Why do we write? There are lots of reasons – escape, thrills, status, defence, insight, creating a portal to new worlds…
For me, writing creates a magical space between the world and my mind that I hunger to explore. It helps me appreciate the real world and to value myself and my imagination.
Our perception of the world is often seen as a generative or co-creative process. We don’t see what’s undeniably just there – we see through the mind of a human, which comes with sensory and cultural abilities and limitations. What’s just there is immense, unfathomable to the human mind, but our science, spirituality and ever-guessing imaginations can help us to constantly grow our appreciation of what’s real, what’s not and, most importantly, what might be.
Writing mirrors this interdependent co-creation between our minds and external reality (or realities). Authors create a cinematic reel – a multi-dimensional illusion of reality including the behind-the-scenes working of hearts and minds – which both absorbs and empowers a reader’s imagination. In the process, it’s critical to avoid anything that breaks that reel, such as clunky metaphors, poor editing and typos.
At its best, the process of writing feels akin to revelation to me – you get absorbed in your own story and a sense of amazement at how, like us, it is always driven on, always becoming, with the best (more often than not) just round the corner. This is a satisfying experience, one that is often referred to as ‘flow.’
Flow is why I love writing. If you’re an author, tell me what you love about writing.
If you’re interested in my writing experience as an indie author and want to learn more about the process of writing, publishing and marketing, check out my new book Indie Author: An Introduction on Amazon.
