One Seeker's Journey: It was a dark and stormy night    
 It was a dark and stormy night1 comment
27 Feb 2005 @ 23:51, by Craig Lang

Tired old cliches can be such fun... :-)

In reality, I am finding that, while fun, writing is not always easy. When one tries to channel creativity into an actual work, one finds that it does not come quite as easily. And so it is with my current project.

I am now taking my second class at The Loft, a writers' workshop in Minneapolis. My first class was a survey of various writing styles. I loved it and found that during it writing came easy. Also, during that time I made alot of progress on my SF novel, "The Fifth Key", which is a story about UFO abduction.

This term, I am taking a class called "How to Write a Novel". What I'm finding is that it is a lot more difficult. The primary thing is that the focus is on getting something done, producing a defined work. Gone is the write-when-and-what-you-feel-like-it freedom that has always worked so well. Now, the emphasis is more on process and structure. It is a how-to class. And I find that if the focus shifts to process, the flow of ideas is reduced. I think that's often where people get writer's block...

This is the same thing that I have found during other thought and consciousness exercises including PSI experiments, remote viewing, etc. When one tries to push the flow, the flow actually decreases. For me, the real lesson is that it is necessary to go with the flow, rather than to drive the flow from the ego level. Allow ideas to come, rather than going out and chasing them...

This is a lesson that I keep coming back to - again and again. My soul-self keeps asking - Craig, when will you learn? And so I wonder if the "dark and stormy night" that I joked about above isn't actually the turbulence of my own creative flow. Maybe it is an inner part of myself learning how to accept ideas from the collective unconscious into a creative work. If so, then perhaps that is the first light of dawn that follows the "dark and stormy night". Perhaps that is where the real answer resides.


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3 Mar 2005 @ 00:10 by martha : Books
I have several books to recommend to you on writing in flow. Personally I always find it best to get it down and then groom it later. I feel the grooming is the process part you are talking about.
"On Writing" by Stephen King
"The right to write" by Julia Cameron
"The Power of your other hand" by Lucia Capacchione

They are all terrific books and talk about writing in flow. The last book I recommend for anyone trying to tap into their intuitive side. Good luck Craig and keep me posted on your process. I do enjoy the sharing you are doing on writing.
martha@processisgoodbutflowisgreat.com

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Thanx Martha,
I've read several of those. They are all pretty good and have the right message. I think the trick is simply to sit down and do it - as you said, to put stuff on paper.
Thanx for your recommendation.
Cheers,
-Craig  

Other entries in
3 Aug 2007 @ 21:51: Synchronicities positive and negative - Catch God on a whisper
23 Dec 2005 @ 23:36: 'Fun' in the literature world
5 Jul 2005 @ 16:37: Torn on the 4th of July
10 Mar 2005 @ 17:04: Stress and Drivers
8 Feb 2005 @ 18:45: Disparity
4 Nov 2004 @ 20:54: The March Goes On
9 Sep 2004 @ 04:17: The Light of Contrast
26 Aug 2004 @ 00:37: Nonspecific Orneriness - a grouchy spirit in the material world
9 Aug 2004 @ 10:16: Rocks, Reunion and Reflection
2 Aug 2004 @ 10:57: A World of Change


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