Are you writing with the window open or closed?

• Windows open: You’re working on a project like a poem, book, or essay, but your mind remains open to contributions that fly in from afar. The gentle breeze of a fresh idea can still affect your course.
• Windows closed: You are heads-down on a project and simply need to finish. You do not want or need distractions or fresh ideas, and ignore them unless they rap so insistently that you must pay attention.

If you’ve read The Writer’s Process, the window metaphor is a variation on the Muse and the Scribe. When the window is open, the Muse participates actively. At some point, the Scribe takes control and silences most of the Muse’s contributions.

Most of us love writing with the windows open. Sometimes, though, we’ve got to close them. Knowing how to manage our open attention is part of the job of being a writer.

Closing the window too early?

Authors sometimes come to me for help with a nonfiction book proposal when what they really need is to clarify the book itself. They’re trying to close the window too soon. Here are a few clues:

• They’re not entirely sure of the book’s genre
• They don’t have a working outline yet
• They haven’t figured out what’s different about their book, and why they are the one to write it

In these situations, my first job is to crack the window open—to peek outside with them and take in different perspectives on their project.

The symptoms vary for other types of projects. You may not want to shut down possibilities if any of the following are true:

• The draft seems “blah” or dull
• You can’t figure out the key theme
• You don’t know what you’ll do with the piece or who would read it

If these things are true, fling the window open again. If no good ideas waft in, try freewriting. Better yet, go outside (not metaphorically) and take a walk by yourself to get the brain cells working.

Is it time to close the window?

We also fall into the opposite problem: leaving the window open longer than we should. Distracting ourselves. Never committing.

At some point, we need to stop exploring and write, revise, polish, and share. We commit to our story, book, or poem. As Seth Godin reminds us, sometimes we need to ship.

If you remain too open to new possibilities, something else sneaks in the window: fear. Fear can hide in the guise of perfection or creativity.

It seems easier and safer to keep brainstorming than to put our work out in the world.

Here’s what I tell authors who resist closing the window; see if it helps you:

There are many possible versions of this book, all of which would be valid and interesting. But you can only do one right now. Pick one that serves the reader and you well, and make it happen.

Living with the windows shut gets stuffy!

The time comes when the disciplined, heads-down writer must look up from her work and open the window. I write from personal experience.

When I write a book, I shut the creative windows for the final sprint, ignoring most distractions. That focus remains tight through the busy production and publication processes. By the time the book comes out, I’m nearly gasping for fresh air, creatively.

I’m ready to move on to a new topic, right at the moment when I should be speaking and writing and talking about the book.

Open and closed windows and attention. Wide focus and laser focus. The Muse and the Scribe Creativity and discipline. Balancing these forces is the constant rhythm of a life that includes creative pursuit.

Enjoy the ride.

Related Posts

Read more about the balance of the Muse and the Scribe in Finding Your Writing Balance.