THE STORY SO FAR: PART 298: WEDNESDAY

BUT WHAT IS ‘CREATIVE ENERGY?’

You know, given the importance I attach to certain concepts—cognition, time, creative energy, focus (and so on) the building blocks of a writing life—you would think I would have researched them to excess. After all, that is what I would normally do if I was writing a book. In fact, subject so some exceptions such as reading and admiring Tony Schwartz’s THE WAY WE’RE WORKING ISN’T WORKING, most of my observations are based on no more than experience—with a little thought thrown in.

Time is essential for creative energy, but creative energy is not the same as time. Instead, time is a facilitator in the relationship.

But is creative energy the same as energy—that feel good physical feeling which makes you feel as if you can conquer the world? I rather think not. True, you need energy as a component of creative energy, but there it ends.

This what Wiki says about ‘energy’ by the way.

In physics, energy is a conserved extensive property of a physical system, which cannot be observed directly but can be calculated from its state. Energy is of central importance in physics. It is impossible to give a comprehensive definition of energy because of the many forms it may take, but the most common definition is that it is the capacity of a system to perform work.

I then tried to look up ‘creative energy’ but found nothing under that heading. Perhaps it is similar to pornography—something you know when you see it, but cannot define. All very well, but you can’t even see ‘creative energy.’ It is both a feeling and a state. In fact, it is a mindset made of the following:

• Experience—a depth of relevant knowledge to draw upon.
• Intellectual curiosity.
• A well trained eye.
• Peace of mind (at least temporarily).
• A disciplined temperament.
• Absolute focus.
• A well rested body.
• A determination to shake up the status quo in some way.
• A willingness to take risks.
• An element of madness.

Robin Williams has said:  “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You must not lose it.”

Do I now feel I have described ‘creative energy’ adequately?

I wish! What I can say is that having it is the kind of a rush you can maintain for hours—and sometimes longer if you don’t skip your sleep. And when you have it, you can do wonderful things.

Sometimes I think one of its key components is magic. Having creative energy is rather like having Seven-League Books for the mind.