Yes, the mind can indeed lead us down false paths. It's important to recognize when this starts to happen or has already been happening.
It's also important to recognize that there really is a time for silence in the creative life. Silences come into the lives of all writers, and not all are to be rejected. For me the single most helpful articulation of this point, with really deep insight, comes from Victoria Nelson in her book ON WRITER'S BLOCK: A NEW APPROACH TO CREATIVITY. I talk about this in my COURSE IN DEMONIC CREATIVITY, which you can download at my author site. Maybe it could be helpful. I know that in my own life, recognizing valid, needed silences when they come along, and differentiating them from capitulation to Resistance (or even using them, as described in the this present Living Dark post, as a way to see through Resistance), has become increasingly important.
Have been wrestling with this particular issue myself for going on months now, a sort of Jacob-versus-the-angel situation, and have been praying for dawn. Your thoughts on this struggle are much appreciated. (for statistical information, this is the post of yours which finally convinced me to subscribe here, though I have enjoyed (and recommended widely!) your Course on Demonic Creativity in the past, as well as read and enjoyed much of your fiction. thank you)
I'm glad this post spoke to you, TJ. Like you, I find significant value in reading other people's accounts of their struggles with resistance or block and what they've learned from it.
I'm glad the COURSE has been of use to you. Thank you for recommending it to others! It may interest you to hear that I'm presently deep into developing a proposal for a traditionally published book (or at least that's the plan) that will represent a significant expansion and revision of it, to be titled THE WRITER'S DAEMON.
I must start by saying thank you, Matt. For at least two years, I've been observant and quite conscious of how there is "something" that shows up any time I want to write. I know it's not laziness, it felt like an actual physical force, and I remember discussing this in therapy a few times as it felt so vivid.
I began to read your post as recently I re-heard the conversation in Weird Studies called "The Daemon speaks," and due to the magical thread that connected people with books/films that they needed at the moment, so happened with your post.
The fact that you also described it as a wall instantly clicked as being the same phenomenon I experienced; but surprisingly to me, it's not unique and also manifests on experienced writers like you. So I'm very glad I found this.
I have been interested to hear the many responses from readers, both here in comments and in private communications, who say they identify strongly with what I describe in this post. It's a deeply personal subject for me, so I think this is a confirmation of what I wrote about more recently, in another post, about the most deeply private and personal being the most universal. In any event, I'm glad the present post resonated with you, AJ.
It's funny reading this. I've often been accused of being lazy. I've always been this way, since childhood. I didn't get on well with school, so I did nothing and left school with no qualifications. Everything I know is self-taught. I only ever did anything if I felt like it. Since leaving school, I worked, self employed (on and off) for 20 years. I didn't work for 16 years. And in the 20 years I worked on and off (I was self employed), I worked for 4 months and took 3 months off, so really, I probably only worked 11 or so years (I'm 52 now). I learnt to write age 40 and a couple of years after, my books were in bookshops, traditionally published. I will do something well if I want to. I completely refurbished my house with no money. Probably worth £150,000. Through sheer will. But I never cared what anyone thought of me, so I had no problem doing nothing. I always had visions, since childhood, so I use these for inspiration to create. But if nothing's coming through, I don't care. It don't matter. I ain't got nothing to prove.
Highly resonant with me! Thank you for your recent reference to this essay. I'll come back after some digesting. Has to move through the stomachs. (I'm a cow?) By-the-by, have you read Iain McGilchrist? I think he has rich things to say about the intersect between the creative mind and the analytical mind.
Good call. Yes, McGilchrist’s thought has been influential on me. I think the explanatory power of his model is awesome and inspiring, and productive of much further understanding.
Love the multi-stomach cow metaphor, btw. I think I may be the same animal.
I wish you good health, Shikhar.
Yes, the mind can indeed lead us down false paths. It's important to recognize when this starts to happen or has already been happening.
