Four Words To Write By

There are a lot of inspirational quotes out there. Every writer has something stuck up somewhere which they look at when they need a kick in the rear end. And as much as I love motivational quotes, the type that make you feel all fuzzy and warm inside, today I'm going to share with you the only four words I have near where I write.

These came from Ray Bradbury's Zen and the Art of Writing, and they are three simple concepts in four words:

Work.

Relaxation.

Don't Think.

Let that sink in for a moment. 

Work. If you want to be a writer, especially a prolific writer, you need to realise that you are going to have to consider it work. You can't just wait for inspiration to strike, you have to sit down and keep going until it does.

Relaxation. But that doesn't mean writing should be a stress. It is your relaxation time, your time to let your mind run free as your fingers tap dance to keep up.  Take a deep breath and smile to yourself, because whether you feel it or not, you are doing what you love most in the world.

And finally, Don't Think. Don't try to analyse what you are doing, what is about to happen, how you are writing, what your audience will think of it, etc. That can all come later. Right now, in this moment, just let your creative youth take over and let go of your critic. 

At first I wasn't convinced of the power of these four words, but stuck them up on individual cue cards anyway. And every time I see them, I take a deep breath, smile to myself, and let my brain drift off.... oh, sorry. 

So, what words work for you?