Saturday, September 19, 2009

Live a Little: Break Some Rules


Break Some Rules? Go Ahead: Live A Little!

 
I'm a person who likes to follow the rules and have most of my life but, sometimes you can't and shouldn’t follow the rules. Once in a while, you just need to loosen up and get creative! You know, creative license? Like this, see I just broke a rule about sentence fragments, but it worked. Poets are notorious rule breakers. I mean, remember EE Cummings? Come on---EE you rule breaker you! Follow your muse today and let your mind wander aimlessly on the page. Break a grammar rule or two.


Writing Exercise


Try to write without the self-editing in your head; turn off the rule enforcer, and let your creativity out of the cage. Several years ago I tried this experiment for six weeks: to write without stopping, without editing for thirty minutes every day. I was not allowed to stop and change anything or go back. I had to keep going and move across the page. At first it was more difficult than I thought it would be, but eventually my hand would relax and my mind would go into the writing zone. Wonderful poems emerged from those free writes; it was a wonderful time. Try it and let me know how it goes.

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