Reining in a scattered mind

I spent all day yesterday at a meeting/symposium thing for work.  As I sat through the morning lecture, trying not to squirm, and then through the afternoon discussions, trying to keep my mind from drifting away from a very important conversation, I thought again about focus. I've been meaning to write about it ever since Sarah's excellent post on the subject. Now that I look at it again, we do have a lot of similar coping mechanisms, even if the details differ.

One of the most interesting things I learned from Sarah's post was that ADD is in part not having enough stimulation to the brain. I've been thinking about it, and maybe my mind works that way a tiny bit. I often like to play minesweeper while watching tv because I get too twitchy otherwise, and I swear, if I could do cross-stitch or play Tetris during meetings, I would be a lot happier – and I'd absorb a LOT more. But alas, that sort of thing is frowned upon at work, so I resort to drawing endless spirals on my notepad and trying not to squirm.  

Here are the coping skills I've gathered throughout the years.

1) Routine and tradition

Having a set schedule definitely benefits a scattered mind like mine. My ideal pre-writing routine is to make a cup of tea and sit outside on my backyard patio for a few minutes thinking about what I'm going to work on that night.  Alas, there's this funny disconnect in my mind so that I somehow believe that routine takes up too much time. Of course, when I don't utilize my routine, I end up spending ten plus minutes playing on the internet, assuring myself that I'll get started any second now.

2) Stopping to take a deep breath.

Even once I've got my bottom on the couch and my hands on the keyboard, I still can freeze up searching for that ever-elusive moment of flow. Sometimes it works just to be stubborn and forge on putting words, any words, on the page.

But sometimes I need to stop, take a deep breath, and take my eyes off the computer. To remind myself of the grand scheme of the story, or maybe to realize it's time to stop beating the poor scene to death and move on. Sometimes it helps to visualize the scene I’m supposed to be writing, to go through it in my head like I'm watching a movie. It's actually kind of fun, and I end up with details to add to the scene that I'd not conceived of before.

(Does anyone else like to imagine the movie trailers for their stories, or is it just me?)

3) Holding myself accountable for distraction.

I went poking around the web a month or so ago looking for ideas on how to improve focus. One tip I found was to take a small piece of paper and set it next to my working area. Every time my mind wanders or drops out of focus, I draw an 'x' on the piece of paper.

Seems rather obvious, right? But I was actually surprised how well it worked. Not only did it make me aware of how often my mind wandered (lots of x's on the paper...), but it also held me accountable for it. The piece of paper gives me something concrete to focus on, something to shoot for, and maybe that's what I needed.

4) Music. 

I have to have music in the background at all times. But unlike Sarah, I can't stand Baroque. I have an active hatred of it, as a matter of fact. If I knew anything at all about musical theory, I could probably say something intelligent about structure and composition. All I can say is there's something about it that's profoundly irritating. Maybe it's too sprightly.  Maybe it's the… is rhythm the right word? No, but there's a rhythm-type-thing that bothers me the most about Baroque.

And every time I think about Baroque, I think of this. Thanks a lot, Disney.

Anyway, I much prefer Romantic era music, like Tchaikovsky, or Debussy, or Dvorak. I also love modern composers, like Clint Mansell and Philip Glass. For me, the best music for writing can help me get into the mood of the story I'm writing. I have a whole slew of industrial/darkwave music for when I'm writing horror or dark fantasy.

And then there are some songs that are inspiration on their own, either because they invoke a picture I like, or a hopeful or dreamy mood. Or sometimes, because they're just so amazing inspires me to create something of my own. 

Do any of you have any songs like that, that make you want to create?

Here's one of my favorites, a collaboration between modernist composer Philip Glass and sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar:

Sun Tzu's The Art of War

I’ve been reading Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.

Happy Valentine's Day.

It's been interesting. As a writer, I'm used to putting two armies at war, (good and evil, love and conflict, humor verses dread), and I've learned more than I expected.

But the thing that taught me the most was on the very first page of the introduction. This is a biography of Sun Tzu by Ssu-ma Chien...

