Writing in Flow [Hardcover]

Susan Perry, a social psychologist and writer, decided to do her doctoral dissertation on the subject of flow. She conducted interviews, sent out questionnaires, and collected previously existing information. She wanted to know how writers experienced flow, how they got into flow, and whether their experiences could be generalized to help other writers find their way into flow. The author believes that writers can and do have at least a certain amount of control over whether or not they enter flow, and she presents five "master keys" for achieving flow, along with supporting anecdotes and details.

Even if the author had stopped with those five master keys, this book would be very useful. But she goes on to present much more information. You'll find more material on flow within the context of a writer's life. Frequently asked questions are answered in sidebars throughout the text. Specific techniques for luring the flow state are discussed (ritual and routine, clutter and lack thereof, timing, music, silence, meditation, tools, and more). The author also discusses the concept of writer's block, and, more specifically, what that means, how it affects flow, and what you can do about it.

On the one hand, the wild mix of perspectives is fantastic and extremely educational. There's also the amusement value of seeing several writers self-importantly declare that writing must be done a certain way, only to see several others contradict them. This really is a good lesson in the fact that almost no writing advice is entirely universal. On the other hand, I felt that the author allowed the quotes and interview excerpts to take too much control of the book. Because of this, I sometimes had trouble telling which chapter I was in and which topic the author was discussing. This led to some confusion, and kept some of the author's points from coming through as clearly as they should have.

If you have any interest whatsoever in "writing in flow," I strongly suggest that you read this book. While flow is not necessary in order to write well, and the author does mention authors who told her that they never enter flow, flow is certainly a more fun and pleasurable way in which to write (for most people, anyway). Also, if you're one of those people whose parents or teachers berated them for daydreaming, you might enjoy finding out that such a state can be a job skill. I know I certainly did!

The author is clear that everyone's process is different and individualized, so she does not try to provide an overgeneralized how-to. Rather, she brings home the point that everyone's creative process is valid and suggests that the reader try different strategies in order to enhance his or her own creative process. These strategies are provided at the end of each chapter and provide an avenue for self-reflection of one's own creative process. I found this to be an eye-opening book.