The REAL Goal of Skillful Writing

Contributed by Eric Myers

The conscious brain can handle seven bits of information at a time. There is a reason phone numbers only have seven digits.

The subconscious mind, on the other hand, can process forty million bits of information a second.

This is an especially important thing for writers to understand.

The goal of skillful writing is NOT to get the reader to “Think” about your writing. If you do, you lock them into trudging through your novel seven bits at a time.

The goal is to create a place where they can escape. Build a world for them to live in. Let them get immersed in an experience where they shut off the outside world and get lost in your world of imagination… the world of forty million bits per second.

When you read an enjoyable book, you are not aware of the passage of time. Time is a conscious brain invention.

When I read as a child, my mom had to come and physically shake my shoulder to get my attention. She could call me to dinner all night long, I just didn’t hear her.

This is the world writers must understand and learn to master. One key to this is to read the works of pioneers in the field of psychoanalysis (the study of the subconscious.)

Of particular interest to writers should be the works of Carl Jung. His ideas of the Collective Unconscious and his concepts of Universal Archetypes revolutionized literature.

I cannot do justice to his work in a short post. I can only say that every writer must understand that there are characters that are universally recognizable and relatable. A writer who utilizes these characters can connect with anyone through the Collective Unconscious and make their ideas resonate with the reader… not at the 7-bit rate… but at the forty million-a-second rate. That is how you get a reader lost in the experience.

There may be skeptics about this. To address their concerns, I offer this. Look at the list of the Top 100 best-selling books of all time. They all follow some form of Joseph Cambell’s “The Hero’s Journey.” Which is a universal storyline built on Jungian Archetypes.

Some writers protest, though, that following this “formula” steals their creativity and they become commercial sellouts. J.K. Rowlings certainly got that criticism when she released Harry Potter.

Harry Potter fits the Hero of a Thousand Faces template. Or the Monomyth. It goes by different names.

In that book, there is the Hero, the Mentor, the Trickster, the Guardian, the Herald, the Shapeshifter, etc.

And Harry Potter fits the classic profile. A Hero is born in an ordinary world. His parents are special, but he doesn’t know about their special identity at first. He is raised by regular folks and sets out as a young adult to find his fame and fortune…. And hopefully his true identity. He meets a mentor who ushers him into a new world and becomes his guide. He forms alliances with others whose purpose aligns with his but are there mostly to help the hero. 

There is an evil entity that is threatened by the Hero discovering his true identity and thus coming into his real power. The evil one tries to stop the Hero several times…. Leading to a final showdown where the hero fully comes into his power.

This pattern is told and retold over and over again…

Pick a Blockbuster:
· The Matrix
· Iron Man
· Lord of the Rings
· Wizard of Oz
· Lion King
· Spider-Man
· Star Wars
· Citizen Kane
· Finding Nemo
· Kung Fu Panda
· Men in Black

Or pick an icon of literature:
· Perseus
· Thor
· Jason
· Robin Hood
· Tarzan
· Arthur
· Moses
· Jesus Christ (with apologies to my fellow Christians)
· Hercules

This pattern is told and retold for a powerful and compelling reason. It is NOT because a writer sold out as so many inexperienced folks claim. People who just don’t understand psychoanalytic theory.

These stories are told and retold because they were hardwired into our brains over a million years ago.

This is OUR story.

We are the ones who have a spiritual identity that we must come to understand later in life. We are the ones who are raised by “ordinary” folks … some tough times have a hard time relating to them.

We are the ones who must set out as young adults to find our own way. We all encounter the same types of people… the Best Friend, the Seductress, the Trickster, the Mentor, the Protector…etc.

We are the ones who face resistance when we start to come into our own power. We are the ones who must overcome inner demons and societal evils to truly find our place in life.

Those writers who think they are going to write something different, so they are not sellouts, just don’t get it. While I respect their artistic integrity, I feel sorry for the painful path they put themselves on.

If you write something that is very different from these universal patterns you are forcing the reader to process your book seven bits at a time. It will be hard work for them. They will not like it. They will not finish it. They will be polite and say nice things… but they will not buy another book.

When you are alone with your thoughts … in your time of quiet contemplation, ask yourself this question. Is connecting with as many people as possible so you can share your thoughts with others really selling out?

If you think you have something truly unique and you feel the only way you can share this new thought is to change the format a bit… then I support you one hundred percent. I pray you find success, fulfillment, and peace. You have a tough road ahead, but ultimately a very rewarding experience awaits. All the best.

But perhaps you are saying these things because of some other reason?
Is it a fear of success? Is it a lack of confidence in your writing ability? Maybe you are just creating an escape hatch for yourself in case things get too stressful?

There are eight billion people on this planet. That is 3,200,000,000,000,000,000 bits of information being processed per SECOND.

You are not going to change that and One Million years of evolution just because you have this great idea.

A good artist needs to connect with people… meet them where they are.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I began my professional writing career in 1993 in the ad department at the Washington Post.

Writing has led me to some wonderful opportunities- Public Relations at the US Embassy in Moscow, Managing Editor at a national magazine, Communications Director for a worldwide church movement and even landed me on the Best-Sellers list a few times.

But that was not my first career.  I started out of college as a family therapist.  And I have spent time as a Methodist Pastor. I mention these other careers because I believe they are very relevant. 
 
Becoming a good writer is not just about learning the technical aspects of the craft. It is also about overcoming doubts and fears.  And answering that huge question, “Can I really do this for a living?”

Eric Myers, Entrepreneur, Writer and Speaker
A Writer in the Family (https://awriterinthefamily.com/)
Follow Eric at: https://www.facebook.com/eric.myers.336

I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, editor, and coach. I can help turn your story into a book you’ll be proud to be the author of, one that’s publishable and marketable.

OTHER HELP I OFFER:

FICTION WRITING FOR CHILDREN COURSE
A guided self-study course and mentoring program.

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK
A DIY book to help you write your own children’s book.

WRITERS ON THE MOVE PRESS.
Self-publishing help for children’s authors.

You can contact me at: kcioffiventrice@gmail.com. Or give me a call at 347—834—6700. (Please leave a message- I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.)