Five Ways In Which Writing and Yoga Are Similar

November 21, 2018November 13, 2018 / saraletourneau / 18 Comments

Every Monday evening, instead of writing for 60 to 90 minutes at my laptop, I spend that time on my yoga mat. It’s a habit I’ve consistently maintained for 2 years, though I was first introduced to yoga about 5 years ago. Sometimes it’s with a class, led by a teacher who has become both mentor and cheerleader to me.** Other times it’s at home, thanks to the TV awesomeness known as YouTube OnDemand. Regardless, yoga has become an essential part of my life, much the same way that writing has.

Maybe that explains why I came to this conclusion recently: Yoga and writing sessions have a lot in common.

I’m sure some of you might be thinking, “Um… OK…. But how?” That’s what today’s blog post is all about. 😉 Here are five ways in which yoga and writing are similar, and how I’ve benefited from having both in my life.

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Writing Spaces, Rituals, and Other Habits

August 23, 2016August 22, 2016 / saraletourneau / 40 Comments

Ahhhh… Isn’t that a lovely view? Sometimes I think the beach would be my writing space paradise. Other times, I know I’d be so distracted by its beauty that I’d be better off indoors. But one can always dream, right?

Today I’m sharing tidbits about my real writing space, from my current “Draft #3 Central” to rituals and other habits when working on my WIP. This topic was inspired by recent posts by Jessica Matteliano and Rae Oestreich. In fact, I’m sort of copying Jessica’s format, which was based on questions from a recent #Storycrafter Twitter chat led by Faye Kirwin of Writerology. (Hope you don’t mind, Jessica. *winks*)

Curiousity piqued? Then let’s dive in!

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The “Behind The Scenes” Writing Tag

November 12, 2015November 9, 2015 / saraletourneau / 31 Comments

I’m so excited about this! Writing memes and tags don’t seem to be as common as reading memes / tags, so it’s always a treat to discover one. Several bloggers I follow have already done this tag, too: Aberdeen at A Glimpse of Starlight (thank you for nominating me!), Sarah at Light & Shadows, Victoria at A Gathering of Dreams, Rae Oestreich at The Wallflower, Nicole L’autore, Briana da Silva, and Kristen A. Kieffer. So I’m thrilled to finally hop onboard!

The purpose of the Behind The Scenes Writing Tag is simple: You answer questions about your writing process, giving readers a “behind the scenes” look at how you approach your craft. So, today, I invite to come with me behind the curtain, so to speak, and see how I work.

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Podcast Interview at DIY MFA

May 7, 2015May 7, 2015 / saraletourneau / 3 Comments

Yesterday, Gabriela Pereira (a.k.a. my boss at DIY MFA) interviewed me at DIY MFA as part of the site’s new podcast series, “Behind DIY MFA.” We talked about my column Theme: A Story’s Soul and the importance of themes in stories we read and write. We also talked about non-theme-related topics like versatility vs niche writing, the purpose of passion in one’s writing life, and writing rituals. In other words, LOTS of writing topics. 🙂

I have to admit: I was sooooooo nervous right before the interview and again before I listened to the finished product last night, but I knew doing this would be fun and also good “public speaking” practice. And it was. Plus, Gabriela is an awesome interviewer and host; she’s warm, encouraging, funny, and adaptive to any technical glitches. (*ahem* Skype disconnections *ahem*)

The interview is roughly 45 minutes and starts right after Gabriela’s introduction. I hope you enjoy it!

Click here to listen to the podcast interview at DIY MFA.

Chronicling The Craft: 40,000 Words

February 9, 2014February 9, 2014 / saraletourneau / 12 Comments

Writing Rituals for the Spiritual and the Eccentric

Chapters In Progress: 9

Chapters Completed: 9

January 2014 was a kind of “calm after the storm” month. After a hectic holiday season, the past few weeks have been pleasantly uneventful. I’ve enjoyed the downtime not only because it’s allowed me to breathe and unwind, but also because it’s given me time each weekend to write. Yay!

Maintaing such a positive attitude isn’t easy, though. The past few writing sessions have been a struggle. Even though I had already planned a particular scene, I’ve almost given myself headaches trying to write down what I see in my mind. When that happens, my initial reaction is a twinge of disappointment: wishing I could have written more words, wishing I could have gotten farther along in that scene. But then I remind myself, “A writing session is a writing session. No matter how many words you put down, it’s an accomplishment to dedicate time and energy to this kind of project.” This reassurance works every time; I feel better about myself and my craft, and all the more motivated for the next sit-down.

Which explains why the 40,000-word mark snuck up on me. I thought I still had a couple hundred words more to go, and then I checked my writing stats. 🙂 So, here’s what’s happened since the previous Chronicle: Continue reading →