When Writing Is Like Good Sex…

When your inner critic nags you to get busy writing too early it ruins the experience. It’s premature — like thinking of sexual foreplay as procrastination.

Jumping in the sack with your text editor too soon ignores your need for rumination and inspiration. Just as the anticipation of foreplay enriches sex, ruminating, playing and teasing ideas can take your writing to exhilarating heights instead of “is that all there is?”

Shoe was always one of my favorite comic strips. In one episode, Skyler sees his uncle, Professor Cosmos Fishawk sitting and gazing out the window. Skyler says: “You’re staring out the window again. A writer should be pounding the keyboard…” The Professor replies: “Wrong. Typists pound keyboards… Writers stare out windows.”

Cosmos was ruminating. You’re allowed. When you give your inspirations and ideas permission to spill out without concern for logic and order your writing will be so much richer. Ruminating isn’t procrastination, it’s necessary.

I was thinking about balance and whole brain writing this morning so I dug out my copy of “Writing on Both Sides of the Brain” by Henriette Anne Klauser. This book was written in 1987, but the message is fresh and the book still in print. I recommend it highly. In Ms. Klauser’s words: “To be whole-brained, you need only quiet down the noisy static side of you and listen to your own imagination.”

Our right-brain, our dragon, always sends us messages but the constant know-it-all interference from our left-brain inner critic drowns out our best ideas all too often. We need the co-operation of both sides of our brains. We all have the inherent skills to be whole-brained creative. Unfortunately, we’ve never been taught how because our western culture emphasizes logical left-brain thinking at the expense of our creative selves.

Giving yourself permission to ruminate is the first step in restoring our true heritage. When I was sitting here this morning, I fired up BrainStorm and just started taking notes and recording fragments as they occurred to me. And yes, I was looking out the window much of the time. The idea of sexual foreplay and rumination kind of popped into my head.

Be sure to have pen and paper or a program like BrainStorm running in the background while you ponder and your thoughts wander. Capture your fleeting thoughts when you can. Worry about how and if you’ll use them later. Have fun — you’re allowed.

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How Make-believe And Play Enhance Writing

Make-believe is “Imaginative intellectual play” (WordNet database — Princeton University). Invite your dragon to play, to help rediscover your childhood imagination, and watch your writing come alive.

Take a peek into Emily’s imaginative world. She was a real princess that day. Emily and her friends weren’t simply pretending, they were princesses. Logical? Not for these six year old girls playing at Emily’s princess birthday party. Make-believe and childhood imagination defy logic. These princesses were/are comfortable with their dragons.

To logical beings, dragons seem terrifying. Could this be how the evil image of dragons came about? Because we were/are afraid of our inner thoughts? Logic dislikes the chaos of imagination because it doesn’t understand. Logic slays the dragon. The trouble with logic is that it wants to organize our ideas before they exist, an oxymoron.

Dragons aren’t logical. They aren’t judgmental. Their play is free flowing make-believe, what if and somewhat chaotic. Ideas and impressions come all at once as gestalts when we are relaxed with our dragons.

Stare out the window musing. Lose focus and allow your thoughts to flow freely. When an idea pops into your head simply record it without judging and go back to musing. Imagine waves crashing onto the beach during a storm — a brainstorm.

Walk along the beach collecting all the interesting things that wash up. After the storm is over invite your logical inner critic to make sense of what you’ve discovered.

The notion that we are either left-brained logical or right-brained whimsical is misguided. We are always both, subject to the ebb and flow of the tides of thought. When we lose our balance we trip and falter.

Logic without ideas sterilizes. Ideas without logic confuses. When you recapture your childhood imagination, when you make-believe with imaginative intellectual play, your writing will come alive. But only when you suspend judgment and allow your ideas free reign in the beginning. You’ll have a rich pool to draw from and organize. Next time, I’ll show you how I use BrainStorm to capture my musings, then order them when it’s time for logic.

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When Pro Writers are Blocked, What Do They Do?

They sit down to write, but they might open a can of cat food first. Complaining about writer’s block is like looking at the cat food dish and complaining that it’s empty. Of course it’s empty — you have to fill it. When you have deadlines and commitments, not writing isn’t an option. You don’t have the luxury of being blocked.