It's also important to recognize that there really is a time for silence in the creative life. Silences come into the lives of all writers, and not all are to be rejected. For me the single most helpful articulation of this point, with really deep insight, comes from Victoria Nelson in her book ON WRITER'S BLOCK: A NEW APPROACH TO CREATIVITY. I talk about this in my COURSE IN DEMONIC CREATIVITY, which you can download at my author site. Maybe it could be helpful. I know that in my own life, recognizing valid, needed silences when they come along, and differentiating them from capitulation to Resistance (or even using them, as described in the this present Living Dark post, as a way to see through Resistance), has become increasingly important.
A spectacular examination of the problem. Mind blowing helpful. Great appreciation!
You're very welcome. Thank you for the positive feedback. I'm glad this one resonated.
Have been wrestling with this particular issue myself for going on months now, a sort of Jacob-versus-the-angel situation, and have been praying for dawn. Your thoughts on this struggle are much appreciated. (for statistical information, this is the post of yours which finally convinced me to subscribe here, though I have enjoyed (and recommended widely!) your Course on Demonic Creativity in the past, as well as read and enjoyed much of your fiction. thank you)
I'm glad this post spoke to you, TJ. Like you, I find significant value in reading other people's accounts of their struggles with resistance or block and what they've learned from it.
I'm glad the COURSE has been of use to you. Thank you for recommending it to others! It may interest you to hear that I'm presently deep into developing a proposal for a traditionally published book (or at least that's the plan) that will represent a significant expansion and revision of it, to be titled THE WRITER'S DAEMON.
This is extremely exciting! I look forward to more updates on this and eagerly await its publication!
I must start by saying thank you, Matt. For at least two years, I've been observant and quite conscious of how there is "something" that shows up any time I want to write. I know it's not laziness, it felt like an actual physical force, and I remember discussing this in therapy a few times as it felt so vivid.
I began to read your post as recently I re-heard the conversation in Weird Studies called "The Daemon speaks," and due to the magical thread that connected people with books/films that they needed at the moment, so happened with your post.
The fact that you also described it as a wall instantly clicked as being the same phenomenon I experienced; but surprisingly to me, it's not unique and also manifests on experienced writers like you. So I'm very glad I found this.
Looking forward for the next post!
I have been interested to hear the many responses from readers, both here in comments and in private communications, who say they identify strongly with what I describe in this post. It's a deeply personal subject for me, so I think this is a confirmation of what I wrote about more recently, in another post, about the most deeply private and personal being the most universal. In any event, I'm glad the present post resonated with you, AJ.
It's funny reading this. I've often been accused of being lazy. I've always been this way, since childhood. I didn't get on well with school, so I did nothing and left school with no qualifications. Everything I know is self-taught. I only ever did anything if I felt like it. Since leaving school, I worked, self employed (on and off) for 20 years. I didn't work for 16 years. And in the 20 years I worked on and off (I was self employed), I worked for 4 months and took 3 months off, so really, I probably only worked 11 or so years (I'm 52 now). I learnt to write age 40 and a couple of years after, my books were in bookshops, traditionally published. I will do something well if I want to. I completely refurbished my house with no money. Probably worth £150,000. Through sheer will. But I never cared what anyone thought of me, so I had no problem doing nothing. I always had visions, since childhood, so I use these for inspiration to create. But if nothing's coming through, I don't care. It don't matter. I ain't got nothing to prove.
What you describe sounds like a healthy, self-empowered place to be Rob. "I ain't got nothing to prove." We should all aspire to such a state.
Highly resonant with me! Thank you for your recent reference to this essay. I'll come back after some digesting. Has to move through the stomachs. (I'm a cow?) By-the-by, have you read Iain McGilchrist? I think he has rich things to say about the intersect between the creative mind and the analytical mind.
Good call. Yes, McGilchrist’s thought has been influential on me. I think the explanatory power of his model is awesome and inspiring, and productive of much further understanding.
Love the multi-stomach cow metaphor, btw. I think I may be the same animal.