Sydney in Grace Cathedral’s Labyrinth

     A few days ago, my friend Diana wrote this response to one of my blogs:
     One of the features of writhing is that when it is set down in print it seems “cast in stone” and immutable…
     Now that got my attention (and made me laugh!).  I contacted Diana to ask if she had meant “writing” rather than writhing and offered to do a little ‘inside editing.’  But I loved the picture that her original word had conjured up!
     Writhing is one of the little-talked-about, but highly familiar, aspects of the creative process. It happens internally, usually out of sight of the public and, like childbirth, it is forgotten almost instantly once the creation is complete.  I think it occurs at several points along the creative path.
     According to “Demystifying the Creative Process,” an article by Charlie Gilkey, creativity can be broken down into four parts: 1) Preparation; 2) Incubation; 3) Illumination 4) Implementation.  He claims that most of those steps can be fostered and augmented and that, with a bit of effort, anyone can be creative. I agree.
     In describing the first step for a writer, Gilkey includes research, writing, revising, reading – all of which he describes as “work,” mostly because those tasks can be fairly mundane and tedious.  And, for me, when things get tedious, I get to writhing.
     The second step, described as the most mystical, is when the conscious and subconscious are percolating – connecting or discarding ideas, perhaps coming up with new avenues to explore.  That’s the part that I liken to walking a labyrinth, but all that activity occurs unbeknownst to the incubator and, out of that comes step three, the “Aha!” moment.  There probably isn’t much writhing during this point – at least not that anyone is aware of.
     Finally, of course, is the execution of the idea – for a writer it’s the time that the story or article is actually put down on paper.  It’s sometimes the most crucial period as it’s when the words and ideas often take on ‘a life of their own.’  More writhing.
     And as almost any writer can tell you, there is one final time of writhing.  It occurs seemingly within moments of publication when the first printed errors are discovered.  Yes, Diana – writhing was the perfect malapropism!  Thanks!