Don’t have a cat? We all have dragons. Dragons and cats have a lot in common. They’re independent, dislike being ordered about and respond in kind when treated with respect. And they like to be fed.

When you think you have nothing to write about, think again. Simply entice your dragon to come out and play. What? You can’t find him? Get your can opener and open a can of dragon food. He (or she) will come running.

Dragons, like cats, are highly sensitive to the smell of a freshly opened can of food. All you need is a can opener. You’re not likely to get at the food inside by staring at the can and wishing it would open. Grab that can opener, open your text editor and just start sniffing around to see what’s inside.

You may not find a scent worth following at first but you will. Keep writing and sniffing. If you can’t think of anything to write, put your hands on your keyboard and write “I can’t think of a thing I want to write about, I’m stuck, just like I was stuck in traffic the other day. That was…”

It makes no difference what you write at first. Just start. Writer’s block is simply your inner critic getting in your face. Ignore him (or her). When you write freely, not worried about what you’re saying. When you allow the ideas to flow uncensored, your inner critic will grow bored and leave you (and your dragon alone).

You can’t “force” your writing but you can create the conditions that allow ideas to pour out. The door isn’t locked. Quit pushing. Turn the knob gently and the door will open.

Writer’s block is expecting perfection before you even begin. Not likely is it? So what if your first draft is mostly junk that you’ll throw out. You’re interested in finding the gems — and you will — just keep writing whatever comes to mind. When you find a good idea, latch on and see where it leads. You’ll be surprised and delighted.

Writer’s block? Nah. Just keep that can opener handy.

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Musings: On The Tao of Writing

Writing is difficult? Writing is easy? Yes it is.

“Easy gives rise to difficult … resonance harmonizes sound, after follows before.” — Lau Tzu

When the vessel is empty, fill it to overflowing. When the vessel is overflowing, distill the essence. — McD

Western thought is either/or, an artificial duality that, when focused on one aspect of some thing, excludes the other. When we write, Western thinking pits the right brain against the left in a war of control. Imagine right-brain and left-brain at opposite ends of a stick. Pick up that stick from either end and you hold both left and right in your hands. You can’t have one without the other.

The Tao embraces the interplay and dynamic unification of opposites. In the words of Carl Jung, “Our Western mind…has never yet devised a concept, not even a name for the union of opposites through the middle path, that most fundamental item of inward experience which could respectably be set against the Chinese concept of Tao.”

The Tao of writing then is the ebb and flow of right and left brain, the interplay of intuition and rational thinking. Right brain feels and inspires but doesn’t know how to manipulate words, left brain calculates and arranges but is devoid of emotion.

The Tao of writing is a dance of partners, each taking the lead in turn, but always moving as one. Right brain (our dragon) pours forth inspiration and ideas whole while left brain (our inner critic) cooperates and guides our hand to fill the empty vessel. Later, our inner critic takes the lead to distill and arrange our ideas while our dragon helps us preserve the essence and the feeling of our words.

Writing is difficult. Writing is easy. Writing is both; and neither. Writing is a whirling dance and quiet contemplation. Writing is and — not or.

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Inspiration: Girl’s Night Out at the Diner

The twins were 9 months old the other day. We all went to the diner for dinner on Monday night so naturally I brought my camera. My daughter calls me pop-poparazzi. I love B&W available light photography and who could resist subjects like these. My granddaughters have always been my favorite subjects and now we have an even half-dozen.

Say hello to Maddy (above) and Liv (below). Babies are special. Of course I’m prejudiced.

I finished the roll of film in my camera and got seven decent shots out of 36. Yeah, I still use film and process it myself. Then I scan the negatives. Gives me the best of both worlds.

Did you know that properly processed and stored B&W negatives will last for 50 to 100 years or more? No matter what happens to the digital files, my family will always have the negatives.

My dragon loves photography. Me too. I operate on pure instinct with images. Photography comes easier than writing. I suppose it’s because my inner critic is stronger when I’m writing. He’s forever pestering me. Then again, maybe my inner critic leaves me alone when I’m editing my photos because I let him play with all the controls while my dragon tells me what looks best.

