Kim E Hudson – The Voyage of the Writer
archetypalleader.com
Kim was able to use her work and understanding on the Hero’s journey to refine her own work to a point of excellence, and to champion it in the world of sales and marketing.
As humans, we have two drives
1. love
– passion driven,
– internal motivation
2. fear
– to push back against what could be damaging;
– crisis driven,
– external motivation
Archetypes and journey
– archetypal structure is the series of actions that effect emotional growth (fear and love driven)
– everything you need to know is embedded in the story
Virgin – source of creativity
– to recognise your intrinsic worth and bring it to life
– the power to be all you are capable of being
– to filter the world through your senses and give it a tangible form
Hero – source of productivity
– to push back the boundaries of mortality
– the power to assert your will even against the will of others
– to be objective (it’s not personal)
Thirteen stages / pulses
1. dependent world
2. price of confirmity
3. opportunity to shine
4. dress the part
5. secret world
6. no longer fits her world
7. caught shining
8. gives up what kept her stuck
9. kingdom in chaos
10. wanders in the wilderness
11. choses her light
12. re-order
13. kingdom is brighter
Kim the described each of these stages and how it applied to her own personal experiences in developing her writing and getting to the point of being published. Some are detailed below
Dress the part
Gifts
– the proess of exquisite attunement
– make it tangible
Create your secret world
– Environment effect (belonging, worth, authenticity)
– Container (save, appreciated, timeless)
– Back and forth (touchstone with reality, adjustments as you see fit, a bridge)
Secret world
– populated by friends
– people who want to see be all that you want to be
– very different to an ally
Practice self-care
– self care is a fundamental part of being creative
Seek Novelty
– the world of ‘and’
– internally referenced
Unintended outcomes (otherwise known as mistakes)
– could be something to be curious about
– could be bad, but don’t victimise yourself
Editing
– creativity with an edge
– recognise that you have a strong connection to self which gives you the ability to let others in and be vulnerable
No longer fits her world
– learn to be comfortable with discomfort
– recognise it as a sign of your growth
– keep showing up
Gives up what keeps you stuck
– question and explore your limiting beliefs
– don’t use your writing to get love
– a limiting belief can feel like fear – is it something you need to push against, or sink into and process and let it go
publishing and marketing
– fear can be a good thing
– need to shift to the fear based world and accept that you need to operate with a fear based state of mind
Fear is your ally
– it allows you to anticipate problems (time)
– motivates you to shape your best outcome
– focuses attention, eliminates distractions
Goldilocks principle
– not too much (push back because of fear)
– not too little (it pushes you around, blame other people)
– just right (sweet spot in the middle)
Ways to push back
– set a clear goal
– make it measurable
– break it down into smaller goals
– collect intel
– build skills
– develop allies
– make a plan
Set goals:
– be clear on what is worth dying for (metaphorically)
– consequences of failure
breakdown into smaller goals
– make them measurable
Intel, skills, allies
Intel: know what you are up against
– obstacles, tyrants, competition
Skills: tests
– building self confidence through meeting your challenges, building skills
Find allies
– people who share a common goal
Make a plan
– plot a course that will conceivably achieve your goal
– use logical and rational thought
– push back fear and just do it: strong, rugged, plan
Response to mistakes / corrections
– take the lesson / reward
– consider options
Rewards
– give yourself something to compensate for hardship (delayed gratification)
– midpoint reward for rejuvenation
Note: I went to the academic conference instead of Kim’s full day workshop, where she went into more detail about the Virgin’s journey and Jungian archetypes. However I wasn’t very convinced about the divisions she made about the Virgin’s journey vs Heroes Journey. Perhaps I need to do more reading on her premise