[One Thousand Characters a Day] Writer's Routine <2> - Yang Anda's 'Writing Poems'

Editor's NoteAsia Economy provides daily 1,000-character transcription content for readers of the 'One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day One Thousand Characters' newsletter. The transcription content is carefully selected according to themes on a daily and monthly basis from Eastern and Western classics, Korean literature, notable columns, and famous speeches. Today, we introduce "Hello, I Write Poetry, and I Like It" by writer Yang Anda from the book The Writer's Routine: A Day of Writing Poetry, which captures the daily lives of young writers and their mindset for writing. Word count: 903 characters.

While writing poetry, I always tend to listen to music. I don’t listen to many songs, but rather repeat one particular song that I especially want to hear that day while writing. I usually listen to genres other than trot. These days, I often listen to EDM and classical music. One song keeps playing on repeat, psychedelic lights flash in the room, and I sip just enough alcohol to moisten my lips as I keep writing poetry. Sometimes, while writing, I headbang or whistle. At some point, I forget that I am whistling. I realize belatedly, "Oh? I was whistling just now?" Then I forget that I was listening to music. At some moment, I even forget that I am writing poetry. I don’t remember how my desk looked while I was writing, what music I was listening to, what thoughts I had, or what sentences I wrote.

When writing poetry, there are many things I forget. Surely, while writing, I passed through various miscellaneous thoughts and worries to compose sentences, but after finishing, I don’t remember what I thought, what worries I had, or how I completed the poem. This is not due to some kind of inspiration or unconscious process. Because while writing poetry, I definitely went through certain thoughts to write the sentences. It’s just that I don’t remember them?perhaps because I had too many thoughts. That might be the case.

I usually write from night until dawn. Sometimes I write until morning. Personally, my favorite time is morning, but to do that, I would have to write poetry right after waking up, still half asleep. Since I can’t do that... I inevitably start writing at night after finishing my daily routine. However, on holidays, I often write from the morning. Especially early morning. From the time just before the sun rises. Writing then gives me the most pleasant feeling.

- Yang Anda et al., The Writer's Routine: A Day of Writing Poetry, & (And), 15,000 KRW

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