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everything in life is writable about, if you have the outgoing guts to do it,
and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is
self-doubt. ~ Sylvia Plath
Writing in flow… by Leah Andrea
Finding Forrester (2000) was an inspiring story of mentorship between reclusive writer William Forrester, and his student Jamal Wallace. Forrester taught his protege to write using the technique of writing in flow, which he felt was fundamental for capturing an uninterrupted writing process. This inspiring story highlighted, how the relationship between these two unlikely people,
was able to teach the other, what they needed most in life. As a budding writer at the time, I too was inspired, and today still holds a special place in my heart.
Finding Forrester (2000) was an inspiring story of mentorship between reclusive writer William Forrester, and his student Jamal Wallace. Forrester taught his protege to write using the technique of writing in flow, which he felt was fundamental for capturing an uninterrupted writing process. This inspiring story highlighted, how the relationship between these two unlikely people,
was able to teach the other, what they needed most in life. As a budding writer at the time, I too was inspired, and today still holds a special place in my heart.
I started writing about the same time the movie was released, using its therapeutic powers to heal my life, following a childhood trauma that had recently played out on the public stage. I had virtually no idea how to write, what processes would be involved or how to tap into memories buried deep in my psyche. With practice, I soon felt comfortable, and was amazed with the results unfolding before my very eyes. Something unexpected happened, as when I started to type, a sense of knowing came over me. Without realising it, I had slipped into a comfortable state of flow. I noticed that when I read back over my work, I could not even recall writing the words; it was as though I was seeing the words for the first time. It was at this stage, I knew I had stumbled onto something powerful.
Writing in flow is described as “an altered state of consciousness”, where you are operating in a state of timelessness, totally focused and quite unaware of what is happening around you. It is vital to resist the urge to edit, judge or force yourself to follow a certain direction, as to do so, effectively closes down the connection. This is another reason why this technique is so therapeutic for healing, as it allows a safe environment for feelings to rise to the surface uninterrupted.
Everyone will have a different way of getting into this flow state. Think of it as a form of meditation, which requires you to quieten your mind and listen to your internal voice. The deep connection allows memories, feelings and even epiphanies to come into consciousness. Before a writing session, I started by listening to music to evoke feelings of relaxation. As this process was for me unknown territory, I was led by what I found worked best for me. Soon I found the tapping and rhythmic sound of my fingertips hitting the keyboard as I typed, was enough to lull me into flow. Effectively, this became my cue.
Sometimes the flow doesn’t come straight away, as we have to practice clearing our minds of what we think we should be writing, or what we think we should be feeling. It may take a page or two to relax, where you are able to shut out distracting thoughts. If the thoughts aren’t flowing freely, go back to a previous thought and write it a few times, or copy a few sentences from a book.
Basically the idea is to keep the pace going, hence, “writing in flow”, which is why we don’t stop to edit or concern ourselves with grammar, punctuation or spelling, that process comes later. When the flow starts to happen, remember how you got to that place, and repeat the process. With practice, you will be able to slip in and out of this “place” more easily, and no one will even notice.
There are a few times during our day when we already go into this depth of relaxation. Have you noticed, just as you are drifting off to sleep, you are able to write the best articles or letters in your mind. Have you noticed that while having a shower or using the toilet, a word or phrase suddenly shows up that you were searching for to add to an important letter. This is the state of relaxation required, and it is simple to access.
Writing in flow is not hypnotism, you are not in a state of “no control”, you are allowing your mind to search for the files that you already have stored away. You are simply giving your mind the chance to do the work it is intended to do, by consciously “getting yourself out of the way”, by allowing the flow to take us into the unknown. The more vulnerable you become to the giving and receiving experience while writing in this state, the greater the connection you will have, and the better the content you will release onto the page.
When all is said and done, there is nothing particularly new about writing in flow; it is just learning how to make it work best for your needs. Essentially, the process involves relaxing and being settled enough to allow your natural capacity for your inherent knowing and understanding to surface, that are usually buried under fear or distraction.
Whether you want to pursue a career in writing, heal past hurts or enhance your studies, this technique can be empowering. It can start a personal journey of self-discovery towards finding what inspires you most towards the path that is right for you.
Writing in flow is described as “an altered state of consciousness”, where you are operating in a state of timelessness, totally focused and quite unaware of what is happening around you. It is vital to resist the urge to edit, judge or force yourself to follow a certain direction, as to do so, effectively closes down the connection. This is another reason why this technique is so therapeutic for healing, as it allows a safe environment for feelings to rise to the surface uninterrupted.
Everyone will have a different way of getting into this flow state. Think of it as a form of meditation, which requires you to quieten your mind and listen to your internal voice. The deep connection allows memories, feelings and even epiphanies to come into consciousness. Before a writing session, I started by listening to music to evoke feelings of relaxation. As this process was for me unknown territory, I was led by what I found worked best for me. Soon I found the tapping and rhythmic sound of my fingertips hitting the keyboard as I typed, was enough to lull me into flow. Effectively, this became my cue.
Sometimes the flow doesn’t come straight away, as we have to practice clearing our minds of what we think we should be writing, or what we think we should be feeling. It may take a page or two to relax, where you are able to shut out distracting thoughts. If the thoughts aren’t flowing freely, go back to a previous thought and write it a few times, or copy a few sentences from a book.
Basically the idea is to keep the pace going, hence, “writing in flow”, which is why we don’t stop to edit or concern ourselves with grammar, punctuation or spelling, that process comes later. When the flow starts to happen, remember how you got to that place, and repeat the process. With practice, you will be able to slip in and out of this “place” more easily, and no one will even notice.
There are a few times during our day when we already go into this depth of relaxation. Have you noticed, just as you are drifting off to sleep, you are able to write the best articles or letters in your mind. Have you noticed that while having a shower or using the toilet, a word or phrase suddenly shows up that you were searching for to add to an important letter. This is the state of relaxation required, and it is simple to access.
Writing in flow is not hypnotism, you are not in a state of “no control”, you are allowing your mind to search for the files that you already have stored away. You are simply giving your mind the chance to do the work it is intended to do, by consciously “getting yourself out of the way”, by allowing the flow to take us into the unknown. The more vulnerable you become to the giving and receiving experience while writing in this state, the greater the connection you will have, and the better the content you will release onto the page.
When all is said and done, there is nothing particularly new about writing in flow; it is just learning how to make it work best for your needs. Essentially, the process involves relaxing and being settled enough to allow your natural capacity for your inherent knowing and understanding to surface, that are usually buried under fear or distraction.
Whether you want to pursue a career in writing, heal past hurts or enhance your studies, this technique can be empowering. It can start a personal journey of self-discovery towards finding what inspires you most towards the path that is right for you.
(A typewriter similar to the above image was used in the movie mentioned above. The sound of the keys tapping, and the inability to edit the work after it was written, added to the allure of the flow process.
It would be interesting to try this technique of writing today on such a type writer.)
It would be interesting to try this technique of writing today on such a type writer.)
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Aspire to Inspire
words to encourage and stir the soul
All articles are the original works of Leah Andrea, and as such, all ownership and rights belong to said author.
Using or copying these articles other than for personal use only, is prohibited unless permission is first approved.
Contact Leah on [email protected]
words to encourage and stir the soul
All articles are the original works of Leah Andrea, and as such, all ownership and rights belong to said author.
Using or copying these articles other than for personal use only, is prohibited unless permission is first approved.
Contact Leah on [email protected]