Is Your Creative Process a "Ring of Fire"?
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Walking past the carousel in Central Park on Sunday I heard strains of "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash piping through the air. Besides being slightly thrilled that New Yorkers are raising their kids to appreciate good music, hearing that song reinforced an idea I've been playing around with related to the archetypes of writers. If we had theme songs, what would they be? Like Johnny, are writers falling down, down, down into the burning ring of fire? Hmmm.
I read somewhere that there are only seven basic plots beneath the stories of cultures from around the world. While I can’t absolutely verify that idea, it’s something to consider: whether the story is rags to riches, overcoming the monster, rebirth, voyage and return, or something else.
Acting teachers tell us that plots either have to do with love or power. Numerologists tell us there are only nine numbers in the world that influence our lives. Healers say it’s the consciousness of the energy of the seven chakras . . . Astrologers say it’s the twelve Zodiac signs.
Is this too simplistic or a great jumping off point for further exploration?
My view is that we get to decide what our lives are about—including our creative lives—and I believe it’s an essential decision. But it’s also not the end of the world. Take it lightly and you’ll be on the right track. Grind on it in order to find a quest to undertake or a monster to slay and you’re really not there.
Lightness of mind, high energy, peace/joy, fluidity = right track.
Cloudy mind, drained energy, pain/sorrow, rigidity = wrong track.
When you’re writing, just understand that the source of your desire may be the story that runs the infrastructure of your life. If you’re stuck (aka on the wrong track), change your story.
I am not a burning-pit, flames-of-hell kind of writer, though I do grind a bit too often. Fundamentally, I am engaged in a love story with myself and the world. My heart has been broken more than once, and so I sometimes forget that this is my essential story, and yet wherever I honor love my life gets better.
This week, I’m going to take more walks in the park and still get my writing done.
Walking past the carousel in Central Park on Sunday I heard strains of "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash piping through the air. Besides being slightly thrilled that New Yorkers are raising their kids to appreciate good music, hearing that song reinforced an idea I've been playing around with related to the archetypes of writers. If we had theme songs, what would they be? Like Johnny, are writers falling down, down, down into the burning ring of fire? Hmmm.
I read somewhere that there are only seven basic plots beneath the stories of cultures from around the world. While I can’t absolutely verify that idea, it’s something to consider: whether the story is rags to riches, overcoming the monster, rebirth, voyage and return, or something else.
Acting teachers tell us that plots either have to do with love or power. Numerologists tell us there are only nine numbers in the world that influence our lives. Healers say it’s the consciousness of the energy of the seven chakras . . . Astrologers say it’s the twelve Zodiac signs.
Is this too simplistic or a great jumping off point for further exploration?
My view is that we get to decide what our lives are about—including our creative lives—and I believe it’s an essential decision. But it’s also not the end of the world. Take it lightly and you’ll be on the right track. Grind on it in order to find a quest to undertake or a monster to slay and you’re really not there.
Lightness of mind, high energy, peace/joy, fluidity = right track.
Cloudy mind, drained energy, pain/sorrow, rigidity = wrong track.
When you’re writing, just understand that the source of your desire may be the story that runs the infrastructure of your life. If you’re stuck (aka on the wrong track), change your story.
I am not a burning-pit, flames-of-hell kind of writer, though I do grind a bit too often. Fundamentally, I am engaged in a love story with myself and the world. My heart has been broken more than once, and so I sometimes forget that this is my essential story, and yet wherever I honor love my life gets better.
This week, I’m going to take more walks in the park and still get my writing done.
Labels: archetypes, authors, carousel, central park, creativity, johnny cash, writers
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