C. S. Lewis’ Advice to Young Writers #1

In 1959, at the suggestion of her teacher, an American schoolgirl wrote C. S. Lewis a letter requesting advice on writing. Lewis replied, “It is very hard to give any general advice about  writing. Here’s my attempt.”

Over the course of the next eight blogposts we’ll cover each of the eight points Lewis offered. They are just as pertinent today as they were 66 years ago.

Turn off the radio.

– C. S. Lewis, letter of writing advice to an American schoolgirl, 14 December 1959

I’ll take the liberty if I may, Dr. Lewis, of updating this fine bit of advice. Turn off your phone. Close your web browser. Whatever your favorite distraction, eliminate it. Writing requires focus. It cannot be multitasked.

We’ve all had the experience where we were so deeply engrossed in a task we lost track of time. An hour felt like ten minutes. A challenge/skill balance occurred and self-consciousness slipped away. That sensation is what psychologists call flow. In flow, or when we’re “in the zone,” we are fully and deeply focused on the work at hand. The enemy of flow is distraction. And once you’re out of the zone you can’t just step back in.

It’s important we create an environment that enables this precious level of focus. Distractions may take their toll on all the other parts of our day, but let’s ensure we protect, at a minimum, our creative moments. And here’s a great place to start. “Turn off the radio.”