How to train my mind again?

[redhappy]

I have wanted to start writing again for a while, but feel like I just don't know where to start.

I found my old journal tonight, and reading through it I realised how disciplined, how 'tight', my mind was (when I was at uni studying English Lit).

Short of going back to do another degree, how can get back to that point? It was only 5 years ago, but I've had 2 children since then, and like many my brain turned to mush.

I would love to hear how other people keep their mental agility? I used to have something to say and I said it well. How do you get back to that once you've lost it?

No idea I've still not got it back! But I am doing home study to try combat it

Believe in yourself - firstly. Read. Read good quality books - really try and engage. Set yourself targets. Join a good quality writing group. Check out writing blogs - that can keep you in touch and see how other people have disciplined themselves to write:

thecowardsjourney.blogspot.com/2011/01/meeting-editor.html

helpineedapublisher.blogspot.com/

www.titaniawrites.blogspot.com/

I am at home, cancer patient - not working. But I write, enter competitions, edit, do some journalism.

You can do it.

Open University is good - I can recommend their Creative Writing course.

If you want any more info, just ask!

Writing is the very best thing in world. Good luck!

Thankyou for responding...

I realised last night that I have been reading rubbish for the last few years.

I will check out those blogs now, thanks. I think that would help a lot, right now I don't think I know anyone who really stretches their brain, you know? (that includes me) and I miss it.

One of the things I found last night was a story I had started writing. Only 2 paragraphs, but it all came back to me, what I wanted to do with the story, the characters but I know my skills aren't sharp enough.

I may even post it here in a brave moment to get some feedback

I'm sure I will be back with lots of questions punkatheart , thankyou!

Ooh - I love finding old stories. You should have enough distance to appraise it really coolly.

I know exactly what you mean about the brain but if you are seeking to be stimulated, that shows your intelligence.

Glad to help.

redhappy Hi - I like that you say 'train my mind' because writing is a habit. And it was Virginia Woolf who said that, not me.

I teach creative writing at the OU, but if you haven't written anything for a long time it might feel a bit like jumping straight into a cold swimming pool. I'd suggest taking a week off at some point and doing an Arvon course

www.arvonfoundation.org/p3.html

They offer loads of creative writing courses from Starting to Write to Screenplays, to Children's Writing. You're bound to find something you like among them. It's £575 a week but you can get grants and awards and spending a week in some beautiful location with people who are in the same writing situation as you and being taught by tutors who make their living at writing so they know what they are talking about is SO energising.

I took the radio writing course and six months later I had my first Radio 4 Commission. And no I'm not being paid by Arvon - I just found it life changing.

One other thing. There's a marvellous book by Natalie Goldberg called Writing Down the Bones - all about freewriting. It's written in short easy to read chunks and is the best book on writing I've ever read. Although many of my writer friends have also recommended Stephen King's On Writing.

You can do it! It's just a matter of getting started.

And yes I'm procrastinating right now. I've got a deadline and instead I'm waffling on - on Mumsnet. Much more fun!

Thankyou for all the responses, forgot all about this thread since it didn't show up on threads I'm on...

Great advice thankyou. Very true about putting something into your mind if you want something to come out!

frizzbonce I am planning to finish my degree through OU next year. I have the final year of an English Lit degree to complete. My studies were interrupted 5 years ago by pregnancy. I didn't mention that earlier as I was thinking of things to do more immediately. So perhaps our paths will cross at some point? On paper/a screen at least!

I am working on setting up a couple of blogs. Whilst they wont be my life's work I am viewing them as a kind of training ground. A way of getting used to putting pen to paper again and hopefully will get past my mental block.

You sound so excited and energised it's hard not to feel inspired! The sun is shining and I've nearly finished the housework for today so I'm planning to sit out in the garden and just try some automatic writing.

For a very basic re-start push, you might want to look at 750words.com It's a private writing site and encourages the routine of writing. I've found it really useful