Suleika Jaouad: NYT Bestselling Author Teaches Writing | How I Write

Creative excellence requires a state of "porousness," where writers remain open to the world's intensity while excavating buried personal truths. Suleika Jaouad, author of *Between Two Kingdoms*, emphasizes that writing from a place of vulnerability—rather than seeking to assert authority—allows the subconscious to guide the narrative. To bypass the internal critic and the "tyranny of the blinking cursor," she advocates for longhand journaling as a primary drafting tool. This practice creates necessary distance from the work, enabling writers to process traumatic experiences without re-traumatization. Furthermore, using constraints like "Just Ten Images" or engaging in creative cross-training helps break recursive thought loops. Ultimately, the act of writing is a discipline of attention, teaching creators to perceive the world with heightened receptivity and transform mundane observations into profound, symphonic narratives.