Thread by @BhopalHouse

Happy New Year, would-be writers! After two decades of editing and a year of teaching creative writing, not to mention a lifetime of "I Really Ought To Write/Complete Writing a Book", I think I've finally figured out what the problem is. I don't enjoy writing because I'm scared>

Of being absolutely rubbish, as we all are in a culture that tells us writers are geniuses. As such, I can make myself do it for a while before giving up. Even knowing that a first draft is supposed to be rubbish, I'm still in my head about it in maddening ways, so>

This year, we're doing it differently. Every day this month, I'm going to write 15 minutes every day NOT as part of my ongoing manuscript. Just for FUN, to experiment with my style, with points of view. But most importantly, to start to think of writing as pleasurable. >

We're incredibly bad as a society at understanding that beating oneself up actually isn't the best way to get something and that the problem isn't a lack of motivation or stricter deadlines. If you hate it, you will leave it, quite simply.

All of which is a long-winded way of saying that I'll be putting up one writing prompt every day, here and on @silkroadslipper. Read it and write without stopping to think or analyse for 15 minutes, ideally pen on paper. It sounds like nothing, but it is TRANSFORMATIVE.

It's transformative in terms of one's creative practice and output but also, in my own experience, quite grounding in terms of depression/anxiety etc. I don't have a cute Dry January type name for it, all suggestions welcome.

I'm starting with a New Year themed prompt which I'm taking from Annie Ernaux's Getting Lost which I'm currently reading: "Only beginnings are truly beautiful." Happy writing, people! #writingprompt #writingpromptchallenge

Today's writing prompt is an image, this beautifully quiet, elegant Zurbarán. 15 minutes of writing, no editing, ideally no overthinking, just look and write! #writingprompt #januarywritingprompts

Today's writing prompt is from Anna Karenina: "He was incapable of deceiving himself and persuading himself that he repented of his conduct. He could not at this date repent of the fact that he, a handsome, susceptible man of thirty-four, was not in love with his wife."

I chose this because writing from different points of view is a form of experimentation that opens so many 🚪of the mind, plus it's fun and that's still the main point of the exercise.

Just a reminder re: writing prompts. They're freestanding bits of writing not connected to each other or feeding into whatever bigger thing you're writing. They are specifically time off from that. They are writing play. ✍️

Today's writing prompt is: a family photo. Old or new, you choose, just put one in front of you and go for it. #writingpromptchallengethatisntreallyachallenge

Today's writing prompt is from Penelope Mortimer: "At last, lingeringly, with sad backward glances at the glorious day, they went." #writingpromptjanuary #15minutesaday

Today's #writingprompt is this wonderfully voyeuristic Edward Hopper, Night Windows. You're writing for 15 minutes, ideally on paper, don't edit it, just get it out and move on!! #writingpromptjanuary

Today's writing prompt is from Hanif Kureishi, "Being in love means being at the mercy of someone's childhood." #15minutesaday

So sorry, late night and am hence late on today's #writingprompt, this image by Fouad Elkoury. #writingjanuary #15minutesaday

This is about the time people start to drop their resolutions & get tired of writing. In my experience, the best solution to that is to just accept that one doesn't wish to do it right now, give oneself two days off and then return. Again, pressure is what destroys the fun of it.

Today's #writingprompt involves focusing on location and a sense of place. Let's do nature and the feeling of being in a natural environment. If you like me are hopelessly urban, here are some images that may inspire you. #writing15minutesaday

Going clockwise, those images are by Ed Ruscha, the artist of the Mughal miniature is unknown, and the last one is 😱, which is to say Edvard Munch.

Apologies, the artist of the miniature *is* unknown but only to me apparently. It's Tulsidas