Get In the Right Headspace and The Words Will Flow

I have been a therapist, a pastor, and a writer… what do they have in common?  Lots of things, really.  But mostly, they are all about helping people have the right frame of mind.

I originally conceived of the concept of this article as “psychological tips for writers.”

As I wrote, I remembered why I switched from being a therapist to becoming a writer.  Psychology is not nearly as exciting as the creative process.

It is an interesting subject and being a therapist is a worthy occupation.  But most writers I know are just not that interested in the idea of writing as a psychological exercise.

They approach their work intuitively, not cognitively.  It is about finding a creative flow and not an intellectual puzzle to solve.

Yes, of course, there are a lot of academics involved in writing.  Study your genre, plot your narrative structure, do character studies, research backgrounds, and take extensive notes.

Still, who wants to read an article on that stuff… not I.

I am more interested in things like tapping into the collective unconscious, increasing my intuition, maximizing my sense of joy as I write, and shifting my mindset to enhance creativity.  Now we are talking.

So, these are the things I do that make writing as creative, intuitive, and as joyful as possible.

FOLLOW THE FUN

When preparing a new book and planning out things like setting, characters, and plot, I continually focus on one question: What would make this more fun for me?

Remember, you are going to spend a lot of time in this world.  A lot longer than the reader ever will.  What is the world you want to live in for some time?  What are some questions you want to try to answer?  What professions are you curious to explore?  What great mysteries would you like to solve? 

If you will not enjoy your time writing the book, then the reader will not enjoy their time in that world either.

Playing “What if” is a pleasant variation of the same game. 

“What if I set this in WWII Europe?”

“What if the main character had an illness no one knew about, and he had only a short time to live?” 

“What if being cured by this new medicine gave the person other abilities, like they could see dead people, or read thoughts?”

It is a fundamental truth in life that the more fun you are having, the more successful you will be.  This was true for me in college, in Air Force flight school, in marriage, in parenting, as a therapist, and most definitely as a pastor.  And it is certainly true as a writer.

And the corollary is true.  If you are not enjoying yourself when you are writing, neither will your reader.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT.  BUILD FROM THERE

We all get negative reviews.  Human nature makes us want to dwell on the negative.  We know that what we focus on magnifies.  That is more than just new-age manifestation rhetoric.  That is also a fundamental psychological principle.  If your review says that you have likable characters and witty dialogue, but your plot is all over the place, then build a character-driven story with lots of plots presented in dialogue.

Get into the habit of seeing a positive direction presented to you through feedback… not a roadblock put up through criticism.

LET JOY BE THE REWARD

Of course, we want financial compensation for our writing endeavors.  A little positive feedback from our readers and our peers would be lovely, too.

Those things will come in time.  All writers, especially new ones, need to focus on the joy of creating.  Just being an artist is compensation.  We get to build worlds in our minds.  We get to imagine things for a living…it is our job.  How cool is that?   Forget about the other things for now.  Just remember how cool it was to take pen to paper and get your hero out of a thorny dilemma.

Be joyful that your chosen profession involves thoughts, ideas, images, puns, banter, inside jokes, and maybe…just maybe, transforming the world.  Again, how cool is that?  It should bring a smile to you every time you sit at the computer.  The words to the song, “How Can I Keep from Singing,” come to mind.

TRUST THAT IT IS WORKING

The advice offered here is not always easy to follow.  Those writers who have some type of relationship with a Higher Power may find this next step easier.

There are indeed challenging things like finding an agent, getting published, marketing, dealing with rejection, and writer’s block.  But I do not find it helpful to spend much time on these things.  Especially since you can solve all of them with the right attitude and create quality work. 

Stay in the moment and devote yourself to the joys of writing.  The more you do this, the more you can trust that those other things will all fall into place on their own. 

If you ever find that a writing project is not flowing, and you are feeling stuck…trust that the solution is right around the corner.  If a character isn’t coming together the way you envisioned, treat it like an old friend and say, “Thanks for letting me know how you really feel.  I will trust your guidance.”

If you come across a plot hole or an inconsistency, just take a break.  Perhaps go for a walk and remind yourself, “There is a solution…it is working…it is always working.”

Invariably, things will flow again when you return.

It is our nature to blow things up in our minds.  We have conditioned ourselves with years of habit to say, “What if something bad happens?” 

“What if I can’t fix my writing?”  “What if I can’t create anything new?”  “What if I don’t get any new ideas?”  “What if I don’t finish?”  And so on. 

It is a nasty habit…and it is just that.  A habit.  It is not true.  It is not reality.

And you can fix it by relearning a healthy habit.  Instead, teach your brain to say, “What if something good?”  “What if I made this book much better?”  “What if this opened up ideas for a whole series of books?”  “What if this launches a career that lasts the rest of my life?”

The facts differ from the disaster scenarios we play in our minds.  We will finish the book.  We can find lots of readers who love it.  We will sell many copies.  And these books have the potential to build a lifelong career.

Get into the habit of telling yourself, “What if this is the best I could imagine?”

See if that doesn’t get the joy flowing again.

IT MIGHT BE TIME TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PROJECT

There is no such thing as a failed manuscript.  Each project teaches us, helps us gain valuable experience, builds our confidence, hones our craft, and refines our voice.

I have a couple of ideas that may never see a bookshelf.  But I did not waste the time I spent on them.  Often, I would lift bits of dialogue, characters, and even entire scenes from one project and place them in a newer one. 

Sometimes it is good to press on and finish the project at hand.  And sometimes it is best to acknowledge that it is time to move on to the next important thing.  Keep the creative juices flowing.

Your big break might be your very next project.

Eric Myers

I am available for mentoring, critiques, and full developmental editing:  submissions@warpspeedediting.com