Writers in the Storm

by Kris Maze

Is your writing in a slump?  Are you having trouble finding motivation to finish your next project?  Have you lost that loving feeling?  (Insert cheesy, singing jet pilots here if that works for you!) Fear not, skilled writers, we are in this together and I hope you will soon find your words flowing like Niagara Falls.

Getting into the Zone, or Flow, has been a popular topic for creatives like writers since the 1990s.  What do you already know about the theory and its application to writing?  Check out your understanding of these studies that clarify the mental process of writing and enhance your satisfaction with life.

The History of "Flow"

The modern granddaddy of Flow is Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Me-high Cheek-sent-me-high) and most of his work can be traced to his best-selling book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

In Csikszentmihalyi's first chapter, he warns that the book is not intended to be a "how to be more creative, to get more output, or to be generally more happy" promise, but these perks could be side effects. Knowledge is power, peeps, and the more you understand why and how writers write, the more satisfying your overall career with written words can be.

Another resource that goes into depth: How to Get Into The Flow, by Steven Kotler. That video link describes how writers can reach their potential with Flow. He explains the concepts underpinning Flow to help writers figure out how to tap into their creative juices and why writing feels so good when it is going well. 

Flow - the Optimization of Creative Experience Summarized

Of the 8 identified characteristics of Flow, the first 3 are precursors to the mental state of "writing Nirvana." Consider these conditions when trying to get into the groove of writing.

1. Have clear, obtainable goals with a timely feedback loop.

Each time a writer sits at their desk they have the same goal - get words on the paper.  One way to increase their productive Flow is to set clear goals.  Having daily goals, such as word count or pages edited, gives the brain less to figure out and allows it to focus more exclusively on the task at hand: Writing. The daily goals can add into overarching goals, alleviating more thinking tasks for the brain.

In general, to get into the Flow, we want to limit the other things our brains want to work on. The subconscious  mind and constant input from our surroundings can detract from our ability to focus.  Can you automate some tasks to free your mind more? Delegate the housework, or cut down the to-do list of unfinished things?  Find ways to lessen the burden on your mind and see your productivity rise.

The Feedback Loop could warrant its own post, it is so important. But for brevity sake, feedback as mentioned here is about identifying the quality of the writing you are doing.  Perhaps your feedback loop includes your critique group or partner.  Some writers use an online editor for quicker feedback.  Self editing after a break can also help you determine how well you are hitting your writing goals.  This feedback informs your future writing sessions as you iterate your process and make improvements.

2. Have a high level of concentration with a limited field.

We have a lot to consider when examining what is stealing our concentration.  

What external distractions infiltrate your writing time?  Identity the things that pull you from your creativity and then, protect your writing time from them. Internal influences are mentioned in later bullet points and addressing them can help writers focus as well.

Ask yourself these questions regarding your writing space.

• Do you have a designated place for writing?  
• Does the setting help your focus?  Perhaps it is quiet that you need. Or background noise to eliminate the distractions.  
• Would headphones for silence, or ambient music to limit out unwanted noise interruptions help in your case?

One personal hack that has worked for me, is turning off all notifications for social media and non-work related apps.  I also uninstalled the games from my phone (even Sudoku!).  When I find myself reaching for a game or to check messages and see none, I give myself metal white space instead.  That has helped me have energy to tackle writing tasks and feel less stressed while getting my work done. It seems that when I was “taking a break” I was actually using up critical thinking that I could be pouring into my writing!

3. The writing task is carefully balanced with skill and interest level.

As a language teacher I find this an important characteristic for growth as a writer.  Choosing writing that both challenges you and is at your skill level is the caveat of this characteristic.  Picking a genre out of your wheel-house or increasing your daily word count, may be a goal to jump start your writing, but be sure it is realistic for you.  If you want to show improvement, set your goals and intentions at what you can do and add only a tiny bit of challenge.

Like learning another language, If you push yourself too hard with language that is too fast or over your level, you will end up frustrated and shut down. Likewise, if a language is below your level you may be bored and disengaged.  

