Timing Writing
Written by Samson Khachatryan
Hello! I'm Samson and I'm a poetry editor. I'm new to the team, and so far I'm really enjoying being part of the process and contributing to Sugar Pine however I can. I mainly write poetry, prose, and essays. I've found that, over time, my writing style is more and more informed by my changing schedule.
Junior year of highschool is notoriously the most difficult and tumultuous year. Unfortunately, my academic life takes up most of my time and energy, so it's become increasingly harder to make time for writing that isn't for a CW class. Lately, I've been setting aside time in the mornings before school to journal as I eat breakfast, which has been very helpful personally and creatively. Dedicating time just to writing has been beneficial not only in processing the neverending life-sludge, but in motivating me to write for myself and sit with it uninterrupted for a while.
Before I got so busy, my writing would be very spontaneous and I would create in short bursts whenever I felt like it. While this felt super great, I would often abandon works after finishing them and move on to the next piece without really sitting with my writing. I definitely still harness these creative bursts, but now that there are so many more things demanding my time, I've found that spontaneous inspiration can get lost very easily in the abyss of other obligations. Having so much more on my plate made me realize the value of slowing down and being deliberate about what I make, instead of just churning things out as I please. Purposefully allocating time and energy for writing has preserved my creative productivity, and also given me the space to sit with and rework my pieces.
I noticed that the quality of my writing (surprise surprise) is proportional to the amount of time I spend reworking and editing– which I only started doing after I made time for it specifically. Whether it’s revising or the raw process of writing, I think that carving out time to just write is one of the most creatively beneficial things one can do.
Haruki Murakami, renowned novelist boasting such works as IQ84 and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, said in an interview with The Paris Review, that “When I’m in writing mode for a novel, I get up at 4:00 am and work for five to six hours… I keep to this routine every day without variation. The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind..”
Now, this definitely sounds a bit overkill, but his work is a testament to the value of consistent, regimented writing. Being deliberate about timing and dedication of energy toward one's projects will not only result in blossoming creative productivity, but more thorough spiritual investment and personal connection with one's work. I've definitely noticed it myself, an example being the way I’ll get so much more attached to the characters I write in short stories.
By integrating more disciplined writing habits into my life, I’ve been able to connect so much more with my work, and pour more of myself into it than I otherwise would have. Although there are still a zillion other things perpetually demanding my attention, I've found that being deliberate and mindful about setting time to write makes the process more immersive, and consequently a more personal experience. It also makes me appreciate what I read more, especially work by writers who share Murakami’s vigor and invest so much of themselves into their pieces. This deliberate dedication to the craft enriches my personal writing and deepens my appreciation for the labor of love that is storytelling.
