The Power of Zoning Out (For Writers)
Can we daydream our way to success?
Daydreaming. Spacing out. Fantasizing. I cannot count how many times I was scolded for not paying attention as a child. While the school teacher spoke of equations and formulas, I was busy saving the world with my superpowers, fighting hoards of ugly goons, and kissing the long-legged damsel afterward.
Self-help gurus preach mindfulness. Being present in the moment. Paying attention. Following the air pass through your nose as you inhale and exhale, feeling your diaphragm fill up and empty out. Every single sensation in the body must be accounted for. Mindful. Are we not allowed to be un-mindful?
When I am writing a story, it is almost inevitable that I get writer’s block. It’s just how it is. The brain is not a perfect machine. Experts in college seminars taught us meditation techniques when feeling stuck on a project. I tried that. 5 minutes. 10 minutes. I get back to writing, nothing.
10-year-old Nathan wouldn’t meditate. He’d pick up his plastic gun and play outside shooting grandma’s ornamental plants. He’d get yelled at and retreat to the porch. He’d stare at leaves dancing with occasional gusts of warm wind. Spaced out. Back to saving his girlfriend from the bad guys. They rain bullets on him, but he moves faster than the speed of light. He punches their throats one by one. He jams a grenade down the boss’ throat. He’d run away with the chick and kiss her while the sun sets and the villain’s lair explodes in the background.
Then, the writing would continue. Fresh with new ideas and perspectives on solving the initial problem. Back with the same fire in his eyes and ready to make magic. Crazy? I think not.
Researchers call it creative incubation. While the conscious mind wanders off to Narnia, other parts of the brain (perhaps the subconscious) can work on difficult problems in the background. This can often lead to new discoveries and era-altering insights not possible when the mind is constantly “mindful.”
For example, the ending to a short story might not come as easily as the other parts. This is common. Writer’s purgatory. The more you work on it, the more it slips away. The solution? Allow your mind to zone out and let the deeper reaches of the brain make creative solutions for creative problems.
I understand that modern-day distractions make it difficult to daydream. Why daydream if you can scroll through your phone for hours on end. The burden of the modern man is heavy, which is why I always consider becoming a cave hermit.
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