Six Suggestions for Sustainable Writing: Inspiration from Frank Herbert’s Dune
June 26, 2008 by J.C. Hewitt
Article By Morgan O’Donnell
Writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens in your surroundings, your environment. Frank Herbert’s Dune-a classic science fiction novel-offers some important ideas to apply to your own writing environment.
Build Community
Although the so-called, romantic idea of the solitary writer has been around for ages, the truth is that good writing, like many other things, needs the support of family and community to flourish. Whether it is the Fremen tribes, the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, or the Atreides clan, the support and knowledge of others play a large role in Dune. Even the evil Baron supports his own family, albeit in limited and twisted ways. By building your own writing community, you can find others to commiserate with, seek feedback on your projects, receive positive support, and discover new ideas. Join a writer’s group or an online discussion board and make new writing friends.
Overcome Your Fears
Writing is magical. By putting words on paper, you are shaping reality. Additionally, writing often causes you to reflect on yourself, your life, or even the world. Self-reflection and shaping reality can be scary at times. In Dune, Paul uses the Bene Gesserit Litany against Fear (a kind of meditation) taught to him by his mother to help him face his fears while being tested by the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam. Figure out what helps you face your fears then use those tactics. Maybe journaling about that new writing project helps you recognize areas that worry you. Maybe talking with someone from your writing community will allow you to discover the fears holding you back. Try the power of positive thinking. Write or say to yourself that you will accomplish your task.
Recycle
All good writers recycle. Frank Herbert certainly recycled in Dune, pulling ideas from a variety of sources: Native American tribal practices, Arabic words, mythology, and religion. He even used what he had learned reporting on the growth of sand Dunes in Oregon. The Fremen were master recyclers, reclaiming the water of their bodies through their ingenious stillsuits. Read. Read a lot. Read the masters in your genres. Find new ways to use old ideas. Find new connections.
Listen to the Land and Yourself
In Dune, the Reverend Mother tells Paul that a good ruler must learn his world’s language, “the language of the rocks and growing things.” The Fremen also pay attention to the environment in Dune from the feel of the wind to the sounds of the desert animals. Furthermore, both the Fremen and the Bene Gesserit acknowledge that there is much to be learned by listening to yourself such as through meditation or examining dreams. Writing ideas are all around you. What is happening in the news? What are the hot topics in the field? Keep a dream journal. Use ideas from your journal to kick start your articles, poems, or stories.
Train, Practice, Learn
Dune is filled with examples of the importance of training, practicing, and learning. Paul trains and learns from early childhood how to be a duke, a leader, and a warrior. His mother has trained her entire life in the Bene Gesserit way. In order to increase your writing skills you need to exercise and practice them. Do some mental stretches. For example, if you are writing an article about solar panels, try writing it as a poem first. If you are writing a poem about the beauty of a blue jay, try using the blue jay as a character in a short story. Take a class or even earn a degree. There are a variety of options from a bachelor’s in English to a Ph.D. in technical communication. Try a local Artist’s Way class. Most important of all, write. Write something everyday.
Live Your Life and Replenish Yourself
There will be nothing to write about and no one to write it if you don’t actually live your life and take time to replenish. Even amidst all the politics, deaths, training, and battles, Paul still finds time to fall in love with Chani and start a family. Although the Fremen battle daily for survival in the desert they still find time to “share the Water,” as well as celebrate tribal births and honor those who have died. Take time to watch a movie, go swimming, or spend time with your loved ones. And, don’t forget to eat healthy and exercise.
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Morgan O’Donnell muses on nature, poetry, writing, and the search for a sustainable life at Red Raven Circling. A longtime Dune fan, she continues to recycle Frank Herbert’s novel in her pursuit of a sustainable graduate career.
I like the tip on recycling information. Finding new ways to use or present old ideas.
As C.S. Lewis said (paraphrasing here), you’ll be original not by striving for originality but rather by telling the truth. Focus on the truth, on truly beneficial information presented honestly, and you’ll inevitably become original.
I look to my blog archives to find inspiration for new posts. I like to do remix posts, posts that are similar to earlier, popular posts of mine, but edited more concisely and rearranged to make my point better, as well as adding new angles.
Nice reminders here.
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Morgan,
Excellent points that will be useful to writers of all kinds. Many of us need the reminder that living life replenishes our creativity. It’s often easy to get so involved in writing that we forget hobbies, relationships, relaxation.
