Letter 25: June 23, 2008
Recently I was very busy with a major piece of writing on one of my creativity research projects. Although I study a fascinating field that I freely chose years ago, there's sometimes a definite temptation to avoid the work and to play and/or to do less urgent work. How and why that kind of temptation happens is a very complicated question, but it's also an ordinary everyday matter, as I expect you know, and we won't spend time on it today.
One challenge was that I was in a hurry to get it finished, because every day taken from other things and devoted to this project was costing me real money out of pocket. I was tempted to rush through what I knew was a large job that couldn't be rushed. And that frustration meant I was tempted to throw my hands up and do nothing. And so on. Yes, that kind of challenge.
And then a trusted Mentor pulled me aside and (1) went over my schedule for the next year and showed me how there was plenty of time to do this item properly (2) repeated the advantages of doing it right and (3) reframed the whole project by showing me that my document could be published in exciting places I hadn't thought of.
So to cut a long story fairly long, I got on with it, and was able to give it as long as it needed.
And because I was able to take my time, I looked at all the material and followed up all the side avenues and remembered the depth of my enthusiasm for the subject. At times I was writing in the flow state - an impossible thing to get into when you're rushing.
But here's the point, here's what I want to share. Once I was in that place, it became ok to play. Little jobs around the house got done and I was still focused on my writing. Emails got answered and I was still focused on my writing. Have you watched how a cat, intently observing a mouse and waiting for the ideal moment to pounce, will break off every so often for a few seconds of grooming or looking around? Diversion is, can sometimes be, part of being excited. The writing went well and the document ended up longer than I had expected, and yet full of relevant material interestingly arranged.
I don't recommend doing this all the time (maybe not around your employer?). But it is another example of how - when we're talking about writing - the received wisdom (including wisdom you have received or will receive from me) isn't always the right answer. There are a lot of examples of that, aren't there?
Something you can try today: when the writing is going well, notice that it is, keep doing whatever's working for you, and forget the rules.
David
David Jung McGarva
+1 (818) 707 1871
Write me: david at todayiwrite dot com
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