How would your professional and personal life benefit if you became more alert and aware around the clock?
Here’s the thing Alert, attentive, keen observation is a skill set easily developed by writers across genre. Whether you are writing sales copy, a Pulitzer worthy journalistic piece or a screenplay, honing your skill of deep concentration and awareness will reap you multiple rewards.
This is what happens when you practice such qualities:
- increased ability to think clearly and to understand what is not obvious or simple about something
- expanded strength and sensitivy : highly developed
- elevated levels of excitement and interest in a topic, concept or idea
- continually rising intellectual alertness and curiosity
What is a better way to be described?
What I would give to have my name attached to”highly developed intellect” or “intellectually alert” or “showing an ability to think clearly and to understand what is not obvious or simple about something”
When one has a keen awareness of the world as it unfolds around us and can communicate this to the rest of the world, the better off we will all be.
Quote
“Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.”
Napolean Hill
“I was a keen observer and listener. I picked up on clues. I figured things out logically and I enjoyed puzzles. I loved the clear, focused feeling that came when I concentrated on solving a problem and everything else faded out.”
Sonya Sotomayor
Questions for reflection, writing and creativity –
Consider a time you had “keen pulsating desire” as Napolean Hill describes. What happened? What did you do about your “keen pulsating desire”?
How important is observation in your writing life?
Lists
Make a list of 5 – 10 ways to use your senses to increase your skills at keen observation.
Remember 5 – 10 times you were an alert, keen observer. What happened?
Bonus: Write a scene, vignette, poem or outline surrounding one of the items on your lists. Take your list to create your own writing prompts.
Writing Prompts/Activities:
Writing Prompt Activity: Observe an object in your near vicinity, preferably something ordinary. Observe it keenly – with all your senses for five minutes. When the five minutes are over, write what you saw, smelled, heard, touched and in some cases, tasted. Write what is tangible as well as metaphorical. Make associations. Have fun!
Second prompt: Write about what you observed about yourself in the previous activity. For fiction writers, how would your character approach this exercise?
Julie Jordan Scott is a writer, creative life coach, speaker, performance poet, Mommy and mixed-media artist whose Writing Camps and Writing Playgrounds permanently transform people’s creative lives. Watch for the announcement of new programs soon.
Check her out on social media channels using the links above, especially if you find the idea of a Word-Love Party bus particularly enticing.
