Summary

The article encourages embracing uncertainty and allowing the creative process to guide writing, suggesting that surrendering control to one's inner creativity can lead to more authentic and surprising outcomes.

Abstract

The author of the article argues that writers should not be discouraged by the unpredictable nature of the creative process. Instead, they should view writing as a journey into the unknown, where the act of writing itself can lead to new and unexpected directions. The article emphasizes that the struggle between the logical approach to writing, such as outlining, and the intuitive, free-form method, often results in writer's block. By relinquishing control and allowing words to flow naturally, writers can overcome this block and produce work that is both meaningful and full of surprises. The author uses personal experience to illustrate the benefits of trusting the creative instinct, or the "creativity genie," and encourages writers to embrace the uncertainty and discomfort that come with the writing process.

Opinions

Outlines can be counterproductive if they stifle the natural flow of writing.
Writer's block is often a result of trying to control the uncontrollable nature of creativity.
Writing should be an enjoyable process, driven by playfulness and exploration.
The creative process has its own agenda and can lead to more enriching stories than those initially planned.
Surrendering to the creative process can result in stories that are more authentic and engaging.
The discomfort experienced during writing can be a sign that one is on the right track creatively.
The inner creativity genie, a metaphor for intuition, should be trusted to guide the storytelling process.
Embracing the uncertainty of the creative process can lead to surprising and rewarding outcomes.

WRITING | CREATIVITY

To Improve Your Writing, Embrace the Uncertainty of the Creative Process

To write Better, allow your words to take you on a journey into the unknown.

Photo by Cleyton Ewerton from Pexels: Edited by Author

“A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”

— Thomas Mann, Essays of Three Decades

Do you ever feel like your words don’t respect you? Like your vision goes out the window the moment you put your fingers against the keyboard?

You start out with an outline. You heard that outlines make the writing process quicker — much smoother. So you go for it. Except, halfway in, you lose coherence. The story takes on a completely new shape: A foreign figure that starts to fight you. You panic a little(a lot). You try to will them(the words) to follow your vision but in vain. You freeze. You procrastinate. You feel blocked.

I have six little words for you: Follow your words into the void. You’ll be surprised where they lead you.

The Creative Process Has a Life of Its Own

“The chief enemy of creativity is good sense.” — Pablo Picasso

We are but just conduits. Vessels for the creativity genie. She’s trying to find expression. I imagine her(the creativity genie) to be a 5-year old girl. A formless genie who needs a body. The body of an artist, the body of a musician, the body of a writer.

She has her own agenda though. She’s here for the simple things: She wants to entertain, to enchant, to intoxicate — she’s simply here to have fun. But we are not like that.

We are serious. We want to educate, to inform, to change minds, and start revolutions with our sentences. We want to control something whose very nature is to be out of control.

It’s a tale as old as time. The yin vs the yang. The heart vs the mind. Logic vs intuition. It’s a tale of friction. A story of resistance. The stuff out of which writer’s block is made.

Allow Your Words to Take You on a Journey into The Unknown

You have to get out of your way. You have to leave space for your words to bloom.

There’s a point right below my navel, deep within my stomach, that burns in defiance whenever I split myself up — whenever I go against my deepest truth(my creativity genie, for example). This fire — this discomfort — comes alive when I get ahead of my stories, whenever I try to figure them out before they’re done.

I go into a frozen panic. Suddenly I feel the need to flee, to stop writing, to run from myself — from my words. This is my latest manifestation of writer’s block. A full-blown anxiety attack. A firey pit in my stomach.

Your version of writer’s block might feel different. A headache, procrastination, the good old inability to come up with ideas no matter how hard you try. So maybe it’s time to let go. To stop trying to control every step of the creative journey.

Write purely from the present moment. Give yourself over to the words. Discover the story as you go — along the way. Allow yourself to play.

Yes, some stories come clearly pre-outlined. But even then, know the points you’re trying to make. Know what each section and every paragraph is trying to say but don’t control how the sentences come out. Be aware of what your story is trying to achieve but beyond that, surrender. Surrender to your inner creativity genie and see what happens.

Take This With You

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.”

— Franz Kafka

I’m always scared.

Will it make sense? I agonize. Will the words be meaningful. If I leave my mind(my creativity genie) to its devices, will it respect me enough to bring my vision alive?

It never does. My inner creativity genie blunders and plays with my directives and yet ends up doing a better job. It does more. My stories always take a surprising turn. They go to places I never thought they would end up in. And what a fun way to create.

If you’re struggling with your writing process. If you’re blocked or bored with your craft, it’s time to let go. Play a little. Surrender. Allow your words to take you on a journey into the unknown. Embrace the uncertainty of the creative process and watch your magic unfold. You’ll be surprised where the stories take you.

Thank you so much for your time. If you want to avoid getting caught up in people’s drama as an online content creator, check out this story:

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