Four essential lessons for creative writers
In our free subscriber-only Monday Writing Motivation, I ask if there’s a mental state particularly supportive of the creative process. This got me thinking about the essential lessons I’ve learned over the years that have significantly improved my writing. Let me try to distill these thoughts into a few writing essentials I believe can benefit writers.
1. Seek the ‘flow’ state
Have you ever found yourself so deeply engrossed in your writing that time seems to slip away? That’s what psychologist Csikszentmihalyi calls the ‘flow’ state. It’s a condition of deep engagement where work feels effortless and creativity flourishes.
Now, achieving this state isn’t always easy, but it’s worth pursuing. For me, it often comes when I’m free from distractions, deeply focused on the task at hand, and working on something that challenges me just the right amount – not so easy that I’m bored, not so difficult that I’m overwhelmed.
Try to create conditions that support this state. Maybe it’s a quiet room, a specific time of day, or even a particular writing tool that helps you get in the zone. We’ve all been there – the trick is to recognise what helps set the flow going, and recreate that environment next time round.
2. Train yourself to observe
As writers, our job is to notice what others miss. It’s about developing a keen eye for detail, yes, but it’s more than that. It’s about truly experiencing the world around us.
Next time you’re out and about, try this little exercise: Pick an object – any object – and study it as if you were going to paint it from memory. What do you notice that you’ve never seen before? The way light catches the edge of a leaf? The subtle shift of expression on a stranger’s face?
Observation trains your mind to be present and attentive. And perhaps it also helps us enter that elusive state of flow.
3. Engage all your senses
We’re a visual bunch, us humans. But life – and good writing – is about so much more than what we see. When you’re out gathering experiences (because that’s what we do, isn’t it?), consciously engage all your senses.
What sounds punctuate the air around you? Are there particular scents wafting by? What textures can you feel beneath your fingertips?
By broadening and deepening your sensory awareness, you’ll be able to create more immersive scenes in your writing. It’s the difference between your readers seeing a movie in their minds and feeling as though they’re actually there, in the thick of it.
4. Don’t forget about serendipity
While it’s important to have some sort of a plan, don’t underestimate the value of the unexpected. Sometimes the most compelling elements in writing come from chance encounters or unplanned observations.
If you set out to write about one thing but find yourself drawn to another, follow that impulse. If you plan to observe a particular subject but something else catches your eye, give it your focus. These serendipitous moments often lead to the most authentic and engaging writing.
This requires flexibility and a willingness to deviate from your original plan. In practice, it might mean changing the direction of your story based on an unexpected character development, or restructuring your non-fiction piece around a surprising fact you uncovered during research.
There you have it, four lessons that I’ve found invaluable in my own writing life. By seeking flow, actively observing the world, engaging all your senses, and allowing for serendipity, you can enrich your writing process and produce work that truly resonates with your readers.
Richard
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