Stream Of Consciousness: What Is The Mind Like Of A Creative Writer

Creative writing differs from any other writings more, than commonly thought. It is not merely utilizing words, that appear on the surface. Creative writers shift their perspective on events to find meaning, that isn't seen through the lens of the everyday. That shift is how they present hope to the reader, help guide them through dark experiences, and guide them through their own stories.

Some creative writers have a mental state called "stream of consciousness." In a stream of consciousness state, a creative writer's thoughts flow continuously from one idea to the next. In a sense, his or her conscious mind is never still, never without ideas or thoughts. A creative writer is the embodiment of imagination. They think big, ask big, imagine big, even dream big. But what are they actually replaced the mind with?

What Is Stream Of Consciousness?

Stream of consciousness is a writing technique in which the writer records their own thoughts as they occur to them in an unbroken flow. It is a way of letting the writer express their own inner monologue and thoughts, in the process letting the reader experience what the character is experiencing.

It can be very effective in creating the illusion of realism, but it can make it difficult for the reader to follow what is going on in the story. Because of this, it is often combined with other techniques to make it easier for the reader.

Sometimes, sections of the story will be in first person, and other times they will be in third person, but the thoughts and feelings of the characters are always in the reader's mind, rather than the primary point of view.

Many beginner writers use this technique, when they are trying to depict the inner thoughts and feelings of their characters. They may notice, that it isn't all that effective, so they don't use it again. More experienced writers use it to convey the frantic, chaotic nature of thoughts, without getting too technical with it and confusing the reader. It can also make the writing more flowery and elaborate, without adding unnecessary complexity.

Imagination

This is something, that creative writers never lose sight of. It's what drives them; it's how they get ideas. It's how they connect with their readers. It's how they can create something out of nothing. It's how they survive the hardest of times.

Imaginative writers can create any world they want, any situation they want, any environment they want. They can fill these worlds with anything they desire, as long as they maintain a certain level of realism. An imaginative writer could have a story set in the middle of the ocean and make it as real as possible. They could have a post-apocalyptic setting, where mutant insects and beasts roam the lands. They could have a world, where sentient computers hold nearly all power and are worshipped as Gods. It's all up to the writer.

Creative writing is highly transitory, though. Most writing is transitory. Most stories have a limited life span, and many books by the time they've reached a certain age are considered "classics" and not very read anymore. However, to a creative writer, their story is considered the "classics." They're able to connect with their stories and their readers in ways other writers never will.

The Mind As A Series Of Visions

Human beings have an innate desire to tell stories. We pass these stories down from one generation to the next, and these stories become myths, which become religions, which become new myths and so forth. There is one common element, that all cultures share: The desire to create stories.

This shows, that the mind is inherently creative, and it is the creative mind, that is needed to be a creative writer. The creative mind gives a person the ability to see things in a new way, to find new possibilities. It is through the power of imagination, that we create new things, new possibilities, and new realities.

The creative writer sees the world in a new way, makes connections, that others do not and discovers new truths. These truths are what allow the writer to see their own stories as "important" and to be able to inspire others to see the stories they create in the same way.

For the creative writer, truth is a moving target; it is whatever they want it to be at the time. To the creative writer, everything is open to question, everything is a new possibility waiting to be created, every story is a brand new universe, that can be built. Their vision is broad and as such they are able to create new possibilities in their stories.

For the reader, these possibilities are fascinating, inspiring and even life changing. These stories are new. They cannot be found anywhere else, and they cannot exist in the real world, only in the mind as a reflection of reality. But these stories are not real. They exist only in the mind, and they are wonderful to have around.

The Power Of Language

This famous line by Edward Bulwer-Lytton represents the power of words, and the reason why creative writing is such a difficult and dangerous profession. The creative writer is able to bend the very language of a story to reflect the desires and intentions of the writer. This is why many people criticize "literature" as being pretentious and overly complex. Because the writer has control over the words, criticism can be turned into a tool to question the writer's abilities.

However, this is where the power of the creative writer comes in. The creative writer understands, that words can be used to reflect reality independent of the author's intentions. A creative writer can use words in such a way as to allow the reader to "understand" what the writer is attempting to say. This is why, when a reader "gets" a writer, they tend to gush and praise them as the best writer ever.

They have created the "illusion", that the words say what the writer wanted them to say, even though the reader's interpretation and understanding is a reflection of the reader's own desires. Words are powerful. They can reflect reality and they can lie. It is up to the reader to split the difference between truth and fiction and understand what the writer was attempting to convey.

What Makes Creative Narrative So Powerful?

We all have a narrative in our heads about ourselves, other people and even the world around us. These stories, that we tell ourselves about our lives influence, our thoughts and beliefs ultimately determine the type of person we become.

Creative writing takes these narratives and turns them into something the reader can experience first hand. The creative writer fuses their own desires and thoughts with the story in such a way, that the reader can not help, but experience them as well.

Taken to the extreme, creative writing can literally change the reader's reality. In this way, it has the same power as religion. However, religion and creative writing have one key difference. Religion states, that the stories it tells are literally the truth. Creative writing does not claim such a thing. Creative writing uses the power of suggestion, of building up a world in the reader's mind, that is reflected on the page.

The reader has to use their own will and strength to break through the creative writing and reach the "truth." They have to do this in order to experience the same world as the characters in the story. It is through this power, that creative writing can inspire, it can move people and change them. It can cause them to rethink everything they ever believed, or inspired in them. It can make them see the world in a new light, whether that be for better or worse.