#WritersCoffeeClub 13 — Do you derive joy from writing? In what way?

I am going to focus solely on the act of writing, of generating story, ignoring revision and all business aspects. 

I cannot characterize the feeling as joy. For me, writing asymptotically approaches a zen experience. 

Writing something diverting like answering this prompt allows me to drive all the other noise from my head and concentrate on meaning and intention. Out of the quiet meditative part of my mind comes words that flow thru my fingers.  

When I writing in storytime, though, it goes beyond that. I get to forget that I exist. I become the character and experience their world directly for minutes, sometimes hours, at a time. I've described it to others as channeling the character, living through their eyes. I once wrote a 15,000 word novella in 15 hours in this mode, though I'm pretty sure I did stop to eat and drink. (It did take some editing afterwards!)

It's pretty weird to read what I've written. Sometimes I'm surprised I'd written it all, or embarrassed by how uncensored it is, not at all like person you might meet or the person I think I am. 

I usually like what I write, which I suppose is good.

An acquaintance who has multiple personalities once described coming back from an alter and discovering what happened as feeling the same type of surprise and wonder (or horror).

For me, it feels real good. I'm sticking with zen.

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