Comments on: Using the Sixth Sense in Writing

By: Elias J. McClellan

Elias J. McClellan — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:45:01 +0000

In the original Judge Dee novels honest-to-Yoda ghosts would show up to point Judge Dee at "who did it." In his translation for western readers, Van Gulik replaced supernatural with the judge's sixth sense. This is good stuff. Thanks for sharing.

By: Kris Maze

Kris Maze — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 15:47:09 +0000

Hi Ellen,
This is an insightful post. I haven't thought of developing my sixth sense but I see how it can add depth to my writing. These tips to build a sensitivity to the world around me and to trust my own intuition is very useful.
Thanks!
Kris

By: deleyna

deleyna — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 03:54:32 +0000

I love this, Ellen! I have experienced this in my life. My husband and I have learned - the hard way - to respect our gut. We talk about things we want to do and we'll look over the logic, and then we'll say, "what is your gut telling you?" Why? Because one time we had an absolutely amazing opportunity. Logic, research... all said that we should do this. But both of us felt just a little off. Eventually we decided to go with our gut regardless of how silly it seemed. This saved us from what would have been an absolutely disastrous business deal. We didn't know some facts at the time that wouldn't show up publicly for about 2 years. Had we done the deal, it would have been terrible. Ever since then, we've promised each other that we'll trust that feeling.

By: dholcomb1

dholcomb1 — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 03:32:07 +0000

Thank you.

I'm highly tuned to my sixth sense.

By: Ellen Buikema

Ellen Buikema — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 00:50:09 +0000

In reply to Eldred Bird.

Hi Eldred,
I enjoy your writing, so please thank your characters for me. 😁

The Waking Room even sounds like it was drempt.
How about The Smell of Fear? That story is all kinds of great fun.

By: Christina Anne Hawthorne

Christina Anne Hawthorne — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 23:27:27 +0000

In reply to Ellen Buikema. I do love that, and was rewarded. Talma had her own ideas about story pacing and was right every step of the way.

By: Eldred Bird

Eldred Bird — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 22:29:32 +0000

My characters are constantly telling me what to write, or more specifically what not to write. My fictional characters also don't know that they're not real. I spend so much time talking to them that even I forget sometimes that they're not real. As for the dreams, my short story The Waking Room came from a dream as well as many bits and pieces of my James McCarthy series.

By: Ellen Buikema

Ellen Buikema — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 20:21:03 +0000

In reply to Virginia. Hi Virginia, I can totally relate with your having insistent characters. So far I haven't gotten the motivation wrong but I'm sure that'll happen at some point. Congrats on listening to your inner self. This makes life so much easier.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 18:13:55 +0000

So many times I've known things were going to happen before they did. Whenever I let my conscious, analytical mind override what my 6th sense was telling me, I regretted it. So I listen now. And those characters that come and argue with you, they're real in a certain sense. You created them. Maybe. Mine seem to pop out of nowhere and nag until I write about them. Or argue with me after I do. One character told me "that's not what I'm really like. You've got my motivations wrong." I listened to that, too.

By: Ellen Buikema

Ellen Buikema — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 17:37:37 +0000

In reply to Anna Chapman. Hi Anna, I'm glad to know the post is helpful! Everytime I don't listen to my gut I end up in trouble of one kind of another, so I've finally learned to pay attention to that inner voice/feeling. Let us know if using that sixth sense works for your writing!