1. Write as soon as you get up and before you go to sleep: get into the habit of it.

Even if this is just free writing and what comes out is absolutely not EVER going to be seen by anyone (except you), the mind is in the habit of getting the creative juices flowing, not only when it wants to, but when you want it to!

2. Moodbooks

These pointers are not in any particular order, but I find having a notebook with something on it which you love or find inspiring is the key to feeling good about your work before you begin.  I have three.  The one with the photo of my family is for when I am nostalgic, the one with the sea is for when things get subliminal, and the one with carnations is for when I want to write about nature.  (It’s also handy to a have a mini one for on the go when those thoughts suddenly rush in and refuse to stay in.  I’m still looking to get  a waterproof one for the shower, because inconvenient places are where I usually have all my best ideas!)

3. Exercise the body!

Can’t communicate profoundly enough how important this is.  At many dark moments in life I have written STRONG BODY. STRONG HEART. on my mirror and repeated it.  Repeated it running along the river, where each word became more solid with every footprint.  Language pounded me back into myself and ground through my feet into the place where I am.

4. Meditate

For similar reasons to the above – to be able to write about all the sensory information beyond myself, I need to think of myself as a channel holding something formless and watery that moves and meanders.

I did have a fifth, can’t quite remember – oh, yes –

to know when to stop.