Welcome to 8-minute essays
Which sounds like a shortcut cookbook for writing.
And maybe it kind of is. It’s for folks who want to write, don’t have time to write, don’t think they can write, are curious about how to start. It’s a how-to for anyone. You can do this. Anyone can do this.
The guidelines are simple.
Set a timer for 8 minutes and start writing immediately in response to the offered prompt. Keep your pen moving. Don’t stop and think about the best way to answer the prompt. Don’t be literal. Don’t be rational. Just dive in and let whatever is occurring to you splash onto the page, like rain.
Each week I’ll offer an example of one of these essays: my own or from someone in a Soul Writing group or workshop.
You will not believe it was written in 8(ish) minutes and unedited. I’m not saying this to psych you up but rather to prepare you. You will think, “no way this person didn’t work on this for a few hours, a whole day, a week. No way it wasn’t edited. And no way can I write like that.”
All false.
The key is not overthinking. Not thinking at all. Writing around your inner critic by not giving it space to have a say.
And writing sincerely, from your soul.
The real magic: celebrating what happened
In our writing groups (and hopefully here) we take this all a step further by welcoming the piece into the world with wonder and gladness. We tell the writer what we loved about the piece, what moved us, what stood out, what got us thinking.
Questions indicate that something missing (“what happened next??”), so we avoid those. We also avoid smothering the piece by over-empathizing (“I’m so sorry that happened to you!”), or adding our own stories, beliefs, agendas (“Exactly! This is the problem with xyz”).
We simply stand back and behold the piece for the newborn thing of beauty that it is. More often than not that serves to bring the piece to life, and calls attention to aspects that the writer themselves didn’t see.
Play with us?
Please join us in this little blanket fort of love and creativity. Enjoy & be inspired by the essay we offer each week. Write your own version of the prompt. Share your 8-minute essay in the comments and love others’ writing.
Subscribers are welcome to try out a Mini-Retreat at no cost.
