the flow

The Flow: Make The Way Straight

I want you to take charge of your writing space. I want you to be completely cognizant of the space you create! The Flow–your access to this creative energy–is going to be dependent on how serious you are about creating it and maintaining it! One of thing to remember about maintaining such a space is that the magic you desire to create in it is up to you (again, this is a reference from King’s On Writing)!

There is a ruthlessness to writing, my Oracles! That ruthlessness is based in how tenacious you are about writing, and your success related to it! This dedicated space, deciding to dedicate a space, is YOURS! Do what you must in it and for it. If you need music to write? Get a playlist. If you write best in the morning, set an alarm. If you need to be warm to write, get that (a blanket, sheet, hoodie, etc)! You cannot let writing just happen to you our upon you! Sometimes, you must make that happen!

Be prepared to write when inspiration hits, as some say ‘when the iron is hot’. Also, be prepared to makes those irons hot.

Introduction-Creating The Flow

In the book, On Writing, Stephen King talks about the power of muses. He talks about the need to have a space set up to write. The beautiful thing about having a dedicated space to write–the muses will always show up! You have a dedicated space to dream, to create and to do so unencumbered. This type of dedicated space is essential to creating The Flow!

1.) Make the space inviting for you! Whether this be a room with a view, a hotel room, or even desk in your room or your bed! This spot should be yours–totally obedient to what its you want and would like to do.

2.) Remind yourself that this space is just to write. Not sleeping. Not texting. Not eating. It is for writing. You will be amazed at what will happen once you have repurposed/purposed such a space.

3.) Write as if no one will watch you. This talent is yours to wield and to share. You must remember that your first fan, your first audience, your first member of your soon-to-be anxious public is you.

One of the essential things you must remember about creating such a space, is you as a writer are in charge of this space! You control it! You must control it! The Flow is not this cloud, full of rain, come to water your talent. Sometimes, you have to summon such rain. You must be ready to summon such rain when you need it!

So, summon the rain. Make that rain feed the streams of the visions you desire. Make the streams find the rivers of talent, and from there, make them flow to ocean of the world you desire to create. You can do it. You must do it.

Create–make the muses work.

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Introduction-What It All Means

Writing is a form of creation.

It takes passion and force and focus to create something. That passion is what fuels the vision of what you desire to do. The force is what gives you the strength to do all you desire.

Remember…the Flow is not just an nebulous thing! It is something that is equal parts power and privilege. With all that, combined with time, grants us focus.

That focus is what allows us as creators to truly create—to have nothing ahead of you or inside of you other than raw creative energy. This is what it means to tap into that power.

Herein is what it means to create The Flow.

The Flow is not a secret. It is not vapid nor is it something that is a rumor artists share or whisper about! It is not something that is accidental, but always fueled by intent—and intention.

Intention powers The Flow. Focus directs us to the best access to it. Passion keeps us chasing it, because there is no high like it! None. Let us continue to explore this more.

Indeed, there is a power in and to creation. And we—and you—have it.

The Flow–Stirring Up Gifts

Now, that you have made peace with the fact that you are a writer, let’s get down to it. The question I need to ask you is: What are your writing? How are you writing? And the scariest thing to ask is:

Are you stuck?

If you are, pay close attention.

As I have said before, writing is both talent and skill. And The Flow is one of those things that is hard to explain if you have not experienced it. But, fear not dear one! This is where the space you have created comes into play. It is a conduit!

You are the plug.

The space is the outlet.

When you connect–that is when you access The Flow. What you also need to remember is good writing is done over time, but you must be able to be willing to write the ‘bad stuff’ to get to the ‘good stuff’! But let me tell you a secret:

You are going to have to trust yourself.

You are going to have to trust your story.

You are going to have to trust what your talent.

You are going to have to be brave, dear one.

Accessing The Flow means you are going to have to be brave–your talent, your story, and your imagination are the circuit. That circuit jump starts The Flow!

Think of it as walking into the ocean, and never fear it taking you over–you want it to! The power that is has, the depth you experience, which will propel you through and towards your work in progress. It’s a jump start when you are stuck!

Fear not, dear writer. Help in on the way–and it’s on the inside of you!

The Flow–Tapping In And Accessing

In his book, On Writing, Stephen King speaks about muses. He talks about making your writing space conducive to writing. As rudimentary as that sounds, it’s true! One of the things that make writing easy is when you have an area dedicated to writing. An area that is set up and set aside for writing. I understand that this is not totally possible in certain spaces and times, but hear me out.

When you set aside space to write, your thinking shifts! It allows you to concentrate, and focus your attention on what you want to create. The space grants you access to that creative space (The Flow) and writing–because that portion of your mind is receptive, makes writing easier (Accessing).

This place can literally be a notebook that you have in a specific place. It can be an alarm on you phone to remind you to write (more about writing schedules next month), a desk in your house or an office. As you set aside the space to write, be aware of things that make writing easy for you.

Do you write to music?

Do you need complete quiet or noise in the background?

Do you need a snack to write?

Should the room be hot or cold? Do you need to be hot or cold?

All these things should be taken into account when you set up a writing space, or writing time?

The success of your writing, the maximizing of your time is the focus when you set of this space. The Flow is not a nebulous thing–it is a force! Since it is a force, it can be commanded or ignored. Make no mistake, The Flow is a great power source–and if you cannot remember this, you will never tap into it with the confidence you require.

Writing is equal parts talent and energy. The more you understand what you need as an artist in order to create, the better you will get at writing.

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The Flow–Identification

Rod Serling (the creator of The Twilight Zone) said that writing is incessant, and demanding–and he succumbed to it. This is the best way to describe this entity, this power, this source knows as The Flow.

It is this need to create that is indescribable–this feeling that you as a creative person to pull out what is in your head, and put it on paper. Or on canvas. Or film. It is the feeling (it definitely starts as this), this unction that is pushing you to create, forcing you to create. I feels like all creative channels are open and anything that can be created, will be. The great thing about The Flow is once you have experienced it, you will never be confused as to what it is!

Think of it as a teapot. Your talent is what fills it. Time and effort heat the water, and when it whistles? That is your queue to create. That is your signal that you are sitting on something amazing, that you have the amazing on the inside of you–and you should believe enough in yourself to do access it, in order to bring to life what is already living on the inside of you.

Be brave.

Be tenacious!

Write!

Encouragement Pages-08/14/2019-With The Glory

“To the victor go the spoils!”

Concentrate on your process, dear ones. I want to remind you that you are going to have to fight a little bit for your work. You are going to have to adapt a relentlessness about your work.

You will have to be determined from conception to completion.

The story was given to you—and so it must be completed by you.

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris