Yoga for writers

I’ve been a fan of yoga for many years, but it wasn’t until recently that I heard of using yoga as a writer’s tool. I really wanted to see how those two things go together, so I picked up the book Writing the Fire by Gail Sher, which promised to reveal how yoga can nourish your writing and how your yoga practice can benefit from writing.

The Yoga Lounge in Toronto

The book lost me in quite a few places. I just didn’t get the connection between yoga and writing in the way that I think I was supposed to. It felt forced at times, such as the suggestion that I get into Cat Pose and then write down what I felt as though I actually was a cat. Or the part that named all the yoga accessories like mats, blocks, and straps, and then it threw in a pencil & paper to jot ideas down during your practice.

It felt more like a book about yoga with a few writing related things thrown in to make it a book about writing.

The one thing that I will take away from reading this book was the idea of practice. Doing something every day without focusing on the finish line. Both yoga and writing require that commitment and both benefit from practice.

I usually feel pretty good after doing yoga, either at home in my living room or in a swanky studio like The Yoga Lounge. If that feeling can somehow make me have a better day of writing or repair some of the damage caused by my sitting hunched over at my desk, then that’s a good enough reason for yoga to become a part of my writing life from now on.

Namaste.

5 cool desk accessories

My desk is tiny. In fact, it can barely fit the 11-inch MacBook Air and lamp that I currently have on it. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting these accessories for my small, but still cool, workspace:

Jac Zagoory Shark Bite Staple Remover

 

Dekad Alarm Clock from IKEA

 

Book Page Pencil Set from Bouncing Ball Creations

 

Owl and Quail Keepsake Boxed Notes from Papyrus

A Diptyque scented candle

Short Story Contest for Ontario Writers

The 2011 Toronto Star Short Story Contest is now open!
Residents of Ontario (age 16+) can enter until February 27th, 2011. Your story has to be in English, typed, double spaced, and no longer than 2,500 words. Entries have to be mailed in, but there is no entry fee! Make sure to read all the contest rules & regulations before you enter. And the prizes aren’t bad…
First Prize: $5,000, plus the tuition fee for The Humber School for Writers 2011 Correspondence Program in Creative Writing. Approximate retail value: $3,000.00.
Second Prize: $2,000.00
Third Prize: $1,000.00

Good luck!

Why Writers Should Hang Out in Art Galleries

I recently spent the afternoon at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which is one of my favourite places to hang out in Toronto. I passed artist after artist sketching away in corners and on benches, and I realized that I was missing out. As a writer, why don’t I use the gallery in the same way that an artist does? Here are 3 reasons why writers should hang out in art galleries:

The Galleria Italia at the AGO

1. Room
Art galleries are full of places to sit and write, and because most people speed through to find the “important” pieces, a lot of the chairs and benches are empty. You’ll be sitting in a room surrounded by art and the best part is that no one will kick you out.

2. Inspiration
There is something so inspiring about seeing the artistic process move from the initial idea to the final product. For example, the Henry Moore exhibition at the AGO has his original notebooks with pencil on paper sketches as well as his actual finished sculptures. I love seeing that progression and knowing that all artists go through those same stages in one way or another.

3. Research
The incredible Maharaja exhibition at the AGO is full of detailed historical information about people and events, and the exhibition lets you get up close to objects like furniture, clothing and jewelry. It’s a lot more fun than just reading about it in a book. You can also find gallery copies of reference books lying around with even more information you can use.

My head was full of ideas after my visit this week, and I’m so happy to have a membership so I can go back whenever I want.

Get yourself to an art gallery, take out your notebook, and write!