Does Alcohol Enhance the Creative Process for Writers?
During a period of sobriety in my life, I sought to find out whether or not alcohol enhances a writer’s creativity. Initially, I believed that writing did enhance a writer’s creativity. However, since embracing this research, I have decided that having knowledge of the effects of alcohol on the creative process means one is less inclined to utilise alcohol to enhance creativity because there are many long term effects that outweigh the short term enhancement.
Links between alcohol and creativity have been romanticised by eminent writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac and F. Scott Fitzgerald. They consumed alcohol while they wrote or socialised as a way to relax and gain new perspectives. Some writers drink alcohol because of the difficulty of writing; some writers write because it allows them to continue drinking. Since 1926, research has been performed on the effects of alcohol on writers to see if alcohol enhances their creativity.
The creative process was broken into four separate phases for testing: preparation, incubation, illumination and implementation. During preparation, a writer may revise their work, read, or write in preparation for their creative endeavour. In the incubation phase a writer’s sub-conscience takes part in what is known as divergent thinking; divergent thinking is connecting, separating and searching for new ideas. Illumination is described as ‘the Eureka moment’, where a sudden urge to record an idea, or ideas, takes place in the conscience. Finally, the implementation phase is where a writer’s work flows, or is produced and communicated.
Alcohol can be both detrimental or enhancing depending on the phase of the creative process during which it is consumed. Extensive experimental research on the effects of alcohol on the creative process were performed in the 1990s by psychologists Norlander and Gustafson. They found that alcohol enhanced the incubation and illumination period but was detrimental to the preparation period and had no effect on the implementation period. However, this evidence was not specifically tested on writers. In 1985 Anja Koski-Jännes performed research on sixty writers which proved to ‘generally fit the Wallas model’ with the addition of a fifth and final phase called restitution, or ‘recovery and relaxation’. It was suggested that it is the perception of being under the influence of alcohol that can enhance a writer's creativity more than alcohol itself. If alcohol seems to enhance the preparation period to allow a writer to develop new ideas and perspectives, and if the preparation period is highly sociable, this suggests that a person is most creative when they are relaxed, communicating their ideas and embracing other people’s perspectives, possibly whether they consume alcohol or not. With consideration of this perspective and an understanding of this information, a writer can understand the importance of socialising and communication during the communication process.
This suggests that the issue requires a disassociation from the romanticised and negative view of a writer as an antisocial loner; furthermore, this can be achieved by a writer learning and understanding how the creative process relies on socialisation to illuminate new ideas and perspectives. This way, there would be less focus on alcohol as a stimulant for creativity and more focus on socialising as a key component to enhancing creativity.
The creative process is a highly sociable one and many creatives don’t realise this. Alcohol is often a key aspect of places of social interactivity and could be a reason why writers consume alcohol. However, minus the alcohol, is the writer able to gain a new experience, a new perspective and a widened conscience?
An evaluation of the effectiveness of the research results suggests that due to a writer’s personality being instinctive, control of consumption of alcohol whilst writing may be limited. Alcohol helps a writer to think divergently or encourages a writer to socialise with the effect of divergent thinking, during the preparation phase; however, convergent thinking is required whilst editing and producing in the implementation phase. Hemingway stated “Write drunk, edit sober”. Although the romanticised view seems appealing, due to a writer's personality having intense ‘instinctual needs’ which need to be fulfilled through fantasy as Freud says, the likelihood of a writer drinking carefully during certain parts of the creative process through conscious thinking, is low. As an artist, a writer needs to be able to build universal meaning through use of the sub-conscience then revert to the conscience when need be.
It has been suggested that the creative process is in fact predictable and orderly. This means that everyone has the ability to be creative but some people don’t know how to express it. For some writers, alcohol is considered a stimulant for creativity. By understanding the creative process and by understanding the writer, we can see how a writer can uninhibitedly express creative qualities without the consumption of alcohol.
A writer needs to set themselves boundaries in order to write creatively. If a writer establishes a routine, the contrast between the creative state of mind and the closed state of mind, will allow for creativity to flourish. Part of this routine is preparing for mental blocks: organising a regular place and time, isolating oneself from distractions, stopping momentum that day so as to know where to continue the next day, work on a different project and utilising positive self talk . These blocks could be self doubt, perfectionism, procrastination, unrealistic expectations and fear of failure. A writer, especially one with a family history of alcoholism or mental illness, may be weakened easily by blocks or anxiety and reaching for the bottle as a source of escape may not be a conscious effort. A writer needs to prepare a comfortable writing environment and set time away for writing. This will provide a safe and secure creative environment for a writer’s creative ideas to be nurtured in and for these ideas to be expressed through writing. If a writer understands that creativity flourishes in a scaffolded setting, then they will understand how much effort involved is from dedication and devotion by their own hands and this recognition will stimulate positive intrinsic motivation. A writer needs to give one’s self time and space to exist.
Although it is safe to drink alcohol during certain phases of the creative process; the long term effects of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol impacts the quality of a writer’s work and productivity. In addition, the physical and mental health problems from long term moderate alcohol consumption means that writers are more likely to die earlier than their life expectancy and are more at risk of suicide.
