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Wednesday, July 16, 2014

No more planning


You know, planning doesn’t always works. It’s the spontaneous and random acts that make the difference and really surprise us in a good way. And that counts for writing too. 

Don’t plan, don’t think about it and then it will come to you. Isn’t that what people say after all? Things come unexpectedly and the most beautiful ones come when we least expecting them.

Same applies for our stories. And it is so damn good! 


Let’s say I have planned to write tomorrow afternoon. I wake up smiling in the prospect of the afternoon to come and the chapter I want to finish or start a new one which will bring me closer to my book’s end. Everything sounds perfect because they are neat and planned.
Well, I won’t write that afternoon. It’s almost given.

I don’t really know why this is happening, but it does. A lot and very often. My plans may change because something else will demand my attention or because I’m too tired to write. Whatever is the case the point is that I won’t end up writing, which drives me mad!

But when I don’t think about it, when it’s not on schedule, I will most certainly write. How many times have I wake up in the middle of the night, just when I was about to fall asleep, because an idea was buzzing around my head like a mosquito? Many. How many times I was watching TV and suddenly I took my note pad and write down parts of the next chapter? Too many.

This is how writing works for me. With no pressure, no anxiety but total and complete faith to the idea, to the random thought and spontaneous inspiration. 

I will keep shouting it for everyone to hear: Writing shouldn't make our head hurt from the thought, we don’t need to get tired after writing a page, we don’t need to have everything figure out in advance.

Writing comes from our soul, not our head.

So, how it works for you?

6 comments:

  1. I really love that line "Writing comes from our soul, not our head." That's absolutely fantastic and so true. While I'm not a writer because I simply don't have a story to tell, if I did I know I would have to write from my soul and not my head. I really enjoyed the post :D Jaclyn @ JC's Book Haven.

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    1. Thank you Jaclyn! I believe that when we let ourselves calm, then the writing is so much better for that exact reason. It comes from our soul.

      I'm glad you liked this post. :)

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  2. Glad spontaneity works for you! It's great when inspiration just randomly strikes like that. I'm the type who needs to plan, especially lately, 'cause if I don't, my depression makes it far too easy to stop doing anything creative, heh.

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    1. This is how it works for me and planning works for you and very well, I must say!:) (I look forward for more Nicholas and Coco.) I think that when we find our style, then we know exactly how it need to be done.

      Are you planning when you're writing too, Heather?

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  3. I'm not sure what my style is, Athina. I should by now, but I think it's not a plan or no plan for me, but what's happening in my life. If I feel secure, my mind is free to play and create. It's wild that you'll wake up in the middle of the night to write. I remember you and Kaykay discussing that one time. That is not me! Do not mess with my sleep, that even goes for my characters. They're are too scared to even think about waking me up.

    Happy flying, Athina!

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    1. Hehe. Sleep is good, but it's also healing. Body and mind. I find that when I lie down my mind starts processing the stuff that happened during the day. And most of the time it has to do about my stories. It's creative! lol

      But you're right, what happens in our lives is the most important.

      Happy Friday, Robyn!

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