Forgetting Everything to Access Your Creativity – Daily Quote

/ JoHawkTheWriter
there-is-nothing-more-difficult-for-a-truly-creative-painter-than-to-paint-a-rose-because-before-he-can-do-so-he-has-first-to-forget-all-the-roses-that-were-ever-painted.-henri-matisse

We’ve read the articles offering helpful advice on how to make the most of your scheduled writing time. We study craft, and how to construct character arcs, story arcs, outlines, structure, proper sentence, voice, and point of view. The rabbit holes lead us on a journey through name generators, checklists, worksheets, and tools to block distractions from email and other notifications. Instagram offers pretty pictures of perfect office setups guaranteed to provide the magic you need to create an epic fantasy.

None of the research helps when I sit to put words on a page. Inundated with negative news, anxiety, fear, and frustration rule my emotions. A million thoughts race through my overactive brain. Worry about completing my to-do list, and dread of what I might forget makes it impossible to concentrate on my task. Before I can write a single word, the first thing I must do is forget everything.  

To be productive, I have learned the trick is letting go. Dirty dishes, laundry, grocery lists, doctor appointments, school schedules, work deadlines, and dinner plans will have to wait. I close my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I gather all the baggage and set it aside. When I open my eyes again, my mind is quiet, and I write.

How do you clear your mind?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

9 thoughts on “Forgetting Everything to Access Your Creativity – Daily Quote”

  1. different things work on different days, sometimes it can be a walk, on other occasions a chat with a friend, a little distraction to get into a better head space. appreciate your jottings Jo.

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  2. To forget in order to write makes sense, especially as you (and Matisse) describe it. I try to write first thing in the day before the world has clobbered my brain too much. Sometimes I worry about relevance, but then I know the news from before and have ideas anyway, so hopefully I won’t create something hopelessly out of touch.

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    • I wish I had the option of writing first thing each day. You don’t have to worry too much about relevance, Christopher. If you write about the human condition you can’t help but to hit your target. Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

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