Let’s do a post absolutely knackered! Lol jk, but let’s be honest. When do we, as we creatives, choose to be honest and direct with our thoughts and feelings? It is so easy to dismiss something as being dictated or inspired by a muse. When do we take responsibility of the fire that consumes us from the inside out? This indicates that the inspiration is a wild thing that can be unleashed only by a magical spell or emotional inhibitor.

But what if that is a false equivalency?

Let’s suppose that the goal of being uninhibited/tipsy/high/lost in another mental state is to discover a different perspective. We should try to understand what we want in shifting our perspective. Are we looking for a shift in knowledge or in thinking patterns?

If the former, then that indicates we need new information or experiences. The uninhibitor becomes a catalyst for events that otherwise we would not be so bold to pursue. We remove that boundary, creating a window of plausible deniability. Why else would we wish to dissociate from shared moral structure?

If the latter, then this indicates a need for an interruption of a routine. Here, the classical definition of dissociate arises. We are choosing to separate ourselves from our thoughts, if not ignore them entirely. So I would have to ask, how far away from your writing to you need to be to achieve your intended affect? Is there a better way to strip away your style to get to the true message underneath?

When we create our eclectic alternative persona, we can eliminate these taxing effects on our dignity (and our liver). This is why I’m so enthusiastic of having a “designated spot” or mood for writing. There is explicit permission to the self to build that opportunity for expansion and distance. I’ve even heard of smaller methods to fall “into character”. Have a sign to indicate the “Writer is In”, pop on a literal thinking cap, wear that particular turtleneck that makes you feel a little funny.

Preparing to write for others is just as nerve-wracking as getting up on stage. It just doesn’t seem like it, because you have an initial sheet or screen to hide behind. Take notes from the outward performers – find a mode of flow or dissociation that doesn’t totally incapacitate you.

So does that mean it’s totally impossible to get that trippy affectation for free? Absolutely not true. You might get a boost from literal fever dreams or hallucinations while sick. The brain is a funny thing – if you trick it the right way, you can get inspiration from a situation that otherwise is crappy. Not sure if I really suggest listening to cosmology audiobooks while having a cold and fevers, but I really can’t complain too much about the results. I have a whole new direction to explore and expand upon.

But dissociation is a mental thing, which can be manipulated when you relax yourself to a point of flow. You must trust that your velocity of words will expand when you drop your own judgement.

Once you have your foundation and structured routine, trust those structures by testing them. And most of all, please be kind to yourself as you do so. There is no need to add to the “despairing artiste” trope. That’s old news. These days it’s about fostering that inner cheer team and replacing low self-esteem with real humility.

So the next time you feel the edge of quiet, from a nap, meditation, or bout with a cold, probe into your mind with a quick exercise. What is it that burns furiously inside of you? It is love for one person, is it for a goal that you longed for as a child? Or is the burn something temporary: a fit of anger aimed at a perpetrator or a running monologue that plagues every second of your mind?

Find that edge, hold your form, then… follow and trust that flow.

Happy writing!