Example of Method

For years, I wanted to write a story called Lady Dainty. Lady Dainty was the name of a beauty salon I had gone to with my mother as a child. The name and experience always struck me as ironic for me, being neither lady nor dainty. I opened a file with the title Lady Dainty at least ten years before I wrote anything. Then about eight months ago, I decided I wanted to write this piece. What was my problem starting for all those years when, after all, I knew the story? That day, I decided to let go of expectation, that is, I wanted to write a piece called Lady Dainty, but maybe I was wrong that it was a story. Maybe it was some other form of writing, an essay, a poem. I let myself consciously be open to these possibilities. Then I decided to use an exercise, any exercise, to get past my conscious thinking, to my unconscious mind, going in the back door, so to speak. I quickly chose an arbitrary exercise that has worked success fully for me before. I made a list of words with a long 'a' sound. Here's the initial list: came - faithful - grateful - hated - lame - made - maiden - name - nameless - pain - pained - painful - quaint - rain - reign - insane - sane - training - untrained - vain - vein - wavelength - zany. Here's an excerpt:

Lady Dainty

Part I

I guess you could say it was quaint and familiar terrain. Weekly, I'd go there with my mother for her transformation into a stranger. Now, of course, it's dangerous for me to enter any salon with my long hair; stylists glance my way with cutting intentions they must restrain and I find the whole experience a little dangerous. Am I vain to refuse the possibil ity of change in my appearance or just afraid I'd be a stranger to myself? I keep plenty of anger from mother yanking my hair while brushing it. I hated her roughness. (etc.)

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