There is a popular and persistent misconception that literary creation begins with inspiration. There is also a related myth that mind-expanding drugs can enhance the creative process, but this hasn’t been supported by research. Inspiration refers not just to the beginning of the creative process, but also implies a sudden sense of breakthrough, a “Eureka!” moment. My research has shown that poems usually begin with a mood, visual image, phrase or word. Rarely is this accompanied by a feeling or discovery or relief. In fact, it usually leads to anxiety or tension. The creator typically doesn’t know what the work is “about” until later. When inspiration does occur, it is not related to the meaning of the work.
Key Takeaways:
- Research doesn’t support the notion that taking mind-expanding drugs enhances creativity.
- For poets, the beginning of a new work rarely involves a sense of sudden breakthrough or discovery.
- When true inspiration occurs, it is not a discovery of the meaning or purpose of the work.
“In other words, the popular image of the behavioral manifestations of an inspiratory experience is actually correct, but the popular as well as the scholarly conception of the role of inspiration in literary creation is incorrect.”
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