Day 17: Writing as a Gateway for Pleasure
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Time to read 3 min
Writing is an act of discovery, a way to capture the fleeting, savor the sacred, and give voice to what often goes unsaid . Whether through poetry, journaling, or free-flowing thoughts, writing brings us back to ourselves—our desires, delights, and the simple pleasures we might otherwise overlook.
Poet Mary Oliver, whose work was rooted in witnessing beauty, reminds us:
"Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it."
Today’s challenge is exactly that— to pay attention to pleasure and let words become a vessel for it.
Day 17 Challenge: Writing & Pleasure
Today’s challenge: write, freely and without expectation.
Choose one (or more):
- Write a short poem about something that brings you joy.
- Make a gratitude list of pleasures—big or small.
- Do a stream-of-consciousness entry , letting your pen move freely as you explore thoughts on pleasure.
No need to edit. No need to make it "good." Just let it exist.
Journal Prompt:
What everyday moments bring you pleasure?
How does writing shift your awareness of joy?
If your pleasure had a voice, what would it say?
Why Writing Matters
Writing, like any creative act, is about allowing rather than forcing . In The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Rubin reminds us:
"The best work doesn’t come from thinking. It comes from allowing."
When we let go of the need to write something profound, writing becomes an experience of freedom.
Julia Cameron, in The Artist’s Way, describes writing as a way to tap into the subconscious and awaken to our desires:
"Writing is like breathing, like the beating of a heart."
When we write, we slow down. We notice. We find pleasure in places we might have overlooked. Rubin offers a similar insight:
"When we are in flow, the words arrive as if they had been waiting for us."
The Pleasure of Writing, Alone & Together
Solo Practice
Write for the sake of writing. Let go of expectations and allow yourself to play.
Engage the senses . Describe pleasure as a taste, a color, a texture.
Let it be messy . The process is the point.
Writing with Others
Read a favorite poem aloud and talk about the lines that resonate.
Write side by side —a quiet practice of shared creativity.
Share a line or two from your writing, witnessing each other’s words without critique.
Why It Works
Writing is a practice of presence. It asks us to slow down, to notice, to name the things that might otherwise slip past us. It is a way to collect the light—to gather moments of joy, wonder, and pleasure, and hold them in our hands.
When we write about pleasure, we reinforce it. We make it real.
Neuroscience tells us that the act of writing helps encode experiences more deeply into memory. It transforms the fleeting into something tangible—something we can return to. In this way, writing is both an act of savoring and of creation.
Julia Cameron describes writing as a way to move beyond resistance, to uncover what’s true beneath the surface: "We should write because it is human nature to write. Writing claims our world."
Rick Rubin echoes this sentiment, reminding us that creativity is not about perfection but about participation: "The mistake is thinking we have to be in the mood to create. The doing itself is what moves us forward."
Writing for pleasure is not about crafting something perfect or profound. It’s about showing up for yourself, capturing the textures of your life, and allowing your inner world to take shape on the page.
Mary Oliver asks:
"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Today, even if just for a few minutes, let your answer unfold on the page.
Takeaways
Writing is a gateway to presence—a way to capture and honor what brings us joy. Whether through poetry, journaling, or a simple list of pleasures, putting words to our experiences deepens our connection to them and makes the fleeting more tangible.
As Julia Cameron reminds us, “Writing claims our world.” When we take the time to name what delights us, we cultivate gratitude, amplify pleasure, and give ourselves permission to fully embrace our desires.
Rick Rubin offers a similar truth: "The doing itself is what moves us forward." Writing doesn’t have to be perfect, profound, or even complete—it simply has to be done.
Today, let writing be an act of pleasure. Let it be playful, raw, honest. Let it remind you of what lights you up, of what makes you feel alive. And most importantly, let it be yours.
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