I took a lot from the Boice readings throughout the course. His descriptions of maintaining your daily writing
practices through control and measuring emotions are instrumental to the
program. I’ll admit that I wasn’t as interested when Boice got into his
Psychologist-motivated explanations. It’s impossible to maintain a steady diet
of writing if your mindset is in a murky place. At the same time, I took from
Boice that it’s impossible to keep up a steadily HIGH level of mental state.
Boice addressed both ends of the emotional scale (depression and hypomania) and
I appreciate the fact that he did so. I can think of times in my experience
where I’ve felt both. So, despite the fact that I wasn’t as interested, I know
that these portions of his program are important.
In
reflecting on this point, I can see that I’m still extremely interested in the
‘starting’ portions of the program. In that, I wonder if I’m ignoring one of
Boice’s rules: to start before I’m ready. I want to start. I know that I won’t
be able to develop my process in a Boice-ian way if I don’t actually take the
time to devote to writing. As I move forward, I think I’ll continue to push
myself to DO SOMETHING every day. It’s manageable. I’m slowly gaining
confidence that I can do it. And I feel like I’m prepared to maintain a program
like this.
Overall, I appreciate Boice's rules and his program as a whole. While I think, in the long run, I'm going to incorporate some of his suggestions into my writing program, I still have a solid base with which to begin my professional writing career. The rules on mindfulness, pace, when to begin, and how to keep going will sustain me, even in those darkest hours of self-doubt.
Thanks Bob.
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