As a writer, we set ambitious goals, especially at the beginning of the year. Think about the writing goals you have set for yourself.  Are they attainable goals and are you comfortable with the work you set for yourself? If your word count or topic is too easy, you’ll get bored and abandon the work.  It is worth the time to reflect on your goals and make sure they are SMART:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-Bound

The psychology of finding Flow depends on this reflection.  The better you understand your writing habits and what makes it enjoyable, the better you can honor and improve your skills.

The remaining 5 characteristics of Flow are indicators of when you have found the sweet spot and are writing like mad.

The more complete your Flow experience, the more of these you could claim.  We have all been in that state of mind, but in case you haven’t, here’s what it is like:

4. A Strong Sense of Control

Unlike the negative connotations the word “control” can bring, this version is desirable.  This version says “I’ve got this!” and isn’t impeded by worry about the past or anxiety about the future.  This relaxation and comfortable feeling are control in a centered way and demonstrates a warm stability when writing.

5. Effortlessness

The words flow like melting butter to the page and you have little brain power invested into this endeavor. ALthough the previous efforts of writing drafts and research are just probably paying off, this characteristic of Flow keeps us coming back for more.  Like an elusive hole in one in golf, watching one happen seems so easy, but is hard to obtain. If you notice it, enjoy it!

6. Time Has Little Meaning

If you have ever stepped away from the desk and wondered where the last hour went, you understand this litmus test of Flow.  The ability to focus on writing alone, can temporarily shut down the writer’s sense of time.  

Brain research shows that parts of reasoning that regulate social norms decrease during Flow.  So the idea that writers are often late to dinner, forget to call, or skip social functions all together is possibly connected to capturing good Flow moments.  It may have merit, but I don’t recommend using that as an excuse!

7. Action melds with Performance

This aspect describes the feeling of being one with the work.  It may apply more to dancers, musicians, or athletes that report not feeling control over their body while performing.  

The research describes this process of losing self as the lack of self- consciousness, worry, and preoccupation with particular social expectations, which allows the person to solely focus on the art at hand.

I like to call this one the “Get out of your way!” mantra.  We sometimes underperform because we allow ourselves to stumble over our own doubts and preconceptions. Identifying this tendency and replacing those thoughts with positive ones can help writers get back into the Flow of writing.

8. Has an Autotelic Quality

Writing that seems to flow on its own without the author. The writing is pouring out and the author is merely a conduit.  The feelings of the goals finishing themselves is both pleasant during the experience and after as one accomplishes the task.  This is a combination of the other aspects working together.   

What tips do you have to get out of your writing slumps?  Have you been able to achieve a state of Flow? When do you have to push through and simply get the writing done the most?

About Kris

Kris Maze is an author, freelance writer, and teacher. She enjoys writing twisty, speculative fiction with character driven plots.  After years of reading classic literature, mysteries, and thrillers, she began to write and publish her own  books. She also writes for various publications including a regular post at the award winning Writers in the  Storm Blog. When she isn’t spending time with her favorite people and pets, Kris Maze is taking pictures, hiking, or  pondering the wisdom of Bob Ross. You can follow her author journey at her website at KrisMazeAuthor.com

My Free short story, The Detour, has had a makeover! Not only has the text version been updated and beautified, there is now an audio edition.

Many of you have joined the newsletter to try out the audio version. If you prefer the PDF and haven’t gotten it yet, this link will take you to your free PDF download.

by Lisa Hall Wilson

I’m often asked how to go deeper in fiction. My jam is Deep Point of View, and I get that not everyone loves deep POV. That’s okay. However, if you’re looking for a really quick way to make your setting or characters come alive on the page, personification is one of those tools that every writer can use more effectively.

Personification: giving human-like qualities to non-human things. 

The last piece of pie called his name.
The story jumped off the page.
Opportunity knocks.

All of these examples give a human-like quality or emotion to something that isn’t human. Pie doesn’t talk. Stories can’t jump anymore than opportunity can knock on something. These are obviously not literal meanings but figurative.

Some types of personification deal in the literal. This is actually a deep rabbit hole on the various types of personification, but I’m not convinced that knowing the labels for these things is all that helpful, so long as you know of them and use them strategically.

Other types of personification are: anthropomorphism (a non-human animal, object or deity literally acting like a human), pathetic fallacy (attributing human feelings to the natural world), embodiment (a person or thing is representative of an abstract concept – she is integrity itself), etc.

