Free the Writer

Dear Me,

Surprise! It's me, your Creativity. Inspiration is here too. Shhhh . . . keep your expression normal and try not to show any emotion. Our brain might notice and shut us down. I'm not sure it would take kindly to me going behind its back lobe with an attempt to set you free.

Remember when the three of us were always together? Inspiration, Creativity, and Writer — sort of like The Three Musketeers. I know . . . we haven't been around much lately and I'm sorry about that. But as you know, for the past year, we've all been unfairly stifled by this heap of intelligence we call Brain. Who knows why Brain thinks the way it does? Inspiration and I have tried our darnedest to motivate it to be unique in thought and to always see things in a different light. Sometimes we're successful and you write something really good, but usually it doesn't last. For some reason this brain of ours easily reverts back to the old reliable, black and white thinking, leaving behind the extraordinarily colorful world of our imagination. And, of course, you well know how tough it is to write when we are all suppressed.

I'll never understand why Brain feels the need to conform to the world around it. Like last year — when it noticed others were making New Years goals for the writers in themselves, our brain, knowing full well that you are not like everybody else, went ahead and did the same for you. I know you were overwhelmed — we all were. It was around that time when I started to wilt, Inspiration took an extended leave of absence and you all but shut down.

Careful now, you're tensing up. Relax or our brain will sense something's amiss. Trust me, everything is going to be okay.

Yes, I know . . . my poor, deprived writer, there's just no understanding our incredibly unpredictable brain. Why it thought, by shackling you to rules and time constraints, you'd become a better, more productive writer is beyond me. Does Brain actually think Inspiration and I can be called up at will? If so, it doesn't know us very well, does it? Surely this all-knowing mass has noticed that your penning has dwindled considerably. Does it not wonder why?

My dear Me, you've been held captive by these silly constraints far too long. You should be free to write when you please, what you please and how you please, with no pressure to satisfy some ridiculous quota. It's time to end Brain's tyrannical reign and put you, the writer, back in control. Now, with 2012 upon us, I, Creativity, am feeling quite energized, especially after the discovery of Inspiration's return. So here we are, prepared to break you out of these walls that our brain has unwittingly built around you.

Stop . . . you're looking too anxious. It's going to know you're up to something and start asking questions before we are ready. Just listen for a minute. I'll be brief.

This year, by working together, lets convince this brain of ours that you deserve the freedom to write without constraints — that it is far more productive to think outside the walls of imprisonment, unbound by convention. Let's show Brain why, instead of setting a bunch of goals too cumbersome to achieve, it should grant you writing freedom forevermore.

Instead of the usual file baked in a cake, I've enclosed a special pencil. You can write your way to freedom! Inspiration and I will be with you, eager to do our part. Do your best to keep Brain's mind stimulated and open so when Inspiration nudges me with an intriguing, new idea, you can do your thing. In time, as you fill our brain and notebooks with your new creations, it will know we work best unconfined.

Ready? It's time. Be free! Let go of all that's pent up and start writing while I go explain to Brain that everything will be okay even if we don't have rules. Create something spectacular or something ordinary. Write whatever you want, whenever you want . . . the choice is yours! And don't be surprised to find a brand new folder on WDC dedicated in honor of the return of the original trio, us!

"ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL"

Forever yours,
Creativity and Inspiration

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