And this from a Wednesday Morning Writer on a20 Minute Writing Practice

20 MINUTES DELIGHT: How long is a moment?

"To write and to continue to write and 20 minutes feels like a damned long time & my hand is cramping.  Not used to writing so long without a break.  My hand would like a rest.  I would like some coffee.  I want to stop.  How long has it been? 

Anyway, I came from home to come to a writing class to be encouraged to allow the free flow of my thoughts to make me sit down and write and I am doing that right now and though my hand hurts and I have a cold and I don’t know how much longer till the 20 minutes is up and I know I enjoy writing & that this is what I want to be doing, can I get myself to do this on my own?  Is it kosher to stop for coffee?  It is my class - but will I miss the moment  - the thought if I break the flow?  I don’t know.  Back to I don’t know and I wonder if I am lying to myself when I say/think/feel I don’t know.

Where did I come from?  Where am I  going?  I came from what?  I am lost now.  Don’t know where to go from here. 

I came from my thoughts.  I keep trying to judge what I’m writing.  Hasn’t stopped me, but I’m trying.  I’m getting restless.  Wish I’d track the time so I would know how much longer?  Is it better to know how much longer or is it better to not know?  If I knew would I be watching the clock impatiently or would I be relieved by how quickly the time is going?  Or in a panic that the time is passing me by & I haven’t found the “genius” that I know is within me.  Have I found the genius & missed it?  Would I recognize her if I saw her? 

Do I have to write so fast?  That I say, yes I do - unless I stop to think about what I am writing I write fast and sloppy that’s just the way I do it and I don’t think I’m inclined to change that.  The only benefit to slowing down is maybe my hand won’t cramp so much, though now it’s not doing so badly.  I feel like I’m doing morning papers again and I’ve almost done three pages. 


Well I have done 3 pages.  We have been told a moment longer.  Relief, blessing, Amen.  How long though is a moment?  Seems longer than how I would define it.  How do I capture thoughts that go out in front of my writing.  I’m done."

Susan Firman
Wednesday Writing
February 2010