Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity
Sarah Selecky$24.95
Cultivate a state of mind to help your writing flow with acclaimed writing instructor and Giller Prize finalist Sarah Selecky.
Celebrated author Sarah Selecky brings the spirit of her popular online writing school to the page in Story Is a State of Mind. Short, personable essays deliver gentle coaching, practical advice, and heartfelt encouragement, alongside writing exercises and meditations that offer abundant opportunities to build awareness, confidence, and technique.
Designed for authors seeking support on individual projects or their practice as a whole, this book is overflowing with tips and tools to develop and support creative curiosity and whole-minded writing.
“It deserves a place in the writing advice section of an author’s book collection, somewhere near Writing Down the Bones.”—John Oughton
“If story is a state of mind, in Selecky’s world it’s a human mind in a human body that makes all the difference. If, among other things, you’re looking to strengthen and explore that connection, this might be the book for you.”—The Seaboard Review
“Through generous counsel, illuminating exercises, and a big helping of magic, Story is a State of Mind by Sarah Selecky shows us how creativity can be cultivated and sustained for a fertile—and joyful—writing process. It also happens to be terrifically well-written. In warm, humorous prose, Selecky gently reconnects us with creative curiosity, asking a fundamental question: What if you approached your writing as play? Read this book, and I promise you will find the answer.”—Emily Urquhart, author of Ordinary Wonder Tales and The Age of Creativity
“A thoughtful, meditative guide to storytelling that will help bring focus to creatives who are feeling lost in our noisy world. Story Is a State of Mind will bring ease to your writing practice and help you answer the creative call.”—Carly Watters, literary agent and co-host of The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing podcast
“This generous exploration of the creative process inspires you to create the beautiful empty space in which you can breathe and write. Sarah Selecky’s practices are deceptively simple—and they apply to many art forms beyond writing. She teaches that the most important instrument an artist possesses is curiosity. To wonder, explore, and discover that which you didn’t even know you knew!”—Stephen Nachmanovitch, author of The Art of Is and Free Play
“Story Is a State of Mind illuminates the sacred intersection between craft and consciousness. Sarah Selecky guides writers to approach their work with both rigor and reverence, offering practices that engage body, mind, and spirit. This guide shows us how to blend technical skill with intuitive wisdom, turning the act of writing into a transformative practice. An essential companion for anyone seeking to write with magic.”—Maia Toll, author of The Illustrated Herbiary and The Night School
“Savvy and persuasive, prize-winning fiction writer Sarah Selecky takes readers on a magic journey through the world of writerly craft. Both beginning writers and veterans will find useful tips and insights in her charming book about the art of transforming the blank page into a story.”—Susan Swan, author of The Dead Celebrities Club
“Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and The Art of Creative Curiosity by Sarah Selecky is a brilliant, soulful, transformative guide to the craft of writing. Filled with powerful exercises and practical wisdom, Sarah helps writers explore their creativity, set boundaries (my biggest challenge), and cultivate the discipline needed to finish their work (my second biggest challenge). Having had the privilege of teaching alongside Sarah, I can personally attest to her talent and deep understanding of the writing process. I’m currently working on my eleventh book and struggling to find my groove, so this book comes at just the right time for me! Story Is a State of Mind is an essential companion for anyone serious about their writing journey.”—Theresa Reed, author of The Cards You’re Dealt: How to Deal When Life Gets Real (A Tarot Guidebook)
“The accumulated inspiration and practical wisdom in this book, so essential to writers, is as wide-ranging and comprehensive as it is accessible; in fact, what Sarah Selecky offers here is nothing short of remarkable. As a true companion and ally, her two decades of intimate writing, listening and teaching can be found on every page. Given that there is nothing else quite like it, the only thing left to say is read it and write!”—Peter Levitt, author of Fingerpainting on the Moon
| Author | Sarah Selecky |
|---|---|
| Publication date | January 7, 2025 |
| Print details | 9781998336012 / Paperback / 5.5 x 8.5 / 304 pages |
| Ebook details | 9781998336029 / DRM-free epub / Conforms to WCAG 2.0 Level AA |
| Rights | World |
Invitation
from Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity
Pause for a moment.
Wherever you are right now, make yourself a bit more comfortable.
Take in a deep inhale. Notice how this air feels as it comes into your chest.
Exhale. Notice how this air feels as you release it.
This moment, right now, is an invitation.
An invitation to slow down.
An invitation to pay attention to how you think about writing.
To sense the subtle shifts in your body as your thoughts form and take shape in your mind.
Like clouds, these thoughts are constantly moving and changing.
Breathe in and out normally.
Watch the clouds gather and shift.
Now ask yourself a question:
Can I think and feel at the same time?
As a writer, you know how to use language well. You excel at communication, analysis, and problem-solving. Your mind loves working with words and ideas, but your body, with its instincts and sensations, holds wisdom, too. As a creative writer, you have the rare ability to bridge these realms and work with both thoughts and feelings at once. While this can be challenging, it’s a skill that you can develop. When you cultivate this skill, you open doors to new dimensions in your creative work.
This book is a guide to lighting up your creative neurology. You will learn how to bridge the gap between your intellectual strengths and your physical intuition and go into a space where thought and feeling are combined. This is where the magic of writing comes alive.
Listen closely.
Right now, your body is telling you something your mind has yet to name with words.
What is it?
How can you know it if there is no word for it?
Pay attention. Notice without language.
Take another inhale, then exhale.
It’s normal not to have a word for this feeling.
It’s okay not to know exactly what it is.
Notice the sensation of your breath as it moves through your body.
Try to feel the air in your chest.
Does it feel warm or cool? Heavy or light?
This is where your story begins.
Story isn’t just something we write—it’s a state of mind. This book is an invitation to inhabit that state of mind.
In these pages, you’ll rediscover the power of words as living, breathing elements that resonate through your entire being. You’ll learn how to tune into physical sensations as you think, to help bring unexpressed feelings and sensations into words. You’ll practise cognitive reframing and learn how to recognize your negative thoughts to quiet them, or to turn them into creative and curious ones.
You’ll start to cultivate curiosity as a tangible, felt experience, and use it—along with the powers of your intellect and intuition—to take your writing to thrilling new places. The practices you’ll find in this book will allow you to connect to your creative unconscious mind to access a wealth of resources you didn’t know you had.
You’ll work on setting and keeping boundaries in your schedule. We’ll talk about influences and how to read effectively as a writer. We’ll look at how to reliably finish the projects you start, how to revise and edit using power instead of force, and how to make sure you’re giving yourself the rest you need so you feel energized and ready when it’s time to share your work with others.
Your state of mind will shift during and through your writing practice. As you bring your whole self—mind, body, and intuition—into your work, you’ll likely discover that your craft improves organically, without the need to compartmentalize or force your progress. You’ll learn how to get out of your own way in order to feel calm, fascinated, and curious in your writing life. You might find that writing feels more natural, and what you write may even surprise you. This holistic method of writing can feel like a revelation—a way of creating that honours both your artistic growth and your innate wisdom.
Let this book be your compass, your mirror, your coach, your companion.
This is an invitation to write with your entire being.
(…)
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