Maybe the next time I write a first draft I’ll tell my inner critic that I’m not really writing, I’m only taking notes and if he’s a good boy I’ll let him play with all the buttons on my word processor. Sooner or later we’ll learn balance. It’s not that I don’t want my inner critic around. I need him, but not all the time.

I’m taking a break between books (for a few days anyway) and I though I’d share a few pictures of the girls. Not that I need excuses.

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Monday Musings: Dragons are Like Bees

Judging ideas as they form kills them. The constant interplay of ideas is the wellspring of creativity. When you are attuned to the play of your dragon, writing flows freely, never still, like bees flitting from flower to flower, tasting and sampling the nectar of many ideas.

Bees, like the ideas in our minds, are constantly on the move, too busy to stop and pose for you. Listen to your dragon and allow the ideas to flow from your pen or your fingers on the keyboard. Worry about outcomes later.

Creativity never waits. Tapping the inner flow of our ideas doesn’t always come easy, but it can when we recognize creativity as play. I love to sit thinking quietly, playing with ideas, watching them bounce and skitter about. I’ve come to realize that even though I don’t have pen in hand or my fingers on a keyboard I am writing. The trick then is to grab a pen or keyboard and capture your thoughts without judging. Simply let your mind run free and record what comes naturally.

When we freeze at the keyboard wondering what to write next, our inner critic, the eternal judge has gotten the upper hand, afraid we might make a mistake.

The difference between a professional photographer and an amateur is the size of their wastebasket. The pro’s basket is bigger. A pro follows his or her ideas and takes lots of photos. Ideas that didn’t work out end up in the wastebasket, but the ones that make the cut will be good ones.

Our wastebasket is for later. There are no mistakes when the ideas are flowing, all are worth remembering. True creativity demands that we suspend judgment and play. Creativity is a journey where the destination, the outcome is rarely clear and isn’t important while our ideas unfold taking first one fork in the road, then another, circling back.

Ernest Hemingway said that “All first drafts are sh*t.” He was right. He had a huge wastebasket and wasn’t afraid to use it.

When you’re writing, all ideas are worthy. You can’t capture the gems unless you take the risk of writing junk. You will. Lot’s of it, but that’s how you discover the gems. Save everything — the wastebasket is for later.

PS I included the black and white image because it reminds me of a dragon.

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Word Processing: The Enemy of Writing

I don’t know what I’m thinking until I write. I can’t remember who said that or if my remembering is even accurate. Writing has nothing to do with word processing, the eternal quest for the perfect editor or the latest megaflop — do everything faster — super computer. Technology is the enemy of writing, a simple quill pen is much better.

All writing begins in our minds. Writing is exploring and releasing our ideas onto the page. Writing (the real kind) is discovery. I’m not kidding about the quill pen either. When you write longhand, there’s a direct connection between your mind and your hand moving across the page. Barriers dissolve when I write with my fountain pen.

When you sit staring at a blank computer screen wondering what to write and little or nothing going through your mind ends up on the screen, your thoughts and ideas can slip away forever. When you just write what’s on your mind and edit later, you will have too much and much of what you’ve written will be crap. But you will never lose any of your thoughts and the gems will be there for harvesting.

“But I might make mistakes” you say. I sure hope so. Your inner critic, that pain in the butt editor delights in pointing his or her finger and telling you what’s wrong even as you write (or try to). Your inner critic wants to play it safe.

Creativity isn’t safe, it’s risky. Your creative self, your dragon doesn’t understand the concept of mistake, only discovery and play. So called mistakes are how we learn and how we grow.

How will you know what you’re thinking or how your ideas will pan out until you write uninhibited? Word processing is the enemy of writing because it stands in the way. Word processing is packaging, the antithesis of writing.

Do I want to write everything out longhand? Of course not. Longhand writing helps shake out the cobwebs and fuel the creative engine. Longhand is a beginning.

Writing is also rewriting, the stage when you need the cooperation of both sides of your brain and the technology of a good editor or word processor. But only after you’ve given birth to your ideas.

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Relax and Ruminate: Your Dragon Will Thank You

Sometimes doing nothing is the best way to boost your productivity. Ruminating isn’t the same as procrastinating. When you ruminate, you relax and allow the moment to carry you. Call it daydreaming, ruminating, musing… the words don’t matter. You’re not denying reality, you’re giving in to genuine reality and opening the lines of communication with your dragon.

