Who's Writing This Anyway?

 "Sometimes you write the song 

and sometimes the song writes you." 

Brad Paisley

Photo by Zaur Giyasov on Unsplash

There is a false narrative about creativity that you may have fallen for. Simply put, many of us believe that we are in control of the creative process and its outcomes. 

But anyone who has written a story, crafted a pitch deck or composed music knows that sometimes the creative process requires you to let go and submit to the idea. What happens next is anyone's guess. Sometimes you end up going in a very different direction than you planned. Other times your own ideas simply go deeper and come out richer. Yet other times creativity takes you down frustrating rabbit holes that seem to have nothing to do with what you are trying to create. 

So the question is simple, "Should I try and regain control of my effort or should I surrender to the muses?" 

Well that depends . . . 

On how much time you have. As one of Mindy and my mentors said to us when we were writing our first book together, "Sometimes you have to let the idea cook for awhile." That cooking is another way of describing a releasing of control to the creative process. When we let an idea simmer and cook, we let it grow and develop into what it should to be. But that only happens if we give it time. If the presentation is due tomorrow, then control is in order or you will miss the deadline. But don't be surprised if it is less than the masterpiece you hoped for. 

It also depends on how much you trust your imagination. The more comfortable you are with how God has designed your brain and its unique perspective, the more willing you will be to surrender that control and allow creativity to have its way. But that comfort only comes when you watch your creative mind produce quality input. Do you trust your creativity or are you suspicious of where your mind might go? That's a tough question to ask yourself but an important one. 

So when you sit down for your next creative session, ask yourself whether you must stay in charge or whether you are willing to give up some control and trust your creative instincts. Who knows you might just find that your creativity will write you a future you could never have imagined!