A Brain-based Interview on Writing & Creativity

I needed to write another MUF post. I sat in front of my computer, staring at the screen. Time was tight. Inspiration limited. Then my brain stepped in to save the day.

In a gloriously generous gesture, my brain volunteered to conduct an interview with a wide variety of sources, tapping into their collective wisdom about writing and creativity. When I accused my brain of simply pulling together a random sampling of writing quotes and miscellaneous ramblings, it assured me this was not the case. It then provided the following transcript from the interview.

* * * * *

MY BRAIN: I sure do spend a lot of time staring out the window when I’m supposed to be writing. Is that okay?

ALBERT EINSTEIN: “Creativity is the residue of wasted time.”

MY BRAIN: Thanks, Al. I guess that sitting-and-starting thing is okay then. But even once I get something written, it always needs so much more work. . . .

ROBERT CORMIER: “The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.”

SCOTT ADAMS: “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

MY BRAIN: That’s really great! I’m quickly gaining insights. This is truly—

STEPHEN KING: “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”

MY BRAIN: Oh. Sorry, Mr. King. I’d even say I’m really sorry, but I suppose that would only serve to quicken my journey down the road to hell. Anyway, what about plot? I want to make it so my readers feel compelled to keep going.

BLAKE CROUCH: “Create an expectation in the readers for what’s going to happen next (let them think they’re ahead of the author) and then do something completely different.”

WILLIAM ARCHER: “Drama is anticipation mingled with uncertainty.”

KENDRA ELLIOT: “Give the characters sucky and suckier choices.”

MY BRAIN: That makes sense. . . .

MAX ALLAN COLLINS: “Suspense only works if we care about the characters. An incredibly dangerous situation involving a character we care little for is rather a waste of the imagination.”

MY BRAIN: I’ll keep that in mind, too. . . . This writing thing is hard work, but it feels like my story idea is coming together now! Of course, once it’s done, I know I’ll have to revise. And revision sucks. Any advice on how I should approach that part of the writing process?

ELIE WIESEL: “Writing is not like painting where you add. It is not what you put on the canvas that the reader sees. Writing is more like a sculpture where you remove, you eliminate in order to make the work visible. Even those pages you remove somehow remain.”

MARK TWAIN: “Substitute damn every time you’re inclined to write very; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”

ELMORE LEONARD: “I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”

MY BRAIN: Well, I guess that does it. Thanks again, everyone, for all of your help! Now, if anyone else has a writing quote or personal insight to share, I sure do hope they post it in the comments below. . . .


T. P. Jagger The 3-Minute Writing TeacherAlong with his MUF posts, T. P. Jagger can be found at www.tpjagger.com, where he provides brief how-to writing-tip videos as The 3-Minute Writing Teacher plus original, free readers’ theater scripts for middle-grade teachers. He also has even more readers’ theater scripts available at Readers’ Theater Fast and Funny Fluency. For T. P.’s 10-lesson, video-based creative writing course, check him out on Curious.com.

T. P. Jagger on PinterestT. P. Jagger on Youtube
T. P. Jagger
Along with his MUF posts, T. P. Jagger can be found at www.tpjagger.com, where he provides brief how-to writing-tip videos as The 3-Minute Writing Teacher plus original, free readers’ theater scripts for middle-grade classrooms. For T. P.’s 10-lesson, video-based creative writing course, check him out on Curious.com.
8 Comments
  1. This is so funny! Loved it!

  2. Loved this VERY (adverb) much. Tickled my funny bone ( cliche). Will share with my writer friends. 🙂

  3. Wonderful post! I’m inspired now. I like the ones about plot.

  4. Terrific post, TP. Thanks for brightening my day with a bit of writing humor 🙂

  5. Damn funny and damn clever!

  6. Quite a clever brain you have! I think Robert Cormier’s is my favorite.