Wonderful comment! We too have found in our own writing that there is a sort of ‘release’ whereupon the story writes itself, almost as if we’re just laying down letters to catch up to the story itself. However, we hadn’t thought of using writing as an example of ‘effortless effort’. Thank you so much for adding it here!

Hugs,
Kenton

“I’d be lying if I said the writing always process went smoothly for me”

As if you need more evidence of how brilliant the non-thinking brain is – could there be any better illustration that the writing process doesn’t always go smoothly for me?!

Where I first fully noticed how the thinking mind can get in the way was during an MA in creative writing. In the middle of the course my second daughter arrived 3 months early and life revolved around hospital for several months. When I went back to writing I still often felt overwhelmed by guilt and other feelings that stilted creativity – and I didn’t have the time to idle around waiting for inspiration to strike.

I began writing down the thoughts that were creating blocks – right in the middle of the narrative. Once out on paper their intensity would dissolve, but it also meant that I was less concerned about getting it right first time, so the writing came more easily. I grew to trust the process. I’ve often seen advice for writers to keep a notepad by the bed to record brilliant ideas, but I’ve found is that if an idea is worth developing it comes back at a convenient time.

I’d be lying if I said the writing always process went smoothly for me (it took me 12 years to complete my first novel) but it’s been a great way for me to learn to trust the non-thinking mind. If I try to force a story into meticulously following a pre-planned plot, I either experience resistance and stuckness or the story keeps going off in tangents. If instead I have a rough outline and am open to something way beyond the thinking mind I am constantly surprised and delighted at the turns a story take. Often connections that start to appear in the plot that I truly could never have imagined. It’s also considerably more enjoyable to write that way.

I think for me this enjoyment is possibly the main reason for letting go of the attachment to the thinking mind. I also found Cedric’s comment and your reply enjoyable to read. I love humour about ‘awakening’ as it’s so easy to get caught in the seriousness of ‘seeking’.