Creative Exercise #1: The “Odd Things” Tickler

In one of my Creative Writing classes in college, my professor gave us a simple exercise that we had to do throughout the semester.  She told us to get a small notebook or tickler and write at least 3 interesting or odd things each day.  These things could be made up, or they could be something we actually encounter.

Here are some tips to make the most out of this exercise:

• Use all your senses. This allows you to be more aware of your environment and more receptive to the changes that occur.  By being aware of your senses, you get a better chance of writing down observations that you would normally miss.
• Make time for it. You’re probably busy.  If that’s the case, when you get home, don’t spend 30 minutes watching yet-another-Seinfeld-rerun.  Work on this exercise instead.  You can do it in the bathroom, if that’s all the free time you have.
• Use the simplest, fugliest notebook you can find. You don’t have to rummage about your neighbor’s garbage can, but don’t buy a $20 leather-bound notepad either.  Keep it simple.  Pretty writing pads will just intimidate you.
• Don’t take it too seriously. My main problem with the exercise when I first tried it was that I took it too seriously and pressured myself into making a phenomenal list each day.  Don’t think about your notes ending up as The Greatest Novel of All Time.  It’s just a notebook.  So make notes.

If you don’t have your notebook handy when something pops into your head, just use the tools around you.  Write in an old coffeeshop receipt you found in your pocket.  Tweet about it.  Type it into your phone as a text message and archive it.  Just use whatever tools you can find, because sometimes when you lose the idea or the thought, it’s really gone.  Irretrievable.  You do not want that to happen.

Give this exercise a shot if you find yourself in some kind of mental block.  Don’t worry, I’ll do it with you.  I’m going to start on it this week and report back on what happens.

Until next time,

Celine

Image by Mateusz Atroszko from sxc.hu

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