Personification is efficient – it captures a big idea with just a few words. Here’s how personification can create an immersive and emotional depth for readers.

Make the Setting Instantly Relatable

Giving non-human things human qualities gives readers something tangible they can imagine and empathize with. Think of rain. We often personify rain to help us describe how we feel about it, but also describe its intensity or impact. It’s more efficient and allows us to show others how we perceive the rain. The rain punished everything it landed on, flattening and breaking. The rain welcomed us with a warm mist and a cooling touch. The rain blinded us and drove us off the road.

Can you picture or imagine the intensity or the impact of the rain in each of those sentences? It’s efficient writing, not only because it uses two seemingly unalike things to create a vivid picture, but also because it allows us to imbue emotion into it.

Setting details can reflect the character’s mood, or their impression of the natural world around them. A man running for his life who is hopeful he’ll survive, could find that the trees help him hide and shelter him. The man running for his life who isn’t sure how things will turn out, who maybe feels overwhelmed or overpowered, might perceive the branches pull and tear at his clothes and skin, hoping to slow him down.

The weather could be oppressive, foreboding, or temperamental.

Personification Is Immersive

Personification allows us to immerse the reader in the story and especially make the setting come alive. Describe the things in the scene as if those objects expressed an emotion.

Neil Gaiman writes, “Personification is an effective tool for placing the reader in the story with a 360 view of the setting. In Bleak House, Charles Dickens describes a thick fog settling as rolling, hovering, creeping, and ‘cruelly pinching’ the toes and fingers of a boy.” (source here)

A warrior stands on the edge of the arena, rolling her neck and bouncing on her toes. She looks up at the trees. The leaves wave their encouragement.

How does this character feel about the upcoming battle? Can you now picture the trees with their waving fluttering leaves, and how – to her – the leaves stand in for some deity’s support perhaps?

Amplifies Connotation and Mood by Indirectly Expressing Feelings

How a character feels, the mood you’re trying to evoke, is efficiently created with personification. A young woman walks up to a house. How might you describe this walk from the character’s perspective?

The house might lean over her, frown at her, stand immovable against time, or keep secrets. Maybe the house is cheerful or tired. Maybe the house tells lies, allows the people inside to put on a veneer, a false façade. Each of those descriptions would be a slightly different take on how the character feels as they’re walking up to that house. Especially in deep POV, this is super effective in conveying mood, priority and even expressing feelings.

If the tired house leans over the broken walk, do you need to describe every broken shutter or missing shingle for the reader to understand how the character feels? The description also lends itself to a sympathetic view for readers.

If the looming peaks and angry pillars glare at those who dare to trespass, well, that’s a different house altogether. It may not be important that the reader pictures that house exactly as you do. What’s important is that the reader understands how the character feels as they’re walking up to that house.

Personification Requires Creativity

It’s very easy to fall into cliché and just repeat phrases we’re familiar with. Don’t do it. Surprise your readers! Force them to lean in and care, to sympathize, to cheer for the characters because they know how this feels!

Take the extra step to immerse yourself in your character’s viewpoint. What in their world would be familiar to them that could also show readers what’s important or a priority?

Metaphors and similes with their comparisons are popular, and fairly so, but to take your writing even deeper, consider strategically using personification to pull your reader deeper into the story.

Do you regularly make use of personification in your writing? Which method is your favorite? Please share it with us in the comments!

Make sure to visit Lisa’s free Facebook group Going Deeper Writing Emotions for tips, free content, and other goodies.

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About Lisa

Lisa Hall-Wilson is a writing teacher and award-winning writer and author. She’s the author of Method Acting For Writers: Learn Deep Point Of View Using Emotional Layers. Her blog Beyond Basics For Writers explores all facets of the popular writing style deep point of view and offers practical tips for writers. 

She runs the free Facebook group Going Deeper With Emotions where she shares tips and videos on writing in deep point of view. 

by Eldred “Bob” Bird

My characters are my children. I create them, nurture them, and help them grow. I also abuse them, annoy them, and torture them. I’m a writer—it’s my job.

If I’ve done my job well, by the end of the story the main character will have gone through the fires of hell and come out the other side a changed, more well-rounded individual. That’s the hope anyway.

