Robert Birming

Don't think

I was listening to a podcast where the author Ray Bradbury was mentioned. It was revealed that he had a note above his typewriter that said, “Don't think”.

He explained that as a creative person, it's more about feeling and less about thinking. He added that the worst thing you do when you think is lie.

What you want to try to do as a creative person is to surprise yourself. Find out who you really are and try not to lie, try to tell the truth - all the time.

This got me thinking (no pun intended) about my blogging doubts, due to my tricky relationship when it comes to writing in English. What Ray mentions is very much what happens when I don't write in Swedish:

I think too much.

Things don't come naturally. I end up simplifying and polishing every sentence. I can do that afterward when I'm writing in Swedish, of course, but I don't. I leave it as it came out, more or less (which is what I've tried to do with this post as well).

But the truth is that I will never be able to write as freely in English as I do in Swedish. It's that simple. Så sant som det är sagt.