Developing a Practice: Not Just for Yogis

Whether you’re a yogi or not, you’ve probably heard people talk about “practicing” yoga. Until I started my own practice, I didn’t really understand why. Now, though, I realize that using the verb practice is an apt choice for describing not only yoga, but many other pursuits in life, including writing.

In yoga, we talk about our practice because the goal isn’t to do a perfect sun salutation. Instead, a yoga practice focuses on a continuously changing and evolving experience. To me, this means a lot of reflection as I continue to improve my poses and breathing.

What does this have to do with writing? Writing (and learning in general) is similar. We don’t just do writing. We practice it: We are always reflecting on our writing so that we can grow, change, evolve, and improve. Writing isn’t a static act that we can master. Ask any published author—She’ll probably tell you that her writing isn’t perfect yet either.

And that’s the point! The wonderful and frustrating thing about writing is that it is never complete. We can always continue to improve and change our writing, striving to further our practice.

The evolving nature of writing is something we often forget. In a rush to finish a paper or assignment, we can lose sight of our development as writers, focusing too much on getting a draft “perfect.” So, in the spirit of always reflecting on our writing, viewing it as a practice not a product, think about what you can do to reflect and grow your writing.

• Solicit feedback. Whether you’re making an appointment with the Writing Center or requesting the help of a classmate or friend, ask others to review your work. Hearing their feedback will help you reflect on your writing, seeing it from a new perspective.
• Visit online discussions. Just by visiting this blog you’re engaging with your writing process. You’re reading others’ experiences with writing and what it means to them, which gives you the opportunity to think about your own writing process.
• Join a community. The Writing Center has Facebook and Twitter accounts where we pose questions and share resources about writing. Or see if your classmates at Walden want to start a writing or study group or participate in an organization related to your field. These are great ways to think more about your ideas—and how you present those ideas in writing. If you're working on your proposal or are in the final stages of your capstone process, check out the Walden Capstone Writing Community.
• Take courses or seminars. See if you’d be able to take a writing course through Walden or in your community (many community colleges offer writing courses). Or attend one of the Writing Center’s live webinars. You can always improve your writing, and attending or watching even an hour-long webinar can help you think about your writing in a new way.

As you can tell, there are numerous ways you can continue to practice your writing. If none of these seem interesting to you, make up your own. Write in a journal, read a book about writing, or even just talk with someone else. Small acts of reflection like this can really help improve your writing.

What other ways do you plan to practice?

In her work in the Writing Center, Beth Oyler is “constantly fascinated by the research Walden's students are completing and where their interests are.” She learns from each paper she reviews.