How intuition is helping me write fiction

Through every step of the work.

This article was originally published on Letters in a Shell on Substack. You can subscribe to receive the most recent letters, and additional articles here.

What do I mean by intuition?

In my language, intuition and inner voice are interchangeable, intuition being perhaps more easily understood at first sight and sound. However, I understand and use it as something much deeper than the incredible pull to be, or not be somewhere at a moment in time, or to do something specific, without consciously knowing why.

It is a place of deeper understanding, knowledge, and comprehension, of the self and of the world. It doesn’t lead astray, when we know how to open a dialogue, receive answers, act upon them and trust the unknown of it, without assigning meaning and judgement to what is. It is another voice, of peace, of comfort, of trust, of joy that we may find underneath the layers of our mind, our rational thought and inner dialogue, with which we can start a dialogue. It is a way to find simple, original and workable answers, when we are willing to ask, to practice this connection, and embark in another way of moving through the world.

For the last 8 years, I have mostly conversed with the intuition, the inner voice, through the English language, receiving words and images as answers, sometimes as a flow of words, sometimes as only a dribble. It has also communicated in synchronicities, in dreams, in plain knowingness, and in the magical material guidance of life and animals. For some, the guidance is musical, for others, it is visual, for others, in dialogue with others, events or books, or even purely physical. I’d argue that long before I was conscious of the possibility to find this voice and have this inner dialogue, my intuition was purely physical, leading me to always be at the right place, the right time during my nomadic travels.

Dialoguing with the inner voice is not something unique, that only I can do. I taught myself, by being inspired and being in classes with Bella Lively, and I have witnessed her, and countless other women access a direct knowing from their inner voice, that would lead them in various aspects of their lives (travel, work, relationships, hobbies, art,…). It is a practice yes, but one that is deeply enriching and beautiful, if you’re willing to try another way to experience the world.

Intuition and non-fiction

At first, my experiment with intuition was deeply embedded in non-fiction, as this dialogue became quickly a way to journal, to process emotions, and make decisions. In fact, my travel writing had always been raw, instinctive, and published as very lightly edited first drafts.

It didn’t seem to be a jump, for me to write my first book L’Envol intuitively, and publish it live, weekly, as an audio-book. The e-book retained its intuitive first draft nature until publication. The live aspect was actually nerve-wracking, because I had gone in with no plan, no structure, no idea of what would be the subject, nor which words would find their way onto the page. But once the intuitive writing tap was open, trust settled, and the words poured through, actually finding its anchor through my lived experience.

Opening up to intuitive writing of fiction

I already had experience of using intuitive writing, while I studied for a Screenwriting Masters, writing so, several scripts, including my short-film IMIQ and a feature film. My writing was still very much intertwined in the reflection process and study, the structures, prompts and deadlines decided for me, as well as the reviews of peers and teachers, and my writing therefore needed to fit the models we were taught. There, and then, I didn’t have the time and space to let intuitive writing lead fully the way, or completely experiment, because its mystery and rhythm require sometimes more nurturing and patience, than a more linear, planned, and researched writing process.

This week, reading about the creative process in The Luminous Solution by Charlotte Wood, I understood an important key for the success and unfolding of an intuitive writing experience, that I had already done… intuitively! Yes, we may write in full flow, be completely open and see what comes through, as it is very much the process for poetry (although having a format is already having a frame). However, working with one’s intuition is working in dialogue, and having a format, a theme, a creative problem, or question might be very generative for starting to write a fiction project from one’s own inner voice, having therefore an anchor into craft and the novelist’s vocation.

The idea for my novel, The Antarctic Bridge

Recent graduate at the time, and facing the impossibility to finance and turn to film an ambitious screenplay, I was turning to fiction writing, seeking a new creative project, and an idea for a novel. I had started developing a certain voice, and a predilection for specific themes. After IMIQ, I wanted to continue in bringing spirituality into the problem of climate collapse. I was actively brainstorming ideas, but nothing stuck, and I remained open to my next project. This theme was the anchor, my creative problem, what would allow the intuitive writing to be allowed in and thrive.

In truth, my first book L’Envol, as well as the idea for the novel came at the same time. They literally fell on me while I was walking on the hills of Edinburgh. For this work of fiction, I had received what I thought would be the climax, a very strange trio of main characters, the title The Antarctic Bridge, and that was it. I didn’t brainstorm it more, or question it and I dove in fully…

Writing the first draft of The Antarctic Bridge

On the day, I received the idea and inspiration for this novel, and for the following 10 days, I wrote, in a big flow, the first 16,000 words, what I thought would be the beginning of the book. Characters, locations, events, moments, words all came in a complete channel, the tap entirely open.

I had never written a novel before, and I felt like I was on a high. I could sit at the page every day, and let words write themselves, without doubting or questioning them. This was what I knew to be true then, what I still find to be true now: to let the words come as they did, to not judge their expression, to not linger on doubts, matters of grammar or wording, to not even stop at a missing event, but rather to let anything and everything come through into this first draft. There will always be time for edits in further drafts.

The unlimited well slowed down to a halt. I had ridden the wave of inspiration to its and my own exhaustion, and now the idea asked for nurturance and devotion. I didn’t know that yet, and it took me a couple of months, to decide to come to the page and write everyday, for a minimum of 500 words, or an hour. And from that January onwards, for a little over a year, I sat down to write my novel, a little bit every day, a minimum of five days a week, as life would allow. This was the structure needed, the anchor, to let the intuitive writing keep on flowing.

