Be A Novelist Blog — Page 99 of 121 —

Getting Water from the Well (Or, Cooperating with the Subconscious)

Well of Inspiration

I remember a writing instructor who once said that the subconscious mind is like a deep well and most people never bother to either 1) keep the well filled, or 2) bother to learn how to fetch refreshing water from the well.

I’m sure you’ve heard the term “the well of inspiration.” Perhaps you’ve even heard someone remark that the well has gone dry. Perhaps you’ve even said it yourself.

Keep the Well Filled

For most people going about their everyday lives, the majority of their thinking is in the conscious mind. Much of what is flitting about in the subconscious is ignored, or tamped down, or scoffed at. Novelists, however, cannot afford such luxury. It is in our best interest to understand, appreciate, and respect the subconscious. We must learn how to keep the well filled; we must learn how to get our inspirational water from that well.

Your conscious mind tends to think in linear, logical fashion. First you have A, then comes B, and after that comes C. Not so your subconscious. The subconscious mind works in a web-like fashion making random connections that, at first, may not make much sense. This is part of the reason why that information is easy to ignore.

That subconscious mind of yours wants to communicate; however, it’s often misunderstood. And even more, often underestimated. (Might I add undervalued?)

Amazing Things Happen

Let’s say your subconscious wants to say something, but your first response is, “I don’t want to think about that right now.” Or, “I don’t have time to think about that right now.” Now what happens in any relationship when one party ignores the other? The ignored party becomes discouraged and indifferent. That ignored one may even begin to distance from the one who has treated him so shabbily.

How have you been treating your subconscious mind lately? I can assure you, once you begin to recognize and respect your own subconscious, amazing things begin to happen.

In order to be super-productive old Mr. Subconscious needs plenty of stimulation. (Filling your well.) This can be books, art, travel, odd facts, insights, articles, specimens, interesting data, and on and on. My suggestion is that you do this purposefully, and on purpose. Meaning you know what you are doing, and you are expecting results!

Cooperate

From there, you expect the subconscious to think about the issue (problem? dilemma? plot complication?) and work out the solution. You expect to wake up after a good night sleep with little thoughts skittering around in your mind. Grab them, catch them, write them down. Cooperate.

Sleep is wonderful in that it allows your conscious mind to shut up for a while; it gives the subconscious time and space to function as it is designed to function!

This is how you fill the well. This is how you encourage the subconscious to speak. It’s not something you can rush or force. The learning process takes time.

Your Subconscious is Eager

This may never have occurred to you before, but your subconscious is eager to work with you. It only needs permission to be released.

The subconscious is delighted with all the little bits of stimulating information that is sent its way. Likewise, you (your conscious mind) should be just as delighted – and appreciative – for the nuggets of meaning that the subconscious sends your way.

Most often, information from the subconscious will come to you as a little idea that pops into your mind almost spontaneously. At first it may seem irrelevant, but accept it at face value. Later, you may find it’s more important than the surface structure you are aware of.

But if not – if it never has any relevancy at all, ever – still and yet, you have just succeeded in learning a principle. You are learning how to get water from the well!

It can be the beginning of a great relationship! Be A Novelist

Photo credits: © Damir Bayburin | Dreamstime.com;

Of What Good is Story?

Has a Story Any Practical Use?

Did you ever wonder about this? Really now. Of what good is a story? Has it any practical use? It’s not like a gadget or a gizmo that can actually do something, or can provide a useful function. One could probably successfully live and die and never read a novel, or be told a story. (Although I shudder to think of such a life, I suppose it could happen.)

Stories, I venture to say, are so ingrained in who we are and what we are, they can easily be overlooked or dismissed or disparaged. It would be the same as being oblivious to the melodic sound of a child’s laughter. Or ignoring how sunlight sparkles and shimmers on the surface of a bubbling stream.

What Is a Story?

Going back to the basics of basics – what exactly is a story? A co-worker told you a juicy bit of gossip at work this morning. Is that a story? Yes. That can be a type of story; but not story in its purest form.

Essentially, every 60-second TV commercial attempts to tell a story – albeit an extremely short story.

Story in it purest form must go somewhere. Something happens; then something happens next, which makes the reader (listener) want to know what happens next. Each is interconnected.

These series of events must happen TO someone. That someone will be the main character (or characters). Next, that someone must be a someone that the reader cares about. For if the reader does not care, that reader will cease reading. The story at that point is missing a key element. That key element is a character who is so real and lifelike that the reader is closely relating to that character.

Story Function

What then is the function of a story? A story’s main function is to explore human emotions, values, and beliefs. A story allows us to see people and circumstances that we may deeply relate to, and yet we can stand separate and apart (objective) from them. Stories give humankind a tool, so to speak, to be used for the purpose of gaining understanding.

Albert Einstein gave us this nugget of truth about stories:

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

What is he saying here? Stories have a distinct function in the development of the human mind and psyche.

My quote would read more like this:

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read aloud to them. If you want them to be more intelligent, read aloud to them more.”

Personally, I was reading aloud to my children almost from birth. No PSA ad on television had to tell me this was beneficial. As a storyteller and story-lover, I knew it was beneficial. (I, at the time, had no idea just how beneficial!) My grandchildren have now been read to from little up and all four are avid readers. But I digress.

Exploring and Knowing Self

If the story explores human emotions, values and beliefs, and if characters come to know self through a series of events, it stands to reason that the reader will gain insight as to how to also know self. Often what is revealed to the character in the process of self-discovery, can be mirrored in the mind and heart of the reader.

“Ah yes.” The reader gives an inward sigh as the book closes on the last word of the last chapter of the past page. It’s a sigh of satisfaction, yes. But it’s more. So much more.

It can be compared to listening to a concert performed by an orchestra of great renown. At the last fading note of the last encore, something in the human soul has been fed and nurtured. A good story in the same way, feeds the human soul and makes the world a better place.

I love it when my daughter (busy homeschooling mother of three) is reading a great novel and greedily snatches moments to read. Literally, she can hardly wait to get back to the story. It lies there on the kitchen counter, or on the table by the couch, wooing her with a siren song that can hardly be resisted.

Story Manufacturer

Of what good is story?

I guess I could say I’m in the business of manufacturing an intangible product known as a story. I have stories that also woo me with their siren song. The song I hear is different. It’s not to read the story, but to tell the story. Write the story.

It would matter not a whit to me if tomorrow someone proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that stories were of absolutely no worth to anyone on the planet. I would still answer the siren song.

Of what use is story?

Story makes me want to get up in the morning. And that’s enough!

Be A Novelist

Getting Water from the Well (Or, Cooperating with the Subconscious)

Of What Good is Story?

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