On writing: Contemplation as Preparation
Can zooming out bring us closer to our own creativity?
When I climbed into this empty lifeguard stand in Greece with my laptop, I was so mesmerized by the sea I don’t know how much time passed before I could think about forming words.
Coming across this picture the other day reminded me of what the writer Guy Gunaratne says about his way of settling down to write.
To prepare himself to get creative, he “cultivates a practice of stillness” and takes time to “contemplate subjects beyond [him]self.”
Gunaratne adds that transitioning into creativity is a “practice of keeping my body and mind in a more settled, less self-centric condition, so that I can explore for continual hours.”
I think there’s something to this idea, the idea of pulling away from yourself, distancing yourself from your ego, to create the conditions to write.
So how do you create that distance? What sorts of “subjects beyond yourself” might you contemplate as you prepare to put words on the page?
Maybe it’s an ocean. Maybe it’s a sound. Maybe a map of the world, or a map of the world you’re writing about. Maybe the events that inspired your story, or the person you’re writing your story for.
Whatever you choose to contemplate at this stage in the process can become a bridge between the resistance to writing and the act of writing, especially if you’re working on something tricky and fraught.
I’m going to experiment with this practice and see where it leads as I dive deeper into my novel.
I invite you to experiment with it, too — and would love to hear how it goes for you.
This entry is part of a #processjournal for my novel-in-progress. By inviting you to peak behind the curtain, I hope to offer some encouragement—and maybe spark some fresh ideas about how to approach your own creative process.
Do you have questions? Insights? Creative practices that are working—or not working—for you? I’d love to read your comments. Let’s keep experimenting, and let’s keep writing.
#processjournal #writing #creativity #novelwriting
