Intent And Inspiration

Intent and inspiration:

generally, I don’t know what I’m going to write about until I begin the process of writing, allowing the subject and theme of words to unfold with surprise and mystery. I no longer feel the need to dictate how things flow. Words always appear, somehow, and writing seems to happen without any true effort of my own. I don’t make any great claim of inspiration here, it’s much more subtle than that, as if it’s as easy as the breath, natural, an intent of function that words best appear with little interference from my actions. My best writing, at least as much as I can truly claim, happens through intent and inspiration and neither of these are qualities invoked through mind nor effort — it’s more of an invitation to join myself with their flow, a surrender to the writing process, and that I am essential to the task at hand.

and just like that these words appear.

long ago, another writing life altogether, there would often be a struggle for words, a desire for greatness with every sentence, and not feeling settled until a project was complete and met with the highest satisfaction. Writing was something I had to do and would be brought about through force of will if need be. There was no surrender to this process. Of course this is the antithesis of both intent and inspiration, actually blocking their invitation to the joyfulness of…