You could take lessons from Sara. She’s about as relaxed as a kid could possibly be — just her Popsicle and her world. When you look at the image, you wonder if Sara is even aware of the Popsicle in her hand. This is one laid back kid.

Just as ruminating isn’t procrastinating, busy isn’t necessarily productive. Busy doing the “wrong” thing(s) is procrastination. You might have a deadline for an article. So you get busy doing something, anything to keep from starting your article because you don’t know how to begin. You might relax with a Popsicle, stare out the window at the clouds or another “non-action” instead. Your inner critic will go nuts because you aren’t doing anything. Oh, but yes you are. You are recharging. You are open to the whispers of your dragon and the currents of the universe.

Real writing happens when you aren’t trying too hard. I’ve written some of my best stuff in the shower. All action, in fact all things that “are,” begin in the mind with thought. When you feel ready to record what you’ve written in your ruminations, keep daydreaming, sneak over to your computer before your inner critic catches you and let the words flow. You can fix the grammar and punctuation later.

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Poke Yourself When Your Dragon’s Draggin’

Trying to get the words out by brute force is like pounding on a bottle of cold ketchup. It never works. Warm up with some fun and the words will pour out faster than you can type. Follow Julia’s example and be silly. Bet you can’t look at this picture without smiling. Go ahead, poke yourself (gently) between the eyes, go cross-eyed and laugh at yourself. I promise you that your dragon will join in the fun.

We get so caught up in our adult logic that we forget to be silly. We forget the source of our words, choke them off and leave our dragon draggin’. You can’t write from the heart with passion when your dragon is lying there, wings covering his eyes because he can’t bear to watch you suffer the insults of your inner critic, when he wants to help and you won’t let him.

When we choose to be silly, our inner critic is likely to roll his eyes with an “Oh please, act your age. Let’s get busy here.” Wow, now we’re on to something. If we’re silly enough, if we’re having fun, maybe our inner critic will go away and leave us alone so we can be creative.

Kids are endlessly creative. Kids are silly. Kids have fun. Adults are supposed to take themselves seriously. Horse hockey! Every one of us is a creative being. We all know how to be creative, but too often we lose sight and forget. We forget that all of our passion comes from our feelings. Trust your feelings because they are trying to tell you something.

Push yourself away from your computer, get out of your chair and stare out the window. Hop on your bike and go for a ride. Play with your kids. Laugh at yourself and relish the world around you. Feel life. Pay attention.

When you come back and sit down to write, listen to your dragon as he or she whispers in your ear. Let your words spill out across the screen. Hurry, before your inner critic wakes up and spoils your fun.

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The Inviting Essence of a Solitary Rose

Roses are special. This monochrome image pays homage to all roses. The rose that posed for this photo died 39 years ago in 1970, yet lives on as the essence of a solitary rose. After all this time, I’m eager to share one of my favorite photos with my friends.

I’ve always had an affinity for black and white photography because it strips away the labels and distractions of color leaving pure form expressed in the tonalities of light and shadow. The rose doesn’t hide. It doesn’t scream. It whispers gently “here I am, enjoy me for what I am. I invite you to caress the edges of my petals, to feel their delicacy, to witness my unfolding, to remember me.”

I enjoy color too. Color conveys a different mood. I like the soft pinks and yellows, the promise of beauty unfolding, the hint of green leaves, the soft bluish background that gives contrast to the warm colors of the rose petals.

Don’t ask me to choose. I’ll cheat and tell you I like both images. Some photographs have to be monochrome while others wear their colors proudly. Each of these images is right in it’s own way. I embrace both.

Ooofff…my dragon just poked me in my ribs. He likes both images too and wonders when I’m going to make more. I poked him back and told him to relax, my Nikon film cameras are itchy and I’m ready to scratch the itch. I just ordered color slide and B&W film, fresh B&W chemistry and I’m ready for action.

I always let my dragon have a peek through my viewfinder before we trip the shutter. He may be nosy, but he always gives me good advice and he loves the sensual experience of the Nikon F3HP.

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