On 4th September, on the fourth day of my Mystical Circles blog tour, blogger Susan Hampson hosted a guest post from me on her blog Books From Dusk till Dawn. This is part of a series in which I reblog my articles from that blog tour. So today’s post is the article Susan first publishedContinue reading “Psychology, Spirituality and Family Relationships – a Volatile Mix”
Tag Archives: psychology
Book Review: “How To Craft Superbad Villains: 13 Steps to Evil” by Sacha Black
I found this book an excellent resource for writers, especially for those of us who may be at the stage I was in at the time of reading – nearing the end of the first draft of my WIP, Director’s Cut – which I have now finished. Sacha Black equips the writer with plenty of toolsContinue reading “Book Review: “How To Craft Superbad Villains: 13 Steps to Evil” by Sacha Black”
Film Review: “Philomena” starring Steve Coogan and Judi Dench
I belong to a Film Club which meets every 2 months and a few days ago our film of choice was Philomena. I’ve now watched it four times in as many days, and during that time I’ve been haunted by the characters, by the story, and by what it tell us about life and aboutContinue reading “Film Review: “Philomena” starring Steve Coogan and Judi Dench”
Books That Shock, Move and Change Their Readers
I have loved many books in my life, but the ones that stand out for me have three ingredients: archetypal themes, emotional charge and X factor. And they are the ones which can indeed change the way you see the world. My three nominations will be grouped under the headings of the power they exertedContinue reading “Books That Shock, Move and Change Their Readers”
Mystical Circles, Emotional Charge on the Spiritual Journey – How Life Itself Inspires an Author
Over the last few months, some readers have been asking me, “What inspired you to write ‘Mystical Circles’? And, as I have just issued a revised edition of the novel on Kindle with a new cover design, I thought now would be a good moment to answer some of those questions. The story evolved outContinue reading “Mystical Circles, Emotional Charge on the Spiritual Journey – How Life Itself Inspires an Author”
Mental and Emotional Byways, Complexes and Hang-Ups in Fictional Characters
Having just read an interesting blog post about depression, I was led to reflect upon how easy it is to allow your own “principles” to override compassion, empathy and honesty about the reality of human life. This applies to all of us, but there is a special challenge here for those of us who write stories, andContinue reading “Mental and Emotional Byways, Complexes and Hang-Ups in Fictional Characters”
The Novels We Love and Carl Jung’s Theory of the Collective Unconscious
Among his many theories, Carl Jung includes “the Collective Unconscious”. This “collects and organises personal experiences in a similar way with each member of the species.” If we consider a book to which millions have responded in a similar positive way, for instance Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”, we may then see that the story touches uponContinue reading “The Novels We Love and Carl Jung’s Theory of the Collective Unconscious”
How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Complexes Help You in Your Creative Writing?
Among the writings of Carl Jung, we find the psychological concept of “complexes”. A complex may be defined as “a core pattern of emotions, memories, perceptions and wishes in the personal unconscious organised around a common theme such as power or status.” Many of us have probably heard someone described as having an inferiority / guilt / martyr complex. AndContinue reading “How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Complexes Help You in Your Creative Writing?”
How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Archetypes Help You in Your Creative Writing?
Among his many theories, Carl Jung includes “archetypes”. An archetype may be defined as “a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behaviour”. If you read Robert McKee’s Story, you will find that the key to writing a great novel lies in “building archetypal elements into the story.” So what exactly are these “archetypal elements”? And how exactlyContinue reading “How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Archetypes Help You in Your Creative Writing?”
How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Synchronicity Help You in Your Creative Writing?
Among his many theories, Carl Jung includes “synchronicity”. This may be defined as “the meaningful patterning of two or more psycho-physical events not otherwise causally connected”. I’ve known of this theory for several years, and have seen it operating not only in my life but in the lives of others. Now I realise how it canContinue reading “How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Synchronicity Help You in Your Creative Writing?”
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