Getting Into Flow for Writing
- jodiwebb9
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Wait! I know what you're thinking, "This isn't Create Write Now." True. Create Write Now is on an unexpected break but we didn't want you to miss an encouraging and informative guest post for writers written by Sheri McGregor, author of Rumination Remedies as a part of her WOW blog tour. So please enjoy the post, learn more about Rumination Remedies and then, visit Create Write Now where you'll find some great past posts about healing, personal growth, journaling and writing. I'll be back later this week as Jodi - not a stand in for Mari of Create Write Now - with my thoughts on Rumination Remedies. Hope to see you then!
Getting Into Flow for Writing: Why You Need to and How to Get There
By Sheri McGregor, M.A., author of Rumination Remedies: A Workbook to Free Your Mind from Worry, Regret, and Racing Thoughts
Most writers have times when the words flow with surprising ease, time slips by unnoticed, and the outside world fades. Their work absorbs them in what’s known as a state of flow. The term was coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi to describe periods of deep, focused engagement.
As a long-time writer, I know this state well. In Rumination Remedies, I describe flow as the moment when skill meets challenge at just the right balance. In flow, what’s beyond the page recedes behind calm, energized focus. A flow state is both productive and restorative.
Why Flow Helps Writers
Think of attention like a wide-beamed flashlight. At the edges of the light, distractions compete for focus. Flow narrows that beam, helping the mind settle fully into the work. Here’s why that matters so much for writers:
The inner critic quiets. In flow, the brain regions responsible for self-monitoring and judgment dial down. This reduces overthinking and interrupts rumination that can stall creativity.
Attention becomes more efficient. The brain suppresses irrelevant information, allowing cognitive resources to support the writing. This is ideal for building scenes, shaping arguments, or clearly explaining ideas.
Motivation increases. Flow activates dopamine pathways associated with curiosity and intrinsic reward. As ideas connect and momentum builds, writers don’t want to stop.
Ideas connect more easily. Flow strengthens communication between brain networks involved in imagination and focus, making it easier to notice patterns, generate metaphors, and arrive at unifying insights.
Stress fades. By narrowing attention to one meaningful task, flow reduces anxiety and tamps down worrisome thoughts. A flow state is calming and grounding.
Skills strengthen over time. Repeated focused engagement supports neural plasticity. Writing in flow doesn’t just feel good and productive. It also strengthens craft over time.
Importantly, the benefits don’t always end when the session does. Flow has been linked to improved well-being and reduced stress that carry into daily life.
What Writers Need to Enter Flow
Here are three conditions that make a flow state more likely:
1. A clear, doable challenge.
Flow lives between boredom and overwhelm. If a task is too vague or too big, the mind resists. Start with a small, specific goal:
Describe the way light falls across the table.
Write one paragraph about the memory that keeps circling.
Draft for ten minutes without editing.
Specific goals cue the brain that a task is manageable. For me, that often means deciding how much I’ll write in a set amount of time. I’ll just get that chapter started, or I’ll get the opening paragraphs down. Your cue may look different. Find what works for you.
2. Reduced interference.
Flow needs fewer competing demands. Small boundaries help:
close the door
silence phone notifications
close extra tabs
3. Just begin.
Ideal conditions help, but flow arises more from engagement than readiness. Mood often improves after we start. Don’t wait to feel confident or calm. Start as you are.
Writing as Healing
Many people write because they love shaping thoughts on the page. But when writing leads into flow, it becomes a force for nervous system regulation. Flow quiets self-criticism, eases rumination, and brings a sense of meaning and calm.
Several practices in Rumination Remedies support writers who want to work with greater focus, less self-doubt, and a quieter mind. The book itself was written in flow.
Give yourself the gift of flow. Set yourself up for writing in ways that support flow. The more you do, the more your writing will absorb you—and provide benefits both on and off the page.
About the Author, Sheri McGregor
Sheri McGregor holds a Master’s Degree in Human Behavior and has been writing and life coaching for more than two decades. She loves her work to help people reclaim their self-worth and step courageously toward peace—and their dreams. Some of her advanced training and certifications include brain-based coaching, aging-related wellness, and the neuroscience of change. Sheri is most well-known for her work to help parents of estranged and/or dysfunctional adult children, which includes peer support and her award-winning books in her Done With The Crying series.
You can follow the author at:
Website: https://www.sherimcgregor.com/
About the Book, Rumination Remedies
The human brain is amazingly resilient but in today's stress-filled and overstimulating world, your mind can get stuck. Worry, regret, and racing thoughts steal your joy, peace, and confidence-not to mention sleep. The good news? You can change the pattern.
Rumination Remedies is a gentle, smart guide to freeing your mind. Whether you're caught up in dread, weighed down by regret, or distracted by what-ifs or wishes, this practical workbook offers holistic, body-friendly and brain-building ways to find your peace of mind.
Comments