Comments on: A Writer’s Notebook V http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-writers-notebook-v/ Reflections of a working writer and reader Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:06:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jenny http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-writers-notebook-v/comment-page-1/#comment-97805 Jenny Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:17:05 +0000 http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-writers-notebook-v/#comment-97805 Dear John... this was so interesting. It's a bit like the Keats quote from his letters, 'Negative Capability, that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason'. It's a favourite quote for psychoanalysts, too. It's only in the pause between thoughts that creativity emerges, that the springing to life of an idea fizzes into being. I find quite regularly now that ideas about my patients, or the talk I'm about to give, or what I want to say to Henry or Rosy, drift up from the unconscious just as I wake up, as if they've been sorting themselves out in my unconscious while I sleep., and I know that as soon as I start thinking about them properly I lose flexibility. <strong>jb says</strong>: Hi Jenny, how lovely to hear from you. Great to hear that you've been there, too; and thanks for putting it into a Keatsian context . . . <em>a man capable of being in uncertainties</em> . . . a rare breed, indeed, these days. Dear John… this was so interesting. It’s a bit like the Keats quote from his letters, ‘Negative Capability, that is when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason’. It’s a favourite quote for psychoanalysts, too. It’s only in the pause between thoughts that creativity emerges, that the springing to life of an idea fizzes into being. I find quite regularly now that ideas about my patients, or the talk I’m about to give, or what I want to say to Henry or Rosy, drift up from the unconscious just as I wake up, as if they’ve been sorting themselves out in my unconscious while I sleep., and I know that as soon as I start thinking about them properly I lose flexibility.

jb says: Hi Jenny, how lovely to hear from you. Great to hear that you’ve been there, too; and thanks for putting it into a Keatsian context . . . a man capable of being in uncertainties . . . a rare breed, indeed, these days.

]]> By: The Old Hack http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-writers-notebook-v/comment-page-1/#comment-97775 The Old Hack Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:53:18 +0000 http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/a-writers-notebook-v/#comment-97775 But if you dispense with all notion, opinion and conviction with what can you fill the void? I'm all for the concept of 'blank canvas' in creativity of all kinds - it's just that once the canvas is filled, your (or my) notions, opinions and convictions are published - whether we like it or not! <strong>jb says</strong>: Yes, of course, you're right. But the hope is that there will be a degree of originality about the finished object. Isn't our search for the best way to bring this about? But if you dispense with all notion, opinion and conviction with what can you fill the void? I’m all for the concept of ‘blank canvas’ in creativity of all kinds – it’s just that once the canvas is filled, your (or my) notions, opinions and convictions are published – whether we like it or not!

jb says: Yes, of course, you’re right. But the hope is that there will be a degree of originality about the finished object. Isn’t our search for the best way to bring this about?

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