Child-like Spirit

Mother and child at Asilomar Beach — Nov. 24, 2024

“Creativity is a combination of discipline and childlike spirit.” – Robert Greene

A 3-year old came into the living room where his parents were entertaining, sidled up to his father, and said, “Daddy, my ears are too proud.” Such an elegant turn of phrase. I think he meant that he wanted to be a good kid and go to sleep but his senses were not cooperating. The sounds coming from the living room were stimulating his curiosity. But wasn’t it better the way he said it?

Get in touch with that childlike spirit when you write. Spend some time writing off the top of your head. It’s close to your subconscious mind, unburdened by layers of taboos and inhibitions. That’s where your gems live. You can give your rational mind more agency when it’s time to edit.

Think of writing like panning gold. You’ve got to get lots of gravel and sand from the stream bed into the pan before it’s time to sift. Then you sift the gravel and sand back out of the pan, and you keep the  gold.

 

 
Previous
Previous

Dream

Next
Next

Getting a Literary Agent