Because throughout that year, and the process of writing the first draft, it always remained intuitive. Everyday, I opened my Scrivener folder, and wrote the next words, the next paragraphs, the next chapter, without ever knowing the story, the end, or what I was aiming for. It was thrilling and delicious, to tell myself a story in such a way. By letting the rational mind completely out of the way of this process, it was also the perfect manner to tap into something deeper, something I didn’t control, something I didn’t know about, something more original and unique, a wisdom that was often beyond me, a story I could have never imagined, brainstormed or found my way to, without the help of this deeper inner voice.

That year of writing this first draft was personally emotional, beautiful and challenging. At the same time, I was writing and completing my first book, and the shape of my life was changing. Every time it was difficult to write, when life seemed to unravel, I used the inner voice to help me move through the next questions, doubts and obstacles.

To let your inner guidance be your compass,
in life and in art

What I find magical about having access to this guidance, is that it’s not just a creative tool. It is, if you let it, your compass, and whenever something troubles you, in life, in art, in your expression, you can come to it to find relief, peace and guidance, helping you along the sometimes difficult journey of creating something new. Art and life often intertwines, especially if you let your writing be a true expression of the fullness of you, and knowing you are not completely lost through it is the greatest gift of all.

At this point of my work, the novel remained completely intuitive, and I was finding myself asking practical or emotional questions about my life, or around the work, and all the blocks I could find, whatever may be: lack of space, lack of money, relationship troubles, purpose, work… anything could be screened through, witnessed and transformed by the inner voice. And without it, at times, I wouldn’t have found my way through, wouldn’t have been able to sit at the computer, and perhaps even finish the manuscript.

Editing and restructuring a novel with the help of the inner voice

These were also years where I was submitting to dozens of residencies, awards, and emerging writer programs and funds, to absolutely no success. This was, very disheartening, and yet, I carried on, because I really believed in my idea. At this point, I wasn’t using much of the inner voice anymore in my work, while I was trying to go through the proper channels, and build a normal artist’s path. Again, all of these were really helpful learnings, for the novel, and for myself, but it was a lot of time spent.

Through the third, fourth and fifth draft, I finally understood what it meant to edit, even though I still had a long way to go, as you’ll read in a moment. In hindsight, the main problem was that I didn’t know how to let the rational mind and the intuitive flow coexist and work hand-in-hand, to create the best work possible and make it come into matter. A lot of time was lost in fighting myself within, surrendering at times to the inner voice, without any anchor, or to the rational mind, without any inspiring through. Again, those times were not absolutely lost, and through intuitive nudges and manifestations, I was so grateful to work for two years from my artist’s studio or finish the novel from a self-organised writing retreat in Findhorn, Scotland.

Inner voice and rational mind both have a role to play in the editing process, but I didn’t understand what those roles were, at least not consciously, which led to a lot of faffing about, until I started querying. I queried for a year, and send the manuscript to perhaps 30-35 agents. Again, to no result, but for one kind email, and perhaps two or three rejection emails. I wasn’t at all where I wanted to be.

“To surrender the timing”

And so again, after a year of disappointments, I turned to the inner voice, to ask what should be done. The answer I got immediarely was “To surrender the timing of publication”. It’s not something I wanted to do, but after a year of querying, and four years of writing and rewriting, I didn’t see what else I could do. I wasn’t on the publication track I had dreamed of for this book, or for my writing career, but querying was leading me nowhere.

And so, I accepted my inner guidance, I threw my hands up to the wind, and waited. And in a few weeks of surrender, I saw a new vision for the book and what was required of me, to make it agent- or publication-ready. It needed a full restructuring, from top-to-bottom, as well as creations around it, before I could send it again.

That would require courage and some more work, but this was the next intuitive step.

Restructuring and editing, intuition and mind hand-in-hand

The mind, your rational mind is a tool for scanning the potential problems, in your life, and in your art, so it can anchor in materiality and be understood by your readers. The intuition, the inner voice, provides the simplest answer, although often unconventional. This partnership, this collaboration, this dialogue is as simple as that. And when each stay in their own role, then it can go smoothly.

Throughout my restructuring process, which I’m deeply in the throes of, I let the intuition lead the way. Intuition as leader, visionary, CEO of the work, and the rational mind as the problem-finder and the implementor. The manuscript contains several overarching problems, in length, in attraction, in rhythm, in structure, and I’m holding all of them in my consciousness while working. However, I can’t fixate on them, or I won’t be able to let the inner voice fix them. If I’d let the mind dive in, she would choose, complex, ‘literary’, overwritten solutions, all the while berating me about not being far enough in my process (which she does do at times still, when I don’t push her away). If I let the intuition flow, all the pieces find their place.

However, it is essential for the mind to remain in active scanning mode during this restructuring process, so it can spot potential new problems, because of the rewrite, or those which were there and unseen all along. Identify a problem, hand it over to the intuition, which often involves going for a short walk, a swim, a shower, a night’s sleep or a cleaning session, and go back to it to implement the solution, and do it all over again.

It may not sound glamorous, but it’s highly rewarding, and I know it’s leading the manuscript where it should be.

And I also know that now I know how to handle the querying process, with much more peace, simplicity, trust and kindness to myself. The mind might want to run around and send to 100s of agents at the same time to be sure. But it doesn’t have a deciding role. Its role is to identify potential problems in the manuscript, in the proposal, and in how to implement different actions. The rest, is up to my inner voice, and the simplest, most rewarding solution for the present time.

To finish, I’d love to share with you an Intuitive Writing Demonstration, knowing that it’s only the Part 1, without any true anchor to the real world, and without the rational mind. There will be a part 2.

Till then, I’d love to know how you are using your intuition or creative instincts into your writing process or artistic practice?

I’d also love to invite you into a first Intuitive Writing Workshop, where we will learn to open up to this deeper part of us, and build it into our writing. It is on Monday the 31.08.26, at 6.30pm UK time, with a contribution of £16. You can join us here.

And until the next letter, sending so much love from Tahiti,

Lucie Alma