Sun Tzu Wu was a native of the Ch'i Stat. His ART OF WAR brought him to the notice of Ho Lu, King of Wu.

 Lu said to him: " I have carefully perused your 13 chapters. May I submit your theory of managing soldiers to a slight test?" 

Sun Tzu replied: "You may."

 Ho Lu asked: "May the test be applied to women?" The answer was Yes, again in the affirmative, so arrangements were made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. 

Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, and placed on of the King's favorite concubines at the head of each.

He then bade them all take spears in their hands, and addressed them thus: "I presume you know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand?" The girls replied :Yes.

 Sun Tzu went on: "When I say "Eyes front," you must look straight ahead. When I say "Left turn," you must face towards your left hand. When I say "Right turn," you must face towards your right hand. When I say, "About turn," you must face right round towards your back." Again the girls assented.

 The words of command having been thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axes in order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he gave the order "Right turn."

 But the girls only burst out laughing. 

Sun Tzu said: "If words of comment are clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame."

 So he started drilling them again, and this time gave the order "Left turn," whereupon the girls once more burst into fits of laughter. 

Sun Tzu: "If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers."

See...
 love letter...Valentines Day...
it all makes sense.

 So saying, he ordered the leaders of the two companies to be beheaded.

 Now the king of Wu was watching the scene from the top of a raised pavilion; and when he saw that his favorite concubines were about to be executed, he was greatly alarmed and hurriedly sent down the following message: "We are now quite satisfied as to our general's ability to handle troops. If We are bereft of these two concubines, our meat and drink will lose their savor. It is our wish that they shall not be beheaded." 

Sun Tzu replied: "Having once received His Majesties commission to be the general of his forces, there are certain commands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am unable to accept." 

Love letter...Denied.

Accordingly, he had the two leaders beheaded, and straightway installed the pair next in order as leaders in their place. 

When this had been done, the drum was sounded for the drill once more; and the girls went through all the revolutions, turning to the right or to the left, marching ahead or wheeling back, kneeling or standing, with perfect accuracy and precision, not venturing to utter a sound. 

Then Sun Tzu sent a messenger to the King saying: "Your soldiers, Sire, are now properly drilled and disciplined, and ready for your majesties inspection. They can be put to any use that their sovereign may desire; bid them to go through fire and water, and they will not disobey."

...

I find that fascinating. So often I've read books that spend a ton of words watching a soldier learn how to use the sword, or a gun, or train physically for whatever task they must accomplish. I think that can be a waste of words. I think anyone anywhere could kill another person, with anything, if they have the correct mindset.

Writer Warrior

We’ve been talking a lot about focus here at The Prosers, and this story really struck me. I feel like one of those women sometimes. Embarrassed, like I’m dressed up to be a writer, but really I’m just a giggly young girl. Whenever I feel unfocused, it’s because, I now realize, it’s not a life or death thing if I become a writer. 

My family won’t suffer if I don’t, the world won’t even notice if my name is never on a spine of a library book that some fourteen year old girl will pull down. It’s not life and death for me.

But it might be for that young girl.

 I can remember several books that saved my life when I was a teenager, and several more that just distracted me from how hard my life was. And I lived a privileged and simple life, with no great tragedy.

But, even that isn’t enough to really change my focus, and turn me into a soldier.

The truth is...It is a life and death thing. Everyone of us are going to die someday. I’m going to die someday.

 I refuse to die with my stories still inside me.

With the publishing world the way it is right now, anyone can publish a book and get a few readers. Anyone anywhere can find an audience IF the have the correct mindset, and push through till the sound of the drum.

I need to stop being embarrassed, or weak, or scared, or too busy, or not dedicated. Because someone needs to write the stories in my head, and no one else is going to write them, except for me.

I wonder now, what happened to those concubines, those one hundred, and...now seventy eight women, who were trained as soldiers. What happened next? There's a story there, a cool story, and if I'm not going to tell it, then who will? 

I don't want to be forgotten, and I don't want those girls, and the other characters who show up in my head, to become forgotten either.

And I'm the only one who can protect them.