The bliss of flow beats anything else, doesn’t it! I wrote my entire romcom in flow, years ago, and then pressured myself so much for the second that I fell on my nose and was blocked for 20 years (I spoke of this in an interview published here yesterday), until I had to find something to fill my life again after injury and health issues, and randomly discovered poetry through Beth Kempton. I still worry about losing my creativity again, about not entering the bliss of flow, but I’m older and feel less pressure. Thank you for this beautiful piece, and for your insight.
This is all so interesting and I loved reading it. Then didn't reply until now (when I got up early and realised how many lovely messages I had that I wanted to take time with). Where is the link to your interview about being blocked for 20 years? I'd love to read that.
Thanks for your patience with me--so much lovely summer with kids BUT so hard to show up right now!
Hi Alice, thank you for replying! I know what it's like to have children around, they keep you occupied. Mine are grown up now, and keep me occupied in a different way! I'm linking my interview here; thank you for asking. I hope you enjoy it! xx Francesca https://francescabossert.substack.com/p/my-interview-on-substack?r=27ovr5
liquid light. Your words flowed and the ebb of the tide caught me up and took me into the storm and out onto the lake for the beauty of the sun on the water and that cold shock. They struck gold with me. Bernie
This is so interesting. I know when I’m stuck a title always helps me get the creative juices “flowing”. My recent work involves a stuck middle aged aspiring tattooist and artistic creative who works at his family funeral home. I struggled for a long time with something that really speaks to the macabre story I’ve outlined and couldn’t move my plot forward and then the words “Body of Work” came over me while considering my own work…the rest poured out as soon as that came to me so I get the thoughts conveyed about the usefulness of at least fleshing out a title to suit the narrative and how it helps.
Oh I forgot to mention I write to music as well and anything without lyrics mostly helps me. The o e other thing that annoys me I wanted to mention is ADHD. I carry around my phone and often record my notes that pop into my head especially like titles or something that I have to write down. I can’t trust my immediate recall when I sit to write and if it doesn’t flow out I log jam trying to remember so it’s become a huge tech advantage for me.
Yes--I agree. I need to make notes to remember things and I often text myself or save a reminder note. Dabble is great for this because you can drop notes right into the right place in a longer book. By the way--I love the idea of the aspiring tattooist and the family funeral home. Body of Work is a great title for this. Thanks for taking time to comment here, Stephan. Good to hear from you!
I've been thinking about this recently so appreciated the timing of this essay. I've come to realize that I get into flow state when I am at home, alone, with no commitments looming on the horizon.
Now stop laughing Alice🤣
I know. It's highly inconvenient and unrealistic, even though my sons are adults and no longer live with us, this type of situation is not a common occurrence. I must ponder if this truly what I need to get there or is it a very misguided belief and habit that I need to shift. It's most likely the latter.
How did I miss this! I'm so sorry. I loved reading this and you made me smile--did you find another way to access Flow? I wonder if you set a short timer to write/garden/cook etc if that gets you out of feeling like you need a block of uninterrupted time. It's funny you say that, because it's something that often stops me writing at all--thinking I need to have a longer window than I do. I can get quite 'flowy' if I add a time pressure.
Anyway! Thank you for taking time to write to me. I was glad of your words.
Alice, this was beautiful!! The headline and the story of the lake within the headline. I loved this.
Thanks! Not at all how this piece started out ;-) I wanted to write about slowing down, as you know, but that will be September now....
The bliss of flow beats anything else, doesn’t it! I wrote my entire romcom in flow, years ago, and then pressured myself so much for the second that I fell on my nose and was blocked for 20 years (I spoke of this in an interview published here yesterday), until I had to find something to fill my life again after injury and health issues, and randomly discovered poetry through Beth Kempton. I still worry about losing my creativity again, about not entering the bliss of flow, but I’m older and feel less pressure. Thank you for this beautiful piece, and for your insight.
This is all so interesting and I loved reading it. Then didn't reply until now (when I got up early and realised how many lovely messages I had that I wanted to take time with). Where is the link to your interview about being blocked for 20 years? I'd love to read that.
Thanks for your patience with me--so much lovely summer with kids BUT so hard to show up right now!
x
Hi Alice, thank you for replying! I know what it's like to have children around, they keep you occupied. Mine are grown up now, and keep me occupied in a different way! I'm linking my interview here; thank you for asking. I hope you enjoy it! xx Francesca https://francescabossert.substack.com/p/my-interview-on-substack?r=27ovr5
Thanks so much! I have a quiet window now and will read!
Ohhh Alice here are 2 playlists one I use and another made by Thomas Frank (Notion)
Deep resonance on Flow - for creative mindmapping, thinking spherically around a project for my mentoring clients ...or brain focus
These are how I pivot into my world when stress is high on the caregivers side and I still need to work on my business stuff (not Carer Mentor).
Mine:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0iQYwM6M6MG9tK9B7J11KF?si=3f183d4576d445cd
Thomas Frank: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ETfiRPHVmUFLF6q0g8Fux?si=cdc6753a69d049c4
To relax/non-work music is film scores and classical music. All completely different from Friends, holiday or chill music
I've saved yours to my Spotify. Thanks! And thanks for the Thomas Frank suggestion.
liquid light. Your words flowed and the ebb of the tide caught me up and took me into the storm and out onto the lake for the beauty of the sun on the water and that cold shock. They struck gold with me. Bernie
Thanks, Bernie. These are lovely, generous words. I hope you've had a good week! Smoky skies up north today.
This is so interesting. I know when I’m stuck a title always helps me get the creative juices “flowing”. My recent work involves a stuck middle aged aspiring tattooist and artistic creative who works at his family funeral home. I struggled for a long time with something that really speaks to the macabre story I’ve outlined and couldn’t move my plot forward and then the words “Body of Work” came over me while considering my own work…the rest poured out as soon as that came to me so I get the thoughts conveyed about the usefulness of at least fleshing out a title to suit the narrative and how it helps.
Oh I forgot to mention I write to music as well and anything without lyrics mostly helps me. The o e other thing that annoys me I wanted to mention is ADHD. I carry around my phone and often record my notes that pop into my head especially like titles or something that I have to write down. I can’t trust my immediate recall when I sit to write and if it doesn’t flow out I log jam trying to remember so it’s become a huge tech advantage for me.
Enjoy the weekend and thanks for the inspiration!
Yes--I agree. I need to make notes to remember things and I often text myself or save a reminder note. Dabble is great for this because you can drop notes right into the right place in a longer book. By the way--I love the idea of the aspiring tattooist and the family funeral home. Body of Work is a great title for this. Thanks for taking time to comment here, Stephan. Good to hear from you!
Thanks for the kind mention!
Looking forward to reading more of your work. Thank YOU!
I've been thinking about this recently so appreciated the timing of this essay. I've come to realize that I get into flow state when I am at home, alone, with no commitments looming on the horizon.
Now stop laughing Alice🤣
I know. It's highly inconvenient and unrealistic, even though my sons are adults and no longer live with us, this type of situation is not a common occurrence. I must ponder if this truly what I need to get there or is it a very misguided belief and habit that I need to shift. It's most likely the latter.
How did I miss this! I'm so sorry. I loved reading this and you made me smile--did you find another way to access Flow? I wonder if you set a short timer to write/garden/cook etc if that gets you out of feeling like you need a block of uninterrupted time. It's funny you say that, because it's something that often stops me writing at all--thinking I need to have a longer window than I do. I can get quite 'flowy' if I add a time pressure.
Anyway! Thank you for taking time to write to me. I was glad of your words.
x