How to be an Intuitive Writer and Artist

Basically, it’s all about the process.

As a writer, I create my best work when I follow those moments when I’m met with creative epiphanies I cannot let go of. It’s the whole, “Yes, I must create this so badly that I can’t get myself to forget about it!”

When I try to ignore to my intuitive nudges and follow what I think is more “logical” to create, what I do doesn’t have quite the same resonance. It’s just… normal. But when I follow the leading of my intuition, what I create is everything but that. It amazes me how the different parts of my projects seem to fall into place when I trust my own inner sense of timing and direction.

Besides the undeniable power of following my intuitive hits, deep visualization is also another part of what I do. Okay, so it’s not like I sit there and go, “Let me DEEPLY visualize” before I get to work on my creative projects. It’s not like that, lol.

It’s more like, I need to have a visual in my mind before I get to work. With art, my imagination has to be engaged enough so that I can sense what I need to draw next. I enjoy drawing from my imagination.

With writing, especially fiction, I need to be able to visualize the characters, the setting, and their interactions. As an intuitive writer, I don’t want to force my characters to do things. I prefer to sit back, visualize/watch them going through their lives, and then write what I observe.

As a blogger, I let my intuitive hits decide what articles I write. When an idea comes to me that I want to write, then I write it–especially if it’s an idea that keeps returning. This is something that I could do better, but I’m trying to truly rely on the natural timing of my posts. If it takes a long time to finish, that’s okay. I’ll post it whenever I’m done. I have to trust that whenever an article is ready to share is the perfect time.

As an intuitive writer and artist, I let my inner vision take the lead first, and then I let the logic kick in afterwards. Imagery that drops into my mind during the day or first thing in the morning influences much of my work. I love writing in the morning while I’m lying in bed, barely awake. In that state, it’s like I’m lucid dreaming into the writing app on my phone.

Because of my process, my work is full of subconscious messages and symbolism that I’m usually blissfully unaware of until I go back to take a second look at what I created later. I’ve noticed that as I grow older, I’m getting better at noticing when an element in one of my stories, a piece of art, or even a past blog post could possibly be a bit deeper than expected. I have to admit that language AI models have been great for examining this kind of subconscious imagery when it appears.

What I enjoy the most about being an intuitive writer/artist is the freedom. I follow and honor my inner vision and personal taste, not trends. I trust what feels right in my work and fix what doesn’t based on how I feel, not on what others think.

Also lately, as I’ve been allowing myself to own up to the role that my intuition plays in my creative work, I’ve noticed that slowly but surely, I’m letting go of comparing my work to others.

Because it’s MY intuition and my inner hunches I’m following. So with that being the case, my work will be as unique as my fingerprint. And it’s okay if what I create is different, because the point is for it to align with my inner landscape. This understanding makes me feel free to truly admire the work of others without feeling like I must assimilate parts of who they are into myself and my expression.

I’m learning to love the work of others while also loving my own work too for what it is.

But creating intuitively is nothing new to me. I’ve been like this since I was kid. What’s different is that, it’s finally a part of myself that I clearly recognize and no longer undervalue.

So what has helped me to finally value my gifts as I writer and artist who depends on her intuition?

First of all, just understanding that my intuition is valuable. I try to keep in mind all the times that following my inner guidance has helped me to create the perfect projects, at the right pace, at the right time. When I experience these moments, I make sure to write them down to reflect on later.

Doing so reminds me that things working out when I follow the nudges of my intuition is not just luck. It’s a natural and deep understanding of my creative flow–one that I often don’t fully pick up on until I look back on the results.

Being aware of my personality type also helps me to value my intuition. I’m an INFP, so I’m already an intuitive type. On the Strength Finder, the Strategic strength is my top strength, and it’s also considered as an intuitive gift. According to the Strength Finder, it’s a skill that cannot be taught because intuition is the core of it’s essence.

With the Money Archetypes, I’m a Accumulator/Alchemist/Romantic. The Accumulator is the logic side of things, but the Alchemist and Romantic are both very intuitive. Also my neurodivergent traits as a highly sensitive person and ADHDer speak to my sharp intuition.

I clearly know that my intuition is my superpower. All I need to do is to trust it, and the unique voice that doing so gives me. So do you consider yourself an intuitive writer or artist? How has your feelings towards being intuitive (or not!) impacted your creative process?

If you’d like to go deeper into what means to be an intuitive writer and artist, you can find more in my book, Traveling by Starlight: How I Learned to Trust My Inner Creative Compass.

Because there is so much advice out there about creating this way or that way, that it can be really hard to trust your inner voice. I’ve stuggled with that so much! However, I’ve learned that as a creative, trusting my intuition and creating from it is the key to making my work sound like me. Doing so puts my unique essence back into my work. Dear intuitive writer/artist, your work needs you. It needs your voice and your intuition.

With that in mind, I’ve thoughtfully curated this ebook that outlines the basics of my process for creatives who want to learn how to have more trust in their process and intuitive judgement as well. While the posts contained in the this book can be read for free on my blog, to be honest, my blog can be overwhelming! Over the past ten years, I’ve shared so many tips and tricks that I’ve learned. So this book is also for those who wish to enjoy my work offline, and who would prefer to have a more focused reading experience.