The link between mental illness and creativity is embedded in history - Plato’s description of poets as “divine madness” is a classic example. Psychiatrist Albert Rothenberg suggests that because “writing involves a gradual unearthing of unconscious processes” they are more likely to suffer anxiety and mental illness and so writers utilise alcohol as a form of self medication for depression. The nature of the work means that a writer has to face writer's block and constant rejection, and alcohol acts as an escape from the anxiety caused by this. In the opinion of Stephen King: “Alcoholics build defenses like the Dutch build dikes.” Eminent writers such as Charlie Parker, Jack London and Stephen Crane all had alcohol related causes of death. And F. Scott Fitzgerald once said: “First I take a drink. Then the drink takes a drink. Then the drink takes me.” These statements suggest that not all eminent writers whose lives were associated with alcoholism found any romantic element in it. At the least, it suggests that the long term physical and mental effects of alcohol outweigh the short term ‘enhancement’ during one of the four stages of the creative process. If a choice is made to consume alcohol for the purpose of enhancing one’s creativity, then a choice can be consciously made not to utilise alcohol as a form of enhancing one’s creativity. However, in some cases, the consumption of alcohol is far from a conscious choice.
There are many reasons which suggest reasons why writers drink, or even more so, why alcoholics write. Due to the difficulty of the job, many writers suffer from mental illness and are more likely to die before their life expectancy and are more at risk of suicide. Another aspect of writing is that many writers work in isolation which means that accessibility and opportunity to drink alcohol are high. Many writers believe that by drinking alcohol, they are expanding their mind and gaining new perspectives.
In the end, alcohol is a depressant and the depression worsens the more a person drinks. However there is also evidence that suggests that writers often have experienced a traumatic childhood and the expression of creativity naturally eases psychological tension caused by mental disturbances. A writer may have felt isolated or unhappy in their childhood and therefore is constantly searching for universal truth and meaning in life which can be expressed through creating a world through writing which has lasting truths and meaning. This shows that a creative person may have chosen writing as a career to enable their alcoholism. Alcoholism has a genetic component and biographical research shows that many writers have family members who suffer from alcoholism. However, if a writer is able to understand the creative process and gain the support that they need they will then be more likely to show resilience against alcoholism, meaning they will be less likely to consume alcohol as a way to express their creativity through writing, as a choice.
In order for a writer to reach the full potential of creativity in their writing, all writers need to make an effort to understand writing and the creative process. In order for a writer to deal with their ‘personal demons’ they must first digest their past. It is important that a writer knows exactly who they are before they delve in the minds of their characters. There are many eminent writers whose literature promotes a healthy search for their inner voice of creativity in writing. Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha is about a man who travels on a personal and physical journey in order to learn the art of observation and therefore to understand one’s self. Scott F. Fitzgerald also made a comment on observation being a writer’s tool: “It’s a great advantage not to drink among hard drinking people”. It is just as important for a writer to forget their critical voice as it is to find and trust their inner voice. This applies especially during the preparation and incubation phases of the creative process; for at this fertile and sensitive stage of writing, a critical eye could prove detrimental to a creative idea before it has an opportunity to develop: “Gaze into the fire, into the clouds, and as soon as the inner voices begin to speak...surrender to them. Don't ask first whether it's permitted, or would please your teachers or father or some god. You will ruin yourself if you do that.” (Hesse, 1919). Alcohol is a depressive and the more a person drinks, the more depressed they become. If a writer consumes alcohol on a long term basis then they are at risk of becoming more and more depressed. They may gain an enhanced critical eye of their writing and will find it difficult to reach their inner voice and to express their creativity. Reading literature is a form of creative input and the type of literature a writer is exposed to will affect their creative output, or rather, their writing. If a writer actively seeks positive creative input as inspiration for creativity; they are more likely to develop long term creative skills in their writing craft rather than short term enhancement of creativity through alcohol consumption. Creative people today are portrayed in a more positive light: “nonconforming, independent, intrinsically motivated, open to new experiences, and risk seeking”. A writer can learn more about themselves in the reflection of other cultures and more about their writing skills through learning other languages, through travel. Studies on creativity and multiculturalism support the idea that travel helps people become more creative. The new experiences will supply continued, fresh inspiration and creativity will flourish, as will knowledge of the inner voice and self. A writer can network with other writers on their travels and it is this communication of creative ideas that is a healthy catalyst for creativity.
Research shows that creativity is innate and we all have the capability for creativity; however, many of us do not know how to express it. There are many different strategies that a writer can utilise to express their creativity, without dependence on alcohol. The romanticised view of the link between writers and alcohol is changing to a more positive one.
A writer does not need to consume alcohol as a way to enhance their creativity. With an understanding of the creative process and of themselves; a writer can become consciously aware of the implications from utilising alcohol as a creative stimulant. The evidence, which suggests that alcohol enhances the preparation phase of the creative process is inconsistent and irrelevant to writers today. In addition, the long term mental and physical effects of alcohol consumption outweigh the short term enhancement of alcohol during one of the four phases of the creative process. Writing is about contrast and balance between: dedication and devotion; the open mind and the closed mind; divergent thinking and convergent thinking; creative input and creative output; observation and experience; communication and personal reflection; the personal and physical journey; but most of all it is about a willingness to understand and respond naturally:
The author of genius does keep till his last breath the spontaneity, the ready sensitiveness, of a child, the “innocence of eye” that means so much to the painter, the ability to respond freshly and quickly to new scenes, and to old scenes as though they were new; to see traits and characteristics as though each were new-minted from the hand of God instead of sorting them quickly in to dusty categories and Pigeon-holing them without wonder and surprise: to feel situations so immediately and keenly that the word “trite” has hardly any meaning for him; and always to see “the correspondences between things” of which Aristotle spoke two thousand years ago. This freshness of response is vital to the author’s talent. (Brande, 1934, pg. 38)
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