Deepening Writing
There are many reasons and ways to write. One is unique: automatic writing.
Anyone, especially any writer, might try this mysterious technique. It taps into fresh aspects of ourselves, helping us be more creative and have an inner adventure. We choose whether to make it spiritual, practical or empowering — or a mix of the three.
During automatic writing, we minimize conscious directions or judgements, allowing words to emerge from nowhere then freely record them.
I think of it as “gymnastic daydreaming”: bypassing our impressive but tyrannical conscious mind to release and connect non-rational meanings. It resembles brainstorming in a lightless room.
Many writers find that automatic writing prevents writer’s block. Instead of feeling boxed in by expectations and conventions, they feel freed by open-ended expression. This shows how constrained — really, mentally constipated — we become over a lifetime of depending on explicit, linear logic.
This mysterious process of discovery and development does much more than improve our writing. It opens us a little more to all our inner resources to fully engage in any situation. It changes the focus from what we think toward what we feel and envision. The results often surprise and stimulate because the process re-balances our minds. It doesn’t replace familiar ways to write but complements and adds to them.
Emerging
We are taught that our conscious thoughts are not only dominant but are the only capacity we should trust.
I disagree, just as many did in ancient China.
During China’s revolution in writing, authors used “spirit writing” to release and directly commune with spiritual entities. Many people still claim it lets them receive messages from the unseen world.
In the mid to late 18oos, spiritualism became fashionable among British and European elites. Club-like groups met and wrote automatically together, using their own writing as a kind of Ouija board.
Freud and Jung opened doorways into how we see ourselves with their different explanations of the subconscious. This soon encouraged artists and writers to set aside conscious control and substitute it for subconscious-driven creation.
Leading surrealists and Dada creators loved automatic writing because it rejects official (i.e., rationalist and conformist) approaches to art. They demanded the unplanned and subconscious. In fact, it was the main focus of Surrealism founder Andre Breton.
More recently, William Burroughs said he used it to produce his disturbing novel “Naked Lunch.”
Some innovative musicians still turn to it as a way to expand their creativity.
It might help to end writer’s block, uncover strong ideas, and expand the writing process.
Despite scepticism among many psychologists, FMRI research shows that the act of automatic writing draws on brain functions that profoundly differ from ordinary writing.
Clearly, the history of this contrarian communication demonstrates a breadth and depth of dimensions that anyone can use to explore and develop.
Automatic Pathways
A beginning, comfortable step toward automatic writing is simply to cover your computer’s monitor while you write. This old writer’s trick separates our logical and fanciful writer’s minds. Prevented from judging and second-guessing, writers must choose between free-range minds and their cage-building, conscious sibling.
After a session, of course, the writer can ask their logical, martinet mind to go back and tame the results to make them clearer to readers.
Automatic writing is inherently individual and independent. Whether your interests are spiritual, psychological, or professional, it offers a stimulating way to communicate with new aspects of yourself.
It can be used to solve a small problem, create dream-like scenes in fiction, connect with ancestors, brainstorm a major project, or explore spirituality.
Underlying all these goals or methods is the need to avoid judging or constraining yourself. It should be an exercise in joyous freedom, not control. If your words turn into doodling, or vice-versa, welcome and celebrate that transition along with any other technique or result.
For me, expectations usually trap expression — so accept that not all of what you write will be easy to interpret (though that might be possible if you return to it later). See its radical liberation of meanings as an immersive end in itself, and any results or benefits as a bonus. As the technique becomes comfortable, it is easier to start treating the writing as a raw material for, say, fiction or nonfiction or even art or music… if you want.
The deep freedom of automatic writing is often stressbusting and inspiration-releasing. After all, most stress is created by the jumpy, linear “but what if” of conscious thought. Yet it can also feel like hard work because it uses and develops neglected mental muscles.
Many people see automatic writing as their subconscious’ diary and keep their work private. Others use it as a bridge between surreal meanings and something they can share. It’s worth trying several options to identify your best fit.
No other form of creation reflects as many priorities and style as automatic writing. Whether the goal is transcendence, exploration, therapy, or work — or some blend— we can uncover ways to relate to ourselves and the world. In fact, it virtually requires it.
Experiencing
While writing automatically, clear your mind and senses and turn your awareness into a blank slate. Start with the idea you selected. Allow words or drawings to express random associations or fleeting visions — arising on their own without being forced or directed.
It’s common to feel that the words float through us from somewhere else, almost bypassing us as they move through a hand and onto the paper. Expect expressions that are light yet opaque and mysterious… accept them without condition or criticism.
