Creative Writing and Writers Block
Why Positive Thinking Won't Free the Subconscious Mind
Sep 18, 2009
What is creativity? For writers, it is that joyful moment when words suddenly flow onto the page almost effortlessly, when ideas spring from some inner well and forge characters and situations so good that they almost seem to have pre-existed. And what is writer’s block? Nothing but the apparent drying up of that well – a painful, frustrating experience when a storyline grinds to a halt, perhaps after many pages. It can also strike at the start of a new project, when a fresh idea for a plot or characters just refuses to emerge. There are, however, creativity techniques which can help unblock the subconscious mind.
The Difference Between the Writer’s Craft and Creativity
This is an important distinction. “Writer’s craft” and “well-crafted novel” are common terms. They refer to the nuts and bolts of writing – descriptive passages, realistic dialogue, character delineation, , narrative style, pace, and so on. You can go to a class and learn the writer’s craft; you can acquire it by reading widely and practising for years.
Creativity, on the other hand, is not learnable. It is that touch of writing magic, where ideas float out of the ether to make a new and stunning re-organisation of the age-old elements of story. Creativity is what makes the difference between a “well-crafted novel” and a literary masterpiece. That is not to say that great novels don’t require crafting. Much work goes into the finished product. Nevertheless, the novelist or short story writer must create before he or she can craft. What can be done when writer’s block stymies creativity?
Creative Techniques Versus Creative Thinking
Creative thinking is a contradiction in terms. Thinking is an active process in the brain cells − the cogs are turning; calculations, decisions and adjustments are being made. Crafting a novel requires thinking. The act of creation, however – the creative part of creative writing – occurs at an unconscious or subconscious level that defies thinking. Thinking hard does not produce creativity. The best of writing prompts still require thinking. The harder the writer thinks, or struggles to find an answer to a plot or character problem, the less likely he or she is to start the desired flow of creativity.
Why Positive Thinking Won’t Cure Writers Block
Positive thinking can’t shift writers block because it is the rational mind that delivers the pep talk. Creativity lies in the subconscious and the rational mind can’t get in there. Greg Brice, father of Private Sub-conscious mind Healing (P.S.H.) and author of “Healing Your Feelings”, makes it clear that, as psychological problems lie in the subconscious, traditional psychotherapy is bound to fail because it does not access the subconscious. Brice’s thesis is that only the subconscious mind can heal the subconscious.
Similarly, if a blocked writer wants to nudge the creative mind into action, he or she must use creativity techniques that work in a subliminal way on the subconscious mind. It may take weeks of creativity training to get results.
Creativity Techniques to Beat Writers Block
The best way to deal with a troublesome story, is, strangely enough, to forget about it. Do something else; start a new project. Consciously, perhaps even formally by vocalising or writing a note, hand over the task to the subconscious. Butt out and let the creative mind work its magic in private −it doesn’t like people looking over its shoulder.
A solution won’t come by puzzling the problem out; rather, it will pop into the head like a bubble bursting. It will have the writer exclaiming: “Of course, that’s what George would do in this situation!” It will be as if the action had already been played out and it only required the writer to turn some ethereal page to discover the secret. Writers have long recognised the phenomenon of ideas occurring in the middle of sleep. This is when the subconscious mind is most free to play. These revelations will have disappeared by morning, if the writer does not keep a notebook by the bed.
Creativity Training for Writers
It is possible, over time, to condition the subconscious mind to perform on cue. When a book is stuck or a new project is needed, try addressing the creative mind each night just before sleep. Ask politely for an answer on waking. Don’t give up – keep repeating the process until answers start to come. But don’t turn the problem over in the conscious mind
Again, when a writing session has foundered, get up and go for a long stroll, especially in a natural area or parklands. Before you leave, petition the subconscious creative centre for a solution, then forget the book. Take in the world around, whistle, hum, and enjoy the break and the goodness of life. There is every possibility that, on the approach to home, an answer will pop into the head. By making this nature break from writing a regular feature of each day, it is surprising how readily the subconscious will accept its responsibility, so long as the writer-ego gets out of the way.
Good writing prompts will work to clear blocks, but ideas rarely come from the material used. Rather, while the rational mind is engaged in the exercise, the subconscious mind is given leave to play. Extraordinary ideas surface by association. Of course, it is possible that the subconscious simply opens the door to the creative principle of the universe.
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