[...] 2008 at 5:56 am (Writing, sustainability) Tags: Dune, Frank Herbert, Writing Today I am over at PoeWar.com Writers Resource Center with a guest blog! What am I blogging about? Some of you probably have already guessed that it has [...]
@Jesse, Thanks for the comments. I love the idea of remix posts! Nice paraphrase from Lewis as well.
@Lillie, although my article is about writing I do think so many of us -whether we are writers, waiters, or teachers– get caught up in “stuff” that we forget to live and to take care of ourselves.
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I will have to comment later. Good work!
@ LEX Girl, thanks for stopping by!
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Morgan, you make me want to start writing – & I’m not even a writer! Great suggestions.
Valerie
Great tips, Morgan, (and I love your bio!).
@ Valerie, thanks for the comment and for stopping by. You might consider journaling even if you have no desire to be published or don’t consider yourself a writer. It might help you learn to listen to yourself and slow down and enjoy life a bit more, not that you aren’t already enjoying your life
@AnaLouise, glad you liked the tips. And, thanks to you for encouraging me to continue recycle Dune and think about the importance of community. Our class and PGA really opened my eyes on that item.
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Excellent tips for any line of work! All of my writing has been private journaling (15 years worth) but going public is quite enticing….and challenging!
“There will be nothing to write about and no one to write it if you don’t actually live your life and take time to replenish.”
How very true. Love this piece! You are a beautiful writer!
-Val
What an inspiring piece! It should be read by all freshman composition students!
@Nicholle, thanks for the comments. Yes, although this piece was targeted at writing, I have been thinking about sustainability in general. I keep asking myself what does it mean to me and what could a sustainable life be like. Journaling is a wonderful way to explore ideas, but writing for another audience can be fun as well. Best of luck if you decide to go public!
@ Val, thanks for the compliment (blushing a tad). You made my day just hearing that as I have been wrestling with bureaucratic policies all morning.
@Theresa, thanks for stopping by! And, thanks for the idea about freshman composition. Maybe I will pitch my ideas to the English department
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There are so many things to learn from Dune, I think it’s time to pull out my copy and reread it!
A wonderful post!
Erick
Morgan-
What a fantastic take on the personal mechanics of writing! I often find myself in the position that I have worried so much about my topic, my wording, my overarching themes that I wind up forgetting what inspired me in the first place and allow my fears to overwhelm me. I will likely print this post off and keep it taped above my desk so I can have the occasional friendly reminder.
Great post Morgan!!
Jessi
Morgan, that was an enjoyable read filled with many useful and insightful ideas.
I especially like the fact that you used Dune as a point of reference and as type of living example.
@ Erick, I agree with you completely. That’s why I keep recycling it and using it in my graduate work
@Jessi, thanks for stopping by and the kind words. I am glad you found the article useful and I know that you will be able to overcome your fears, especially if you go back to what originally inspired you.
@Doug, thanks! Now if I can just figure out how to parlay my love of Dune into a full-time, paying gig. Hmmm…maybe there is a Dune museum where I could find a job.
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Good stuff Morgan! Nice info for an aspiring scriptwriter like myself. I especially liked the reminder to “recycle” as any good writer should! I take lots of time while watching movies and reading books to think about how everything is organized and why different things are successful – and try to remember that later! JK Rowling’s Harry Potter is almost made entirely of recycled ideas re-worked and puzzle-pieced together into something that has surely paid off nicely for her.
–”Even the Baron supports his own family…”
Ha! This is as true as it is disturbing to think of the Baron outside of his wickedness. I’d like to agree with what others have said; Dune is a great parable! I’ve never considered it for writing.
Also, recycling/remixing is such an emergent issue in our times! I wonder if the way the Fremen kept the water distribution so confined isn’t a way to envision how our culture has approached publication. Restrict writing distribution; close off people’s voices unless they write what publishers want. Uh oh, here comes the internet; now more people can be writers.
Morgan,
Great tips and ideas! I especially liked reading that there is much to be learned through “listening to yourself through meditation and dreams.” I have tried that approach, and it works!
Morgan,
Thank you so much for this blog. I think you offer many good ideas about writing especially about recycling and building a community. And from one Dune fan to another..keep on keepin on…
“Allow for surprises. When we create, there are always other forces at work.”
Morgan, thank you for sharing this Dune-inspired article with us. My husband has been telling me for years that I “should read Dune, but you’ll need a dictionary handy” and “I will love Dune”! Darnit, I just need to make time for the important things like reading! Have you noticed, too, how several of the pieces John has published during his vacation have been related to creativity and inspiration?! It is fascinating to me to know from what books, life experiences, photographs, songs, poetry, etc. any given work might be derived. Dune, like many books or other literary works, is a fabulous springboard.
