and mental formations brings a level of cohesiveness to our experiences

Writing with awareness also makes us more accepting of the outcomes of our writing without being caught up with our own expectations of it. You are yourself regardless of what comes out of your writing. Be aware of this, then write. This awareness will set you up on the long road of writing.

Furthermore, writing is a mode of communication with none other than your potential readers. Mindfulness in writing would put your readers first in that you want to be able to establish a connection with them. Your writing will have to go through the necessary creativity to be addressable with a large audience. So, you would want to write somehow to attain that connection and in the process address your experiences, feelings and notions going about it.

Do you sometimes feel stressed having to write so much or re-writing a piece far too many times even though you were doing it for yourself?

These are symptoms of unmindful writing or maybe haphazard writing. You are disconnected from who you are. You are not letting yourself be in the flow of writing as ideas come to you and probably being rather judgmental of yourself. This leads to frustration in the process leading to a let-up.

Setting yourself up to write with a genuine presence of mind

Settle yourself back in your writing chair, calm and composed. Feel the connection with yourself before you start to write as opposed to thinking of everything else but yourself. Be in a writing environment without distractions that will take your senses and mind off your work.

Observe your writing utensils. Here it would be the computer for most people. Feel the keyboard and look at the screen attentively at the words that are now coming out of your mind. Feel those words. This will give a cue to whether you are reflecting on your predisposition at the moment with respect to what you are attempting to write, in a sense bringing more of yourself into the act of writing and ultimately using the right words. Do not surf the web (unless for a related matter), listen to music, or chat, while writing, among a dozen other inhibitive things.

When you are finished with a draft, let the draft present itself to you fully as you read it rather than agonize over bits and pieces as to why you wrote it this way or that before you feel the overall quality and content. See if it reflects your thoughts and feelings personally while at the same time having an appeal to the reader, hence creating connectedness. Being immersed this way will help you improve the draft effectively.

Writing with mindfulness in a habitual manner takes time, it is an aspect of your writing profession that you don't want to ignore in order to develop yourself fully as a successful and satisfied writer while making money.