The only “right way” to do automatic writing is the one that works best for you.
Its benefits aren’t only verbal; this process helps artists, musicians and others to strengthen their mental and emotional access. It almost always leaves us feeling more self- connected.
Preparing
The points below are offered as starting point ideas and possibilities, not directives.
Maybe start with a quick self-survey to identify your own purposes and curiosities, then adapt your personal automatic writing to those. Be open to changes with experience. Try different approaches or invent your own until you find one or two that work best for you.
Prepare yourself to sense and respect every response. When a word or impression makes you feel elated or warm, embrace, follow and let it do its thing.
Many people block off 10 minutes of uninterrupted and private time, but it might be even better to simply choose an uninterrupted block of time, since external constraints interfere with the flow of writing.
It is usually helpful to prepare for a session with some initial idea or question, then almost inevitably and immediately veers in its own directions.
If you like mindmaps, you could use its nonlinear, branching format to organize groups of meaning. This structure can seem much more organic than the jail-bar lines of a notebook page.
Gather the materials and location you prefer, which will help still your mind and make it possible to immediately start writing. If any writing implement seems strange, accept the option and place it within reach anyway.
I’ve tried many formats. Using blank paper and pens, and writing with my eyes closed, is often very comfortable. But if my purpose is visual, I keep colored pens and pencils at hand. Automatic writing has helped my fine-art photography by making me more observant and alert to symbolic meanings.
If you feel expansive, a large sheet of poster card or heavy paper might work best. Personally, I like the extra freedom of writing with pens, sometimes on a large sheet of paper, using any size, color and type of writing tool.
The writing is often scattered across the paper — sprawling and messy. This reflects its origins, far beneath and beyond the straight-edge constructions of logical thought.
Most people ignore the lines or formats on the page. In fact, you could write on leaves, fabric, or anything else.
Your ADHD neocortex is likely to try butting in. Whatever your purpose, let its commands fall away. Conscious thoughts are a central part of the “monkey mind”, which I imagine replacing with another, calmer monkey who is ready to explore deeper understandings.
Try meditation, focusing on breathing, or any other method to give your logical, verbal mind a break. It might also help to play music or tones to help set the mental scene and isolate you from usual distractions.
Most importantly, give yourself absolute permission to write without hesitation, without judgement, without analysis. Forget spelling, grammar, and any other stressors. Never criticise, judge, or second-guess yourself. This might show how much we erect and struggle against rigid expectations.
Experiencing
Many people close their eyes most of the time, or “focus” on a wall to let their body do the writing.
It might be easier to write longhand — with its maximum freedom — or just speak without any plan or sense-making. Pure release.
Because almost everyone speaks much more freely than they type, you might like to use the voice recognition or dictation software built into most smart phones, Google Docs, Windows 11, and in specialized voice recognition software. These apps let anyone close their eyes, open themselves to any image or feeling, and let the words flow.
Automatic writing helps us explore and understand feelings and associations that have been hidden, such as life purposes or healing from trauma. If your goal is more practical, such as improving or expanding your writing, look for and expand on relevant patterns in what you wrote.
Always let one micro-experience lead, unguided, to another. While writing, be aware of every feeling, word, image and phrase. If some don’t make it to the page, don’t worry or try to retrieve them… keep up the flow because they will return if needed.
Most people find this habit-bending process difficult at first, but it will quickly become natural. When that happens, you will more fully connect with the sources of your writing and living.
If you are very visual, focus on visualising any images — however strange and impossible — then write words you naturally associate with those images.
Then…
After the session, you’re likely to feel weary but free, inspired or invigorated. Build in a little time for recovery before returning to the mundane world.
After a short break, hopefully within the next hour, consider returning to the experience and results and reflecting on it. You will probably notice surprising, intriguing, and mysterious associations and words. Many will make sense in the future, others will always seem opaque. The greatest value is opening and strengthening your full set of resources.
After maybe three sessions, your inner selves will fully accept your desire to occasionally cut loose from conventions. Then you will easily prioritize deeper minds, enhanced creativity, or spiritual connections.
I bet you notice increased inner ease and openness to new meanings from new sources.
A Fresh Chance to Explore
I hope some of these points and suggestions are clear and valuable enough to encourage you to try out this mysterious but oh-so-natural journey.
I would love to hear and respond to your questions, suggestions, criticisms, and experiences — so please respond here in any way you want. Maybe write and send me a copy of your automatic writing session on the theme of automatic writing!
