The 'mood' for writing

We often make the mistake of thinking that we ‘have’ to be in the ‘right’ mood to write. The truth is, any mood can be used for writing. Any mood is a good writing mood. The trick is to enter whatever mood like a room and sit down and write from there.

For this swap you need to set aside 15 minutes. Identify a situation in your life about which you have a recognizable mood or emotion. For example:

• I’m angry at my partner.

• I love the fall leaves.

• I’m sad about Mother’s health.

• I’m proud of my son’s schoolwork.

• My lover and I are getting along especially well.

Writing longhand, ‘enter’ a mood or emotion and write for 10 minutes and then stop. Take five more minutes and write about the shifts in your mood that the act of writing caused. Be an observer: I feel happier, sadder, angrier, etc. Write a few notes on this process, a sort of field report on your experience.

Send the whole 15 minute exercise to your partner.

This exercise has been taken from The Right to Write by Julia Cameron.