Whether you're keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it's the same thing. What's important is you're having a relationship with your mind.

There's no such thing as a writer's block. If you're having trouble writing, well, pick up the pen and write. No matter what, keep that hand moving. Writing is really a physical activity.

If you feel bored or uncomfortable as you're writing, ask yourself what's bothering you and write about that. Sometimes your creative energy is like water in a kinked hose, and before thoughts can flow on the topic at hand, you have to straighten the hose by attending to whatever is preoccupying you.

I consider writing practice a true Zen practice because it all comes back at you. You can't fool anyone because it's on the page.

The correctness and quality of what you write do not matter; the act of writing does.

When you write what you know, you stay in control. One of the first things I encourage my writing students to do is to lose control - say what they want to say, break structure.

That's very nice if they want to publish you, but don't pay too much attention to it. It will toss you away. Just continue to write.

Know that you will eventually have to leave everything behind; the writing will demand it of you.

Writing is the crack through which you can crawl into a bigger world, into your wild mind.