Best wishes,
Leigh
What a great post! Very clever to parallel writing with Dune-one of my favorites!! I have got to say that recycling is definitely an integral part of writing-and even life. Taking something that works and making it better can be applied to any aspect of your life. Thanks for the great food for thought!
Morgan, I really appreciate all your suggestions here, and I love how you thread Dune through it (although I’ve never read Dune). My favorite suggestion is the one on recycling. I have a friend who often complains that she has no original ideas–”Someone has already written a book about it!” I tried to tell her that it’s not the idea itself but how she writes about it, what new perspective she would bring that would make her book (or essay) stand apart from someone else’s. You give great examples of how that would work.
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I love how you do this! You make a story that can be cumbersome and obscure to many and you interpret elements of it to be relevant and interesting.
One of my favorite notions in or better said, interpretations of the story, Dune, is the possible addition to knowledge or “the spice.” Talk about a powerful addiction!
But the point you make about creation rarely happening in a vacuum is so true and cannot ever be overstated or too oft-repeated! I see many parallels in attitudes in the world of fine art.
Brava!
[...] “All good writers recycle.” To see what I mean, read her full post by clicking here. [...]
Exchanging Point of Views
Dear Morgan,
I enjoyed your article and I am of the exact same opinion with the suggestions you included from Frank Herbert. Writing is indeed indispensable to a contemporary society because with writing one can communicate, discover, and also find bliss. It connects us to culture, knowledge, society, and above all the meanings of our lives.
Writing is not only the learned process of molding experiences into text, it is also the process of communicating through thoughts and feelings.
Writing is the mirror that reflects the activities of the community and conversation and shows it to the whole world in various languages. With writing, the globe has become closer in distance, which will make for a more creative future.
Training, practicing, and learning are certainly great factors for effective writing. Try adopting the other partners’ perspectives, careers or behaviors. Imagine that you are any other creature on earth beside yourself. Try hard to understand their circumstances and write about what they deserve to have or to face.
The idea of exchanging positions and writings between humans will enrich the mind with a different, brighter way of living and of looking at life.
Jameela Sayed Ali
Recycle? Why not steal?
“Mediocre Writers Borrow; Great Writers Steal” – T.S. Eliot
Great article. Especially the part about community. If you want to be a better writer, read lots, write even more, and immerse yourself into the community. I agree wholeheartedly.
@Andrew, I’m glad you found the post useful. I agree that a lot of writers and moviemakers have “recycled” their way to success. In addition to J.K. Rowling, I would J.R.R. Tolkien and George Lucas, both of whom have gotten a lot of their material from mythology.
@Richard…ah, yes, the Baron and his family are quite disturbing aren’t they? I like your comparison to the publishing industry. Not only is the Internet giving more voice to people, but so is Printing On Demand. Now the question is what will the people do with their voices?
@Marisol, thanks for stopping by. I think that often it is hard to listen to ourselves when there is so much other noise or stimuli in our lives. Even ten minutes of quiet time or journaling can help you focus on your goals.
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@Marybeth, ah, another Dune fan! Yes, I think community can be a wonderful thing, especially in grad school
@Leigh, yes, you do need to read Dune. And then, there are 5 other books in the original Dune series along with 8 books by Frank’s son, Brian, coauthored with Kevin J. Anderson.
http://www.dunenovels.com
You mentioned the other articles John has published here on his blog (which have been fantastic) and that reminds me that I need to give John his due as well. He inspired me with his blog, “6 Freelancing Lessons from Tony Stark aka ‘Iron Man.’”
@jaime j, recycling is a good idea and you are right that it can be applied it many areas of life. Thanks for stopping by!
@Marie Ann, I have to say that I do know what your friends means. It does feel overwhelming sometimes to see the sheer number of books, stories, essays, and poetry that is out there. However, I agree with you that each person brings her or his own unique perspective. So far it seems like my recycling suggestion is the most popular. Hmmm…that’s got me to thinking about what else I can write on that topic.
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Morgan-
While I do dig the recycling the suggestion, I have to stand with Margaret and the others that have latched on the community. Building a supportive community and drawing inspiration from the community around you is SO important (or, at least, it is to me… I guess that’s the activist in me coming out… =) ). And who among us can say that the issues in our communities in this day and age aren’t inspiring, in one way or another?! =)
Jessi
@Victoria, what? Some people find Dune cumbersome and obscure?! Say it ain’t so! Seriously, the addiction to knowledge is an interesting interpretation. How about taking it a bit further and comparing that to our current society’s addiction to information? Thanks for the comments.
