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One of the exercises I do a lot in different workshops is to have folks sit and write for 10 minutes silently.
It sounds like a basic exercise, but it’s incredibly powerful.
Every time—even though I’ve done this exercise LOTS of times—I’m still a little surprised at just how effective it is.
There’s something that happens when you’re writing in a group that doesn’t happen when you’re writing alone.
I first experienced this almost 20 years ago, when I joined my first silent writing group in San Francisco (in 2006).
Up until that time, I was massively blocked. I couldn’t write anything. Like, literally, not even one sentence.
It had been that way for years.
And then, when I joined my silent writing group and we sat and wrote together for one hour, silently, it was like that massive block just magically lifted.
It was the weirdest thing. I had no explanation for it.
But I went with it. Because it was the only thing that had ever worked to get me unblocked.
Two years later, I had the finished first draft of my first novel.
That’s why I started my online silent writing group, because I still don’t do well writing on my own. But I always do well—and surprise myself pretty much every time—when I sit and do writing sessions with the group.
I know this is true for other people as well. In fact, I got an email from a member of the group recently that said this:
I have never gotten so much writing done since I've been doing your silent writing group. I write more within the group in an hour than I can even do on my own. Also, some days, when I don't think anything is going to come out, it does! I recently completed my first written draft of a novel and now I am writing the ending of a book I was never able to finish before I found out I was an INFJ and it's going fantastic so far.
This person verbalized my exact experience: I write more within the group in an hour than I can even do on my own.
It sounds simple, almost too simple.
But it really DOES work.
If you’re interested in trying silent writing to see if it works for you, registration for silent writing in March is now open.
You can get all the details and register here:
SILENT WRITING IN MARCH
We meet three days a week on Zoom:
Mondays at 8:00 pm ET
Wednesdays at 1:00 pm ET
Fridays at 10:00 am ET
I don’t take attendance and you don’t have to come to every session (although every session is open to those who register for the month, so you can come to any/all that you want).
You can also come late or leave early, whatever works for you. I routinely have writers who drop into sessions for just 30 minutes (you would be surprised at how much progress you can make in 30 minutes but it’s true).
Any other questions? Reply to this email.
Lauren
P.S.
Registration for silent writing in March closes this Sunday, March 1, and then you’ll have to wait again to get in for the next month, so don’t put it off.
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