Janzer - The writers process: getting your brain in gear

ISBN: 978-0-9864062-4-9

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Tolstoy opens Anna Karenina with this premise: Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

When it comes to writers and their methods, the reverse is generally the case. Happy writers develop their own unique ways of working; unhappy ones face similar problems.

Writing is intensely personal. Productive writers develop strategies that suit their individual personalities and environments.

When things go well, the words seem to pour from us, and we access thoughts and phrases from the mysterious depths of our minds. Our methods for reaching this state vary; some people prefer scrawling on paper in a crowded caf, others type on a computer keyboard in total isolation, disconnected from the Internet. Beyond the act of getting the words down on paper, we apply different strategies for exploring and researching, revising, and publishing.

Sometimes the work is slow and laborious. We struggle to find the right opening sentence, or beat our heads against the wall to jar loose unwilling words. Partway through a long endeavor, we question our ability to complete it. Or we end up spending hours on social media, neglecting the work that is so fulfilling for our spirits or essential to our incomes.

I blame it all on our brains.

All writing originates from the same basic tool: the human brain. Although this magnificent and convoluted organ is capable of nearly infinite varieties of thought and expression, we all share certain responses and behaviors. The mental processes that make writing fun and rewarding can sabotage us if we dont know how to manage them.

For centuries, people have searched for ways to access inspiration and streamline content creation. Whether praying to the muses or shutting themselves into dark rooms, authors use trial and error to find the methods that work for them.

What if we could apply cognitive science principles to determine our own perfect methods for creativity and productivity?

In 2002, a psychologist won a Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences. As a pioneer of the field of Behavioral Economics, Daniel Kahneman explores the nonrational, human variable within economic equations.

Behavioral Economics is a mash-up of psychology, neuroscience, and economics that examines how people make decisions in the real world rather than an idealized marketplace populated by completely rational humans. (Finally, someone has made the study of economics interesting!) It explains why people make poor financial choices, and offers the hope that by understanding decision-making biases we might lead happier, more successful lives.

Can we do something similar for the practice of writing?

The expanding field of cognitive science sheds more light on the mysteries of human behavior with each passing month and year:

• Behavioral economists explore our irrational decisions in common situations.
• Neuroscientists examine the areas of the brain involved in various types of focus and attention.
• Psychologists study the effects of self-control and mindsets on our success in life.

What can cognitive science reveal about mental states during the phases of the writing process? Would a better understanding of the brains activities help writers find their own ideal processes and avoid common obstacles?

I propose a new field of academic study: behavioral writing sciences.

OK, thats probably not going to happen anytime soon. Until it does, we can combine the teachings of science with the lessons of real-world experience to answer pressing questions, such as:

• Why do I sometimes become completely engrossed in the words and lose all track of time, while other times I can hardly eke out a single sentence? How can I get more of those fun and fluid episodes and fewer of the agonizing ones?
• How can I fit the contemplative act of composition into the whirl of daily life?
• Why do my best ideas come in the shower, and how can I make use of that?
• What should I do when I feel completely stuck and the deadline is almost upon me?

These questions affect every writer: the famous novelist, the entrepreneur drafting a compelling business plan, and the chemist struggling to explain her work to global business partners. The ability to express thoughts coherently and creatively through the written word is a professional asset as well as a personal attribute. Its worth cultivating.

While in Boston for a marketing conference, I caught a ride to the hotel using the ride-sharing service Lyft. I mentioned to the driver that I was researching a book, which triggered a lively conversation about writing. He was an aspiring screenwriter who planned to move to Los Angeles to pursue his dream. We spoke about the craft of storytelling and the challenges of finding time to work.