Sunday 22 April 2012

The elusive right brain session

For me, a right brain session is cructial to my being able to write.

First of all, I am not one of those writers that can just sit down everyday and write something intelligent.
Seriously, I don't know how people do that.

I have to get into my right brain, my creative brain. And some days, this is very hard work.

I work full time at a hectic dental office. I do a bazillion things in one day, but for most of my day, I'm doing bookkeeping, payroll, or some sort of paperwork. This is left brain.

So, for me to switch over, it takes some careful thought.

First, I have to pre-plan a writing day. I have some Fridays off, so I think about it all week. FRIDAY IS WRITING DAY, FRIDAY IS WRITING DAY.

When I get this suggestion in my head. I am subconsciously planning to be in right brain first thing Friday morning, hit the keyboard and write something amazing with absolutely no effort.

Yah, right!

Although planting the suggestion in my head early in the week does help me keep a schedule, I'm pretty sure I don't wake up with my right brain in full force.

First of all, I need at least 5 cups of coffee to be able to hit the letters on the keyboard to type in English. Then I need to put the phone on silence and shut out the outside world. This means my husband cannot bother me as my DO NOT DISTURB sign is up.

The second thing I do is either listen to music that inspires me, do some artwork, or meditate. These are all right brain activities.

Once my right brain is on, the creative process of story telling is amazing. Characters and ideas flow. I write. I do not worry about proper sentence structure or grammar. I use the creative right brain to sail the writing process through all sorts of adventures.

When I am in right brain, I write for 9 hours straight,not thinking about time or obligations. And then, the process winds down, and I wonder why I am so hungry.

I try to get into my right brain sessions for about 3 - 4 weekends straight. I continue from where I left off, not worrying about the previous writing, unless I can't remember something that I wrote. After 30 - 40 hours of creative writing, that is usually enough time to have a rough story hammered out.

Once the rough story is written, then the editing part is next. I hate the editing part. But now I can use my highly developed left brain (which most of us have already) to form proper sentences and check puncuation, grammar, etc.

My editing goes on for months. Several hours every weekend if possible.Never in one sitting. Stepping away from my project helps me to edit with a new set of eyes the next time.

This is how I deal with the elusive right brain. I also rarely watch television, preferring to read or paint a picture, or ride my horse, or play with my dogs. I believe television saps our right brain creative thinking. It's been several years since I cut down on television and I really think doing something else more creative helps in the long run.

LONG LIVE THE RIGHT BRAINERS OF THE WORLD!








2 comments:

  1. "All Hail The Queen of The Right Brain!"

    "yeahyeahyeah. ohohohoh. yayayeeheheheohoho." (crowd noise)

    "When is the Queen appearing?"
    "Why, she is already here."
    "Where is the Queen?"
    "What no Queen?"
    "No, not here yet."
    "No Queen?"
    "Where is the Queen?"
    "The Queen is gone."
    "The Queen . . . is, oh, my . . . is, gone?!"
    "The Queen is no more?"
    "No more mate."

    "bohobohobohobohoohoboohoosniffssniff." (crowd reacts).

    "What's all the fuss?"
    "The Queen is gone."
    "She is eh?"
    "Nothing to be happy 'bout, mate."
    "Yes, it is if . . . you prefer The King of the Left Brain."
    "Oh, no. Not the left brain."
    "Oh, yes, and show some respect. Capitalize."
    "Sorry. Not The Left Brain?"
    "No, not really. The Queen of the Right Brain still has the creative chops to top The King of the Left Brain."
    "Then . . . where?"
    "Well, they ain't playing chess."
    "No, that is for the King to win."
    "Balancing the kingdom columns?"
    "No, that would be a King Left Brain. Definitely."
    "Come on, matey, we don't got all day."
    "Ya' do for the Brains."
    "The Brains?"
    "Of course. Couldn't be any other way."
    "Huh?"
    "The Queen of the Right Brains is creative and free in her expressions. The King of the Left Brain is right at home doing the bills, reading the Royal Gazette, balancing the Kingdom rainy day fund or the welfare pot for stuck knights, even the Queen's supply bills."
    "Huh, respect. That was Queen 2, King 5."
    "Yes, so we are even. Hush. Now, go on friend."
    "So, long story short, because I hate long stories, which is why I always show up to these things late."
    "And?"
    "And, what?"
    "The short story?"
    "Oh, dear sir, we have passed that point many sentences ago." tsk, I shake my head. can the locals ever keep up?
    "Okay, it is time."
    "Time?"
    "Yes, time."
    "For what?"
    "What, what?"

    "OH, FOR HEAVENS SAKE. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE QUEEN OF THE RIGHT BRAIN?"

    "She is down at 'the watering hole' with the King."

    "The Queen with the King? Right with Left? Creative with Concrete? Okay, sounds good to me."
    "Goin' home?"
    "Yeah, nothing to see here."
    "Nope, they's at 'the watering hole' if in your want to see. But I hear tell there is a thirty day dungeon stay if in you peak."
    "Peak?"
    "Peek"
    "Better."
    "Better not."
    "STOP!"
    "Okay."

    Long Live the King and Queen of the Right and Left!
    Long live The Brains and their brainiacs and brainettes.
    "That fast?"
    "The Queen is creative."
    "That she is when she is Right Braining it."

    "Long live The Queen."

    "All Hail The Queen of the Right Brain!"
    "And her man."

    ReplyDelete
  2. THAT IS JUST WONDERFUL!!!!! The talent you have amazes me!

    ReplyDelete

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