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Writing 101: personal definition as a writer - part 2
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Understanding Your Message
Some occasions a story or idea courses through your mind briefly with depth, and clarity, you realize at that instant that you want write it down and put it to use at a later time. What is going on when this occurs? This sequencing occurs when your conscious mind is preoccupied with pleasantly redundant tasking. The reason I allocate the term "pleasantly redundant tasking" to this experience is the sheer reality that not all redundant and|or seemingly mindless tasking is unpleasant. We seem to think of commonplace activities as being boorish, yet basking in the sunshine, cooking a gourmet meal, traveling a great distance, walking through a forest are all really redundant activities to your conscious mind.
While basking in the sunshine the conscious mind is setting up the towel, sitting in the chair, putting on lotion, paying attention to surroundings; cooking a gourmet meal the conscious mind is cleaning a pot, getting utensils, finding ingredients; traveling a great distance the conscious mind is packing suitcases, carrying luggage, checking in; walking through a forest the conscious mind is checking the footpath, listening for noises, placing your feet.
The subconscious mind engages while you bask in the sun is swimming in the ocean, hang-gliding, making a sand castle; the subconscious mind while cooking a gourmet meal is thinking of spices, coloring the table, perhaps picking flowers; when traveling a long distance the subconscious mind is sitting down with a total stranger, going on a clandestine experience, saving the plane in a wreck; walking through the forest the subconscious mind is swinging from vines, cliff climbing, rescuing rare and exotic birds, becoming a world renown ornithologist. The subconscious mind is an adventurer and the more mundane the conscious tasking, the more adventuresome the subconscious becomes. At these times, typically, with redundant subconscious tasking-we do not have opportunity to write our subconscious gems down, but these are the times we need to tap into later as subconscious resources.
The conscious knows how to undertake activities without consistent activation so that the sub-consciousness can kick-in; we may agree that if not for the subconscious wanderings life would be most difficult. The sub-conscious goes wild inventing, discovering, and yielding itself to fantasies. It almost shouts, "I am here! Discover me while your conscious self is in self regulation mode."
As soon as we begin the process of writing down 'sub-conscious' adventures though, we engage the conscious mind, and oftentimes up go the walls that end fluidity. This is where guided imagery techniques, meditation, and self-hypnosis will puncture the holes in the walls of the mind between the active and inactive mindsets.
We want to learn together how to understand sub-conscious messages and put them to use. Your journal record assists in the process of learning becoming your activity record for both subconscious and conscious works your are achieving. In addition to this, your design-idea book will help with the process.
Design-Idea Book
A design-idea book is a notebook where you record ideas, plans, designs, revisions, problems, solutions, and questions about your projects. This book helps you keep track of and assess your literary projects. It provides a record of what worked what didn't work, and ideas for what you anticipate to work in the future. Your design-idea book will be used alongside your project journal; both are to remain in similar format. Your design-idea book will be focussed more on what you have learned, the process of your work, and general reflections on your project.
- Writing materials pencils or pens.
- Basic notebook (i.e.: 3-ring notebook, spiral notebooks, simple folders, and|or created notebook template).
- Design tools (i.e.: compass, straight edge, crayons, scissors, etc.)
- Prepare for class, computer work time, discussions, and|or brainstorming sessions by writing down your ideas, plans, designs, questions, and|or concerns.
- Take notes of new ideas and interesting suggestions proposed by others and|or questions that arise you might want to pursue later.
Include in your notebook conceptual maps, sketches, drawings, measurements, calculations, storyboards, and design ideas-even if you do not use them in your project. - Keep relevant information in your notebooks or folders, (i.e.: handouts, drafts, critiques, revisions, etc.)
- Highlight or annotate sections of this lesson and your personal discovery process for future reference or for discussions with others (i.e.: friends, teachers, mentors).
- Keep your notebook with you (or easily accessible) at all times so you can jot down ideas, sketches, etc. as they arise.
Variations
Material included in the design|idea book will vary contingent upon your age, your present range of skill, and the scope of your project. Your notebook will be primarily your own set of worksheets and drawings.
You may consider your journal and design-idea book to be the main products of this lesson series if you like.
Footnote:
St. Titus Brandsma: Spoke Italian, Frisian, Dutch, and English, and could read Spanish. Translated the works of Saint Teresa of Avila from Spanish to Dutch, publishing them in 1901. Ordained in 1905 at age 24. Doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian Univeristy in Rome in 1909 at age 28.
Taught at the Carmelite seminary at Oss, Netherlands. Editor of the local daily newspaper in 1919; often seen working with a cigar in his mouth. He attests to the weight definitive writing presents.