@Jameela, thanks for exchanging your views with me. I like your idea that writing is making the world a smaller place and more creative. I hope it can also make our world more peaceful.
@Margaret D., I thought about stealing until I read the section in the grad handbook about plagiarism
Just kidding. As for community, I say find a community or make it yourself. I think John has collected/built a wonderful community right here on PoeWar.com.
@Jessi, I do agree wholeheartedly about community. That’s why it was my first suggestion. It was the first thing I thought of when writing the article.
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Morgan, you made me want to write again! Your ideas about building a community and recycling were especially meaningful. I think so many people think that they don’t have enough original ideas to write anything interesting, but recycling old ideas and motifs in new ways can help all of us!
I’m looking forward to reading the next great article written on Dune — and I fully expect that article will be written by you!
Sandi
Morgan –
I admire what you are doing. I am a “closet writer”. I have folders of poems and old note books of journal type thoughts put down on paper, but I have never had the nerve to really put it out there.
I guess if I got involved in a community, especially a community that seemed to express ideas that related to some thoughts that I have played with over the years, it might make all the difference.
As for recycling, if done right (I guess the audience determines whether it is “right”); it can be very effective and successful. As someone pointed out earlier, look at all the book series and movies sequels. As far as blogging goes, you can recycle a really successful format and use it for just about any different subject matter… and it works! My opinion. : )
Great article, Morgan. You wrote it about writing, but some of your ideas can be applied to other areas of our lives, too. For instance, in the section about “overcoming your fears,” the idea about using a journal is one that can be used when you are entering a new phase of your life. Fear is always lurking behind us when we try something we haven’t done before or something in which our confidence level is low. Loved the writing. Keep it up!
Marty
@Sandi, that’s great to hear about wanting to write again. I hope you do. Yes, still working on that article, but now I am wondering if I might end up doing a book. Thanks for stopping by.
@Sharon, neat term, “closet writer.” I’d bet that there are a lot of closet writers out there. Why not create/build your own community? Find some writers who share similar interests and start talking and writing. Thanks for stopping by.
@Marty, thanks! Your comment is good too, “fear is always lurking behind us.” I think fear can also lurk ahead of us. Sometimes we are afraid of the potential success and so sabotage ourselves before we get there. Journaling is an excellent technique and it’s so much cheaper than a therapist. Oh, my legal counsel says I need to add this statement. Disclaimer: I am in no way disparaging therapists or discouraging anyone from seeing one.
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Enjoyed your article, Morgan, especially the “Live Your Life and Replenish Yourself” advice. (Don’t we all need that on so many levels!) Rhetorically, it also does a great job of returning to your opening that “Writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum.” Nice work!
Jane, thanks for the compliment. Yes, we do need to take care of ourselves. Many women especially have a tendency to take care of everyone but themselves.
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Great tips, I really enjoyed the article any chance of some follow up articles?
Hey Morgan! Great job with this post – I really enjoyed reading it. And some of the comments have been really thoughtful as well. I love the concept of the closet writer.
Keep up the good work!
Laura
I really like that you talk about how writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Once upon a time, I used to write almost as much as I read (which is still pretty voraciously), but I got out of the habit. I tried to discover a hobby this summer and found that there were so many ways to reconnect to writing, but it all began with just writing something a day. But I often felt stuck, overwhelmed, as if I had to write something “important” to make it worth the effort. However, I was resolved to write every day; I just didn’t know where to start. I found some online writing communities, though, and I found a ton of suggestions for writing prompts. Some days, I would work through my day just to clear my head and find something to get me writing, but most days, I would write to some of the random writing prompts. It was such a release! I felt as though I had somehow, mysteriously channeled that former self that wrote constantly, because I would sit down to write for 20 minutes and not get up for an hour, and I’d have pages and pages of content. Some of it was utter tripe, but it got me through a rough emotional time, and it helped reinvigorate a part of me I had thought long dead. Thanks so much for this positive reminder about the importance of writing!
