Comments on: Why I spend precious hours writing

By: Wendy Pray D'Angelo

Wendy Pray D'Angelo — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:48:00 +0000

What a great post. I love reading your work Daphne. I always want to sit down and write after reading your posts. I’ve always had to write things down to learn them but I’ve realized that I “think” best through the process of writing. I’m always in my head “writing” too I realized, so it seems natural that I need to put pen to paper to process my thoughts. Isn’t that funny…in a digital age, I prefer pen and paper to typing? I wonder why that is? Anyways, thanks for another great post!

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 16:13:00 +0000

In reply to MP UPPAL. So glad posting worked for you this time! Thanks for your kinds words. I like your phrasing about the mind being "free and in sync with the environment." To me, that what makes it so seductive to combine my walking time with my writing time!

By: MP UPPAL

MP UPPAL — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Thanks Daphne for taking note. I agree with you that mindmapping while taking a walk doesn’t in any way diminsh the pleasure of the walk. In fact most of my blog posts took birth while i was having early morning walk in the park.
Your mind is free and in sync with the environment and ideas get structured on their own and it helps in the writing process.
Yes, writing does take a lot of time but as you say the immense pleasure which one drives compensates eveything.
I really love your writing style. You transform a simple idea into a lucid and informative newsletter. I regularly read it and enjoy the real substance they present.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Fri, 31 May 2013 16:33:00 +0000

In reply to MP UPPAL. Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't know HOW this might have happened. (I'm notified whenever a comment is posted and I received no notification re: one from you.) Could you possibly try again? If that doesn't work you could also send it to me and I could post it for you (although it will have my photo next to it.)

By: MP UPPAL

MP UPPAL — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:35:00 +0000

i wrote a comment. why it is not published i don’t know.Can’t it be retrieved?

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:16:00 +0000

In reply to Bob.

I’m sure if you’re an Olympic athlete you should be concentrating on your running or your swimming or your pole vaulting. But for casual walkers, like me, I don’t believe concentration is really necessary.

I’ve ALWAYS thought while I walked. If it wasn’t about my writing, it was about something else. Fortunately, I’m downtown for a client only one day a week. The rest of the time my “commute” to my office takes all of 30 seconds!

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:57:00 +0000

Food for thought (and non-thought). “They” say you get most benefit from exercise when you mentally concentrate on the exercise itself. You can’t do that while composing your next masterpiece; although your muscles get their workout and your blood circulation a boost. I’d rather be writing, and have to force myself to take the time “off” to walk. Your piece reminds me that the actual walking can be visualized as DOING something.
You have a job downtown as well all those other activities!

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Tue, 28 May 2013 23:57:00 +0000

In reply to sut. Thanks for reminding me about this! I used to listen to Audible all the time (mainly in the car.) It's a great resource. I think I'll download some podcasts and listen to those on my walks!

By: sut

sut — Tue, 28 May 2013 21:53:00 +0000

I walk a lot, thanks to our dog, Freddy, and Audible. It’s a great joy to know that I get to walk with my favorite buddy and listen to a terrific story at the same time.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Tue, 28 May 2013 18:39:00 +0000

In reply to Lara Fabans. For me, the big secret is to THINK about my writing while I'm walking. I also try never to leave my writing until the "last minute."