Implementing: The Morning Pages
Last week I introduced you to The Morning Pages and gave a fun listicle of the top 10 benefits they add to your writing routine. It was a lot of hype, to be sure, but I find I have to hype this up or writers roll their eyes when they find out how deceptively simple this exercise is. Then they never actually add these pages into their routines and then they don’t get the benefits.
When I say this is a game changer, I mean it!!
Until I started doing The Morning Pages I struggled mightily with showing up to write on a regular basis. I might even go so far to say that The Morning Pages are the main reason I’ve been able to keep up such a consistent writing routine over the last few years.
Now, let’s talk about what The Morning Pages actually entail, how to use them in your writing routine, and cover some of the pitfalls many writers encounter when they first start.
Before we get too far though…
So, what are the Morning Pages?
The Morning Pages are simply 3 pages of long-hand stream of consciousness writing.
The point is simply to get your hand moving across the page, clear out the dust bunnies floating around in your mind, and dump your thoughts onto paper.
These pages are not meant to be read by anyone. In fact, Julia Cameron (who coined the name of this practice) stipulates that even YOU, the writer, shouldn’t read your own pages for the first 8 weeks or so.
These pages are not meant to be pretty. They are not meant to be smart, or clever or even particularly interesting.
They are a writer’s version of performing scales. A basic exercise that never ceases to be helpful, no matter how advanced you become.
In a way, these pages are simply you having a conversation with yourself on paper.
It is important that these pages are done with pen and paper. I do not recommend doing them on your phone, laptop or any other electronic device, which could bing you with a notification at any moment and completely destroy your mental flow.
Everyone is different, but for myself, these pages usually take a little less than a 1/2 hour. Many days I wish I was faster, but the productivity they induce is worth the investment.
How to implement:
The Morning Pages are put to best use - you guessed it - when they are done first thing in the morning. However, they have a positive impact no matter what time you do them. You could save them as an intro to your dedicated writing time, or you could look at this as a separate wholistic morning ritual. No matter what, doing this exercise once a day is preferable to not doing it at all. So go ahead and do it right before bed if necessary.
Once you’ve gone through The Morning Pages it should feel as though your mind has been cleared, your writing muscles have been warmed up, and all the extraneous thoughts running around your head have been addressed so you can focus on the task at hand.
That being said, I do see some common struggles when writers first begin to take on this practice, so let’s address those.
Common Pitfalls
The Morning Pages are profoundly simple, but that doesn’t mean every writer carries them out flawlessly. In fact, I find a number of writers resist this activity with surprising willfulness.
Perhaps that’s because at first, working on The Morning Pages can feel like a waste of time.
Sometimes this exercise is boring. Sometimes you might feel like you don’t have anything to say. At first, many writers find the words pouring out of their fingertips are disturbingly negative. Many writers also find this exercise forces them to confront thoughts, ideas, and emotions they would prefer to avoid.
These experiences are precisely why these pages are so effective. If you don’t have anything to say, they help you practice breaking through when you don’t feel inspiration in your writing. If you find your pages are full of negativity, it’s likely you have some bigger things in your life you need to address. When there’s nothing but you and the page there’s no where to hide. There’s no reason to not open yourself to the point where you might honestly feel uncomfortable.
If you find The Morning Pages to be overwhelmingly negative, I encourage you to add a small gratitude practice (list 7 things you are grateful for) to the end of the exercise, in addition to actually addressing the content you’re writing about.
Most of the time, the outpouring of negativity dissipates as you emotionally process the backlog of your emotions.
I want to reassure you, even though you may encounter these difficulties, The Morning Pages are worth it.
This tool doesn’t only impact your writing - it will impact your entire life. The way you communicate, your self-awareness, and the way you show up in the world will all be altered.
It is a form of conscious, emotional digestion. One that benefits you and every single other person you come into contact with.
Now Get To It!
Seriously. Try it.
You can do it today.
Let me know how it goes in the comments :)
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