Ta,
peggy
Oh! I forgot to add this bit in my last post:
I also recently watched “Becoming Jane” (eh, I :heart: Anne Hathaway, and I :heart: Jane Austen, but I probably wouldn’t have been as interested if it weren’t that combo since it wasn’t terribly well done). I found it very interesting that they DIDN’T mention the fact that she had written in secret, hiding away her writings when others would enter a room. While I know it was a movie that aimed to show her place in her family (and presumably her family knew about her passion/need for writing), I found it very interesting that that particular tantalizing tidbit wasn’t included, and it was made very public knowledge that she wrote her “little stories”, but I guess it would have made for an even more stilted plot.
Peggy
@James H., thanks for stopping by. Certainly, I would consider more articles. What would you like to see? More Dune stuff? More sustainable writing? Something different?
@Laura, thanks for the comments. I tried to take a moment to respond to everyone who commented. I felt that if they took the time to read my post and comment that I should give them the same courtesy.
@Peggy, I know what you mean about feeling you have to write something “important.” I’m not sure why we feel we have to write the great American novel in order for writing to meaningful. I first started to realize that writing was a process in and of itself when I took the Artist’s Way and did morning pages. More recently in one of my graduate courses I really came to understand how writing my drafts of my research paper helped me understand better not only the direction I wanted to go with the paper, but the drafts helped me grasp a lot of the material in a deeper way. So even though some drafts may got completely jettisoned, it was still worth writing them.
I haven’t seen “Becoming Jane,” but that is interesting that they chose to alter that bit about her writing.
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Morgan,
Great analogy–and great points! It’s so true that “writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum.” Everything we write–whether fiction or non-fiction–flows from our real-world experiences…from the realities of life as we’ve both lived it and seen it lived…from the ways in which those realities have changed and affected us…from the people who have impacted our inner and outer environments…from the physical world around us and the profound effect it continually exerts on our thinking.
It’s important to remind ourselves of these things every once in a while–to willfully remove ourselves periodically from our obsession with writing and once again engage with the people, things, and forces that surround us, where we can draw new inspiration, enthusiasm, creativity, and perspective and thereby learn new lessons and add new vitality to our writing.
As you’ve said, we must not simply write about life; we must live it.
Thanks for an excellent post!
Jeanne
I’ve never read Dune, but the advice on writing here is solid. As a poet and writing teacher, I appreciate the creative parallels. The advice on community is particularly pertinent. You know you’re a writer when you want to A) share what you write and B) make it better by listening to what others say about it. Morgan has been listening.!
Thanks, Morgan.
Chris
Fantastic points, Morgan! I enjoyed your guest blog immensely. Keep up the good work!
-Courtney
I am going to share this guest blog with my social worker friend who wrote a novel and has not yet found a way to get it published. She needs a writing community for support! You make many excellent points. I am reflecting on the recycling discussion. I doubt that there are any 100% original thoughts out there but there are certainly ways we can bring our own unique”culture of one”(not my orginal phrase) to the table. Someday I may try to write, you offer great encouragement. Thanks, Marcia
@Jeanne, thanks for the lovely comments. It is a challenge to remember to live our lives, to savor the details of them. I love to spend a little time each day simply listening to and watching the birds. That one simple thing can add so much richness and joy to the day.
@Chris, thanks for the compliments. If I have learned to listen, it was because I had wonderful teachers.
@Courtney, thanks. It’s always nice to hear someone has enjoyed your work.
@Marcia, I hope this post helps your friend and that you also try your hand at writing. I am sure that you and your friend could start your own writer’s community. Thanks for stopping by.
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Morgan,
I’ve been a fan of Frank Herbert and Dune for a very long time and enjoyed your article immensely. The examples you gave were right on target and very much to the point. You can learn a lot about what inspires the creativity of any writer by the characters & environments they create and – if you like their style – try to recreate it in your own life. That seems to be the most important part of the equation – that you’ve lived it. Facsimiles are apparent but no one can blame you for traveling the same road with the benefit of your own individual perceptions and using the journey to find your own inspiration.
Bravo!
Ean, I am still always amazed at the number of Dune aficionados out in the world. Obviously, what Frank Herbert wrote spoke to many of us on many different levels. Every time I reread Dune I learn something new or see it in a new perspective. Through his work, I consider him to be one of my many mentors and teachers.
Thanks for stopping by, Dune brother
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I LOVE this idea. I actually use the “fear is the mind killer” spiel pretty regularly when I find fear blocking my path. It doesn’t always work, but sometimes it’s a good distraction.
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LS, It is amazing how often we will let fear control our actions and thoughts. I agree with you about the distraction. Thinking about Dune or almost anything associated with Dune is a great distraction for me
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!
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