The Daily Dozens – A Writing Exercise
It works like this:
- Start with a subject or concept, or even a question. For me, it might be something like “teaching delivery,” or “ “what’s NOT being said about digital humanities?”
- Free associate a list of at least twelve things that it makes you think of, question, wonder about, et cetera. Keep the items on your list fairly short so you can generate them quickly.
- Once you’ve finished your list, you’re free to write more, but you must get to at least a dozen items.
Upon looking back at your list, you will find some things that aren’t really that compelling, but some items just might take you to a new or exciting idea. The entire exercise shouldn’t take more than ten to fifteen minutes, and should be done in the morning, before you start your day, when you’re fresh. However, the brevity of the exercise makes it flexible, and writing anytime is better that not writing.
I have a dedicated Moleskine journal (the Pac-Man edition, so awesome!) for my Daily Dozens. I also have a huge list of questions and ideas that I use as the subjects of the Daily Dozens, and I’m adding to that list as often as possible. Since I write academically and creatively, everything is all mixed up: “academic blog post ideas” and “ethnographies I want to do” sit next to “the story of the Christmas cookie tins” and “sparrows.”
Finding inspiration doesn’t always have to mean finding huge chunks of time to write. The Daily Dozens are an easy activity to add into your regular writing routine, and if you don’t have a writing routine, they’re an easy place to start creating one.
Image by Flickr user observing life / Creative Commons licensed
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Responding to academic misconduct can be tricky for a TA. @PatrickBigsby has some tips: insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhack…
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How should you handle academic misconduct? @PatrickBigsby has some pointers: insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhack… https://t.co/ZiC187JYxS
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A little bit goes a long way. @bopeepery on fitness during grad school: bit.ly/2t2lnUp
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Thanks so much for this exercise! I’m in the middle of my M.A. thesis and am stalling out a bit on my creativity, since I’m also studying for my comps and having difficulty focusing on these two huge projects at once! I’m going to try this; would love to hear more exercises to do as well.