There’s an odd thing about writing (probably true for any art) – we can do more than we think. When we set out to write something, we think we have to have it all figured out. Then we’ll sit down and take dictation from our mind.
But what I have seen for myself and hundreds of writers is that the mind represents only a thin layer of our knowing. I call it a thin layer of topsoil. What’s below – in our heart, our gut, our essence – is much more rich than our minds believe.
And what’s above – coming from source, the Divine, God, inspiration – is also much vaster than our thinking mind.
This might sound crazy to you. Or perhaps you’ve experienced it yourself? You get into the writing zone. You go into a sort of writing trance. You lose yourself in the words and let it flow.
Later, when you read over your words, you find surprises. Clever turns of phrase. Things you don’t recall writing. Some good stuff. Where did that come from? You have no idea. Your mind certainly didn’t generate it.
I wouldn’t believe this myself if I didn’t experience and witness it thousands of times in my 20 years as a writing coach. It’s the most marvelous magic we spin with our pen, when we surrender to the flow state. When we write freely, we access an intelligence that’s much wider than what we know.
If you haven’t had this experience, have you tried free-writing? This method of writing is the quickest, easiest way to get out of the thin layer of our minds and into the depths and heights of what is possible for our creativity.
If your mind tells you that you don’t know what to write, that you aren’t good enough, that you have to have more figured out before you sit down, don’t be fooled! You really just need to sit down, open a document or grab a pen, and let your thoughts rip. Using a timer and a prompt, write for at least 10 minutes without stopping. See what emerges.
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