What in your life took hold even without a plan?
Ephemerality to Fact
It was my writing of the Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy which inspired this blog. As a psychologist I have always been impressed by how ephemeral reality can be even for people who are demonstrably stable. When the inspiration for the Majesty stories struck, it quickly became clear that a lot of it had already been created back in the reaches of my mind. Granted, we now have the tools to scan our brains and can see unconscious processes. But it was still amazing to me how well formed it was.
Layer upon layer it came forward and with each layer came the characters. Maybe they did not quite come up and introduce themselves, but they were there. Many days after writing I found myself quite weary as if I had really been dealing with a host of beings. I have to wonder how many other people experience that or something related when they write. Our imaginations are powerful things and I suspect many writers feel the same way.
Writing is not an academic exercise or exploration. We have to understand that it is part of ourselves. Possibly what we recall, wish for or feel developing at the moment within us fuels it. But the fact is that it is a dynamic process and the characters bring dynamism. That means they draw energy.
A Sequence Existed
And so the writing proceeded. I thought I was writing a book, but it quickly became clear that there was more than one. The first one, Gaia’s Majesty: Mission Called introduced the concept, the settings for the characters, the characters themselves and the fundamentals of what was happening to humankind. In the second, Gaia’s Majesty:Challenge, Gaia becomes ever more prominent and the world descends into crisis. But, being who I am as a person, there were things I could see. I may be cynical but believe everything can be salvaged. In turn I moved into the third book, Gaia’s Majesty: Transformation.
I’ll leave the books to unfold, but at this point I remain fascinated by the process. And now I have the first book days away from publication and two more books well advanced. What disturbs me is that I feel a fourth book is stirring deep inside and I have no clear idea where it will lead but I can feel it.
Reality as a Living Process
What we call reality requires considerable attention. It is clearly made up of depths and when we get to reality, then we have the interface with our fellow humans. The fact that it is so complex and alive is what gives us our passions and excitement. How wonderful is the process of creation in all its facets and that we have so much moving what we call reality!
Can you perceive something stirring deep inside you?
Creating Characters and Plots by Roger B. Burt
Whatever Happened to Community Mental Health by Roger B. Burt