Tuesday, March 4, 2025

INTUITION is not a FEELING

 

A few months ago, I read an excellent post about intuition and its place in the writing process. See it here.

 

It wasn’t news to me that good writing is intuitive even as it uses the cloak of logical and systematic exposition.

 

The most precious nugget the post gave me is the articulation that intuition shouldn’t be confused with a feeling or an emotion.

 

Instead, think of intuition as the mind processing information so fast and connecting the dots before we have the words, or articulation, to explain it rationally.  

 

Intuition is an awareness of a high order. Creating without it yields something akin to assembly manuals of the sort that come with various gizmos. That’s “technical writing,” and writers of poetry or prose aren’t doing that.

 

Good writing connects the dots before we have the words to name them.


3 comments:

Evelyn said...

Intuitively, I feel think topic is too complex for me.

Vijaya said...

I've always trusted my gut/intuition. I like the way you express it.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Oh dear, I have enough problems dealing with emotions and feelings without worrying about intuition as well. But I'll read the post to clarify things. I really enjoy Jane Friedman's posts.