But you’ve probably heard it said that for someone to profoundly change, they must want to change, and therein lies the rub. People—including our characters—need a reason to step out of their comfort zone and make deep, lasting changes. As writers it’s our job to push our characters out the door and slam it behind them, giving them no choice but to move forward.

So, how do we accomplish this task? We must answer the question our characters ask every time we try to get them to step up:

“What’s my motivation?”

Creating Change

The catalyst for change can come from an endless number of sources, but they usually fall into one of two basic categories:

• External motivators - Just as the name implies, external motivators come from the world around our characters. These are factors that are out of their immediate control—things like weather, natural disasters, interference by other characters, or major life changes (divorce, financial ruin, death in the family).
• Internal motivators. – Psychological needs fall into the category of internal motivators. These are the things that feed our emotions and egos and are fertile ground for planting the seeds of fear and self-doubt, among other things. While these factors are under the individual’s control, they don’t feel like it in the moment.

A Helpful Tool

My favorite way to generate motivation is to consult with our old friend Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow gives us plenty of rocks to throw at our characters. Let’s look at his five levels of need and see how we can use them to create internal and external pressures to force change.

Basic Needs are the external motivators and minimum requirements everyone needs to survive. They make up the foundation of Maslow’s pyramid and are an easy place to start when looking for ways to complicate our character’s lives.

• Physiological Needs - food, water, warmth, rest –Take away any one of them and you create desperation, a psychological state that can easily push someone to cross a line they might not otherwise cross. Force someone into survival mode and they will lie, cheat, steal, and in some cases, even kill to get what they need.
• Safety Needs – security, safety – These can be internal or external. It’s not just about locking doors for physical security or to hide from prying eyes, but also about the feeling of security, or lack of it. Sometimes those feelings are rooted deep in the past, giving us scars to pick at and expose weaknesses. The trick here is to expose the old scars without dumping too much backstory and pulling the reader out of the narrative. Weave the details into the action but use them sparingly.

Psychological Needs. Now we get into the tough stuff. Psychological needs are internal motivators—the mental triggers both dreams, and nightmares are made of. Messing around in the psyches of our characters can be a dangerous and disturbing exercise. Bringing truth to the narrative often requires us to face our own demons in order to lead the character through the experience and bring them out whole on the other side.

• Belongingness and Love Needs – intimate relationships, friends – The romantic love angle is obvious, but there are other types of intimate relationships. They may be as simple as needing that one friend you know will listen or as complex as the blending of families after a second marriage. The need to belong can be deeply rooted in the past, like trying to overcome a rejection that shakes you to the core.
• Esteem Needs – prestige, feelings of accomplishment – This one is ego driven. While your main character might be pushed to change by the need for recognition, I find this a great tool to use when developing the antagonist. Villains are often ego driven, overcompensating for being put down or ignored in the past. This can push someone to try to “prove everyone wrong.”

Self-fulfillment Needs

• Self-actualization – achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities – As creatives, this is a motivation I feel everyone who writes can connect with. We’ll do just about anything to finish that novel or land our dream agent. We can feed the characters with our own desires to reach the top of our personal mountains, beat our chest, and scream with delight at achieving our goals.

Some Final Thoughts

Anyone who has ever tried to break a bad habit or make a life altering course correction knows that change doesn’t come easy, so don’t make it easy on your characters either. Maslow is a great place to start when looking for motivation, but don’t stop there. If you do your research, draw on your own experiences, and make the change relatable for your readers, you’ll end up with a more engaging, believable tale.

How do you motivate change in your characters? Do you have any favorite tools to get the job done?

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About Eldred

Eldred Bird writes contemporary fiction, short stories, and personal essays. He has spent a great deal of time exploring the deserts, forests, and deep canyons inside his home state of Arizona. His James McCarthy adventures, Killing Karma, Catching Karma, and Cold Karma, reflect this love of the Grand Canyon State even as his character solves mysteries amidst danger. Eldred explores the boundaries of short fiction in his stories, The Waking Room, Treble in Paradise: A Tale of Sax and Violins, and The Smell of Fear.

When he’s not writing, Eldred spends time cycling, hiking and juggling (yes, juggling…bowling balls and 21-inch knives). His passion for photography allows him to record his travels. He can be found on Twitter or Facebook, or at his website.

Top Image and Pyramid Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay