What a beautiful piece, Jeff. Reading this post stopped me in my haste. I had to slow down to enjoy your writing.
I think navigating incubation and procrastination is the artist’s odyssey. For example, I had the idea for my latest Substack piece for almost two years. I had notes about it all over the place. One day, in a burst of inspiration, I wrote a draft. When I came back to review it, I realized it was not saved in my note app due to a bad internet connection, so I just gave up. Recently, as part of a writing group, I felt the piece rising in me, and I finally wrote it. Miraculously, the idea did not come by itself; it birthed many other interesting ideas that I hope to bring to life.
Being okay with our finitude is such a liberating and painful truth to accept.
Creative incubation. Wow, and timely. I sure needed this.
I was telling myself recently, "You are not running from writing. It's simmering. You are finally learning to live." Because I had not always been here. Since I've been away from constant posts in various places, it's a bit hard to go back but that is from the lack of routine/discipline in the "showing up, butt in seat" part--not the lack of appreciation and love for writing itself. Being on the screen less has helped clear my head so I can actually think about what and how I want to say the "its".
Always appreciate your thoughts, Jeff. Thanks for taking the time to share this. The creative process is messy and beautiful, painful, and still, the best.
"Our job, as writers, is not to finish but to keep beginning."
Well, that's a paradigm buster that has kept me up in the middle of the night for the past few days when I'm supposed to be sleeping. I tend to focus on books and stuff I need to "finish" in the future and the deadlines associated with them. I also measure the past by the books and stuff I've "finished." If those are my benchmarks, it's no wonder the journey sometimes gets robbed of the joy of simply creating (and the hard work it involves). Feels like a fresh framework moving forward, and I'm grateful.
I hope you realize that you (Jeff), a writer, put words together like your sentence at the top - and people lose sleep over them. In the best possible way. Thoughtful writing does that, and it's your gift.
If your next book does take on this topic it will be a gift to us all. Thank you for articulating the thin line between “fragile” and “flimsy”. So helpful.
"Like good wine, once an idea peaks, it starts to degrade soon after being the best possible version of itself." I agree. I've felt this often. And I've always wondered how writers manage this when they're writing long books. I'm presuming books take longer to write than the shelf life of ideas. So how do you do it? Would love to know—thanks.
This read, and in particular the distinction between a productive and an unhelpful phase of doing "nothing" reminds me of WuWei – the Daoist principle of "not acting" – which can at times be more powerful than its busy counterpart..
In fact, I just recently found sense in my periods of procrastination and made peace with it. It struck me with a smile: every time I feel (and I always do feel it) that I procrastinate, I halt and think around. A clear sign that an elephant is in the room and I'm trying to look the other way. So, what is it that I'm afraid to tackle? To take on? To solve?
Whatever it may be – procrastination shows me its importance. And gives me the possibility to acknowledge it and re-sort my priorities.
Or just keep gazing out of the window. But then, at least, I know where the elephant-like smell is coming from..
Thank you!!! This piece balances the guilt that seems to come to writers who are experiencing the creative impulse that is being denied, ignored, or "shelved for a more opportune time" in the awareness of the procrastination---the incubation concept provides both hope, and ultimately motivation, to create out of what appears to be procrastination---Again, thank you for presenting a new and productive reinterpretation of the procrastination process. . .
Love this. Our brain is amazing! It can work out whatever problem has us stuck in our story if we give it enough time.
I'm always reminding my coaching clients that thinking about writing is an essential part of the process, but I never let them off the hook if they're using it to procrastinate. After all, writers have made an art of procrastination.
What a beautiful piece, Jeff. Reading this post stopped me in my haste. I had to slow down to enjoy your writing.
I think navigating incubation and procrastination is the artist’s odyssey. For example, I had the idea for my latest Substack piece for almost two years. I had notes about it all over the place. One day, in a burst of inspiration, I wrote a draft. When I came back to review it, I realized it was not saved in my note app due to a bad internet connection, so I just gave up. Recently, as part of a writing group, I felt the piece rising in me, and I finally wrote it. Miraculously, the idea did not come by itself; it birthed many other interesting ideas that I hope to bring to life.
Being okay with our finitude is such a liberating and painful truth to accept.
Reminds me of that saying that a "work is never truly completed, just abandoned". Seems that might hold true of a life, too. Love your words. : )
Indeed. Thanks, old friend. :)
This is so beautiful
Creative incubation. Wow, and timely. I sure needed this.
I was telling myself recently, "You are not running from writing. It's simmering. You are finally learning to live." Because I had not always been here. Since I've been away from constant posts in various places, it's a bit hard to go back but that is from the lack of routine/discipline in the "showing up, butt in seat" part--not the lack of appreciation and love for writing itself. Being on the screen less has helped clear my head so I can actually think about what and how I want to say the "its".
Always appreciate your thoughts, Jeff. Thanks for taking the time to share this. The creative process is messy and beautiful, painful, and still, the best.
"Our job, as writers, is not to finish but to keep beginning."
Well, that's a paradigm buster that has kept me up in the middle of the night for the past few days when I'm supposed to be sleeping. I tend to focus on books and stuff I need to "finish" in the future and the deadlines associated with them. I also measure the past by the books and stuff I've "finished." If those are my benchmarks, it's no wonder the journey sometimes gets robbed of the joy of simply creating (and the hard work it involves). Feels like a fresh framework moving forward, and I'm grateful.
I hope you realize that you (Jeff), a writer, put words together like your sentence at the top - and people lose sleep over them. In the best possible way. Thoughtful writing does that, and it's your gift.
Thanks - I needed that . . .
Aw. Thanks, friend. Good to hear from you. I always appreciate your encouragements. :)
Great stuff! Whenever I think you must be done, you keep going. It takes a real writer to write that much about one subject. Nice piece.
Love this. Just what I needed today.
If your next book does take on this topic it will be a gift to us all. Thank you for articulating the thin line between “fragile” and “flimsy”. So helpful.
Heh. Thanks.
Thanks Jeff, enjoyed that a lot.
Quick Q:
"Like good wine, once an idea peaks, it starts to degrade soon after being the best possible version of itself." I agree. I've felt this often. And I've always wondered how writers manage this when they're writing long books. I'm presuming books take longer to write than the shelf life of ideas. So how do you do it? Would love to know—thanks.
Yes, this is where I am in my writing process! The constant degradation of the idea!
Great! Thanks for your thoughts.
This read, and in particular the distinction between a productive and an unhelpful phase of doing "nothing" reminds me of WuWei – the Daoist principle of "not acting" – which can at times be more powerful than its busy counterpart..
In fact, I just recently found sense in my periods of procrastination and made peace with it. It struck me with a smile: every time I feel (and I always do feel it) that I procrastinate, I halt and think around. A clear sign that an elephant is in the room and I'm trying to look the other way. So, what is it that I'm afraid to tackle? To take on? To solve?
Whatever it may be – procrastination shows me its importance. And gives me the possibility to acknowledge it and re-sort my priorities.
Or just keep gazing out of the window. But then, at least, I know where the elephant-like smell is coming from..
I needed this. This week. Thank you.
So so true in many ways Jeff. I am (not yet) a writer, and the ideas come and go when 'not used'...
Indeed they do.
I appreciate the nod to an incomplete life! Embrace this I say to myself
This is timely as I have been contemplating a book idea now but havent started writing. This is a good reminder not to feel *super* guilty about it!
Thank you!!! This piece balances the guilt that seems to come to writers who are experiencing the creative impulse that is being denied, ignored, or "shelved for a more opportune time" in the awareness of the procrastination---the incubation concept provides both hope, and ultimately motivation, to create out of what appears to be procrastination---Again, thank you for presenting a new and productive reinterpretation of the procrastination process. . .
Love this. Our brain is amazing! It can work out whatever problem has us stuck in our story if we give it enough time.
I'm always reminding my coaching clients that thinking about writing is an essential part of the process, but I never let them off the hook if they're using it to procrastinate. After all, writers have made an art of procrastination.