The Agile Writer’s Mind

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By MD House

What is the difference between having a fertile mind and an agile mind? As writers, or rather, creators of linguistic art, we boast a great deal of creativity and ingenuity. We may rightly be said to have fertile minds.

But what about agility, and how do we define that? In a physical sense, we think of agility as the ability to change pace, place, and direction quickly and easily, without losing balance or aim. To use an American football analogy, when a running back is handed the ball, lightning adjustments are needed to avoid being tackled, with the persistent aim of reaching the end zone.

Similarly, writers are constantly avoiding grappling defenders, trying to score that touchdown. Here are some situations that require the exercise of agility:

  • A plot line or character arc hits a major snag – creativity and agility are both required to right the ship, find all the collateral impacts, and keep the rest of the threads aligned, all while maintaining a reasonable level of sanity.
  • Publishing schedules or planned events change in ways outside our control, prompting a great deal of shifting and rebalancing – again, the sanity part is important.
  • An expected path of progress is blocked, be it an agent or publisher whose needs have changed, a designer or editor who quits or is pulled off the project, or any number of other publishing/marketing/sales aspects impacting ultimate success.
  • Unexpected changes occur in our lives, be they tragic or not – being writers certainly doesn’t exempt us from the vicissitudes of our common human existence.

 

We spend a great deal of effort unlocking and enhancing our creativity, learning to channel it in new and interesting ways. But how much attention do we pay to agility? Some, for sure, else the self-help book shelves wouldn’t exist. Here are a few things I’ve thought about with regard to improving my own mental (and emotional) agility:

  • Frequent, heartfelt prayer, focusing on my relationship with God … and his relationship with me
  • Gratitude, most often expressed in those prayers, but in many other situations as well
  • Gratitude; it’s worth repeating, and it makes genuine, empowering forgiveness easier as well
  • Concerted, consistent efforts to remember all the miracles God has performed in my life and for others around me; this relates in part to gratitude, but also opens windows of understanding into how deep, pure, and perfect God’s love for us really is
  • Being concerned with others, both in prayer and in action; we are often the angels God sends to assist others, and they in turn help us; both sides of those experiences bring remarkable new insights and strength
  • Consciously striving to increase my trust in God, recognizing how perfect his plans are and that everything he does, without exception, is for our benefit

Understanding how God sees me and my eternal potential gives me great confidence in both my own abilities and what he will add to them. With that confidence, my mind and heart are better able to handle anything this whirlwind of Earthly reality can throw at me as I press forward in pursuit of worthy goals.

Successful writing requires much more than creativity. Mental agility—including confidence, persistence, and adaptability—can be fueled by prayer, gratitude, service, and abiding faith in the One who knows us best. @real_housemd… Click To Tweet

M.D. House is a recovering corporate cog. As an author, he started out writing science fiction, but became fascinated with the stories of Barabbas, Cornelius, and the Apostle Paul, among others, which has led him on an amazing and faith-affirming Christian fiction writing journey. He still writes clean, faith-based science fiction, with some fantasy coming soon as well. You can view more about him, including blog posts and interviews, at mdhouselive.com.

 

 

 

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