Welcome!

I'm glad you stopped by.

The focus of this blog is the intersection between Psychology and Fiction...two interests that have played a central role in my life journey.

At root, the disciplines of both Psychology and Fiction share a common concern: To better understand the human condition.

As such, the discipline of psychology is full of insights that can benefit the thoughtful writer...and the vast legacy of fiction illuminates the struggles and challenges and joys of what it means to be human.

I'm interested in exploring what Psychology has to tell us about: 1) The creative process in general; 2) The craft of writing in particular; and 3) Fictional people and what makes them tick.

I approach this as a learner...and hope that you'll find something of value as we think through these issues. By all means, add your voice...and you'll find honest disagreement welcome here, provided it's wrapped in the spirit of cooperation and civility.

Caveat Lector (Let the Reader beware!):

1) Psychopathology will not be the primary topic here (although we may touch on some issues from time to time). If you're looking for the scoop on Schizophrenia, affective disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, attachment disorders, the Autistic Spectrum, and so forth, there are a number of good sources for writers out there, both online and in the bookstores.

If you want to draw realistic characters with serious psychological/psychiatric disturbances, a little research on your own will take you there...but you may be disappointed by my lack of emphasis on that side of Psychology.

On the other hand, I hope to open your eyes to the quieter, less glamorous side of Psychology.

Personality psychology, Social psychology, Cognitive psychology, Developmental psychology, Positive psychology (the study of the best, healthiest qualities in human beings), Sports psychology...Research from all these areas provides something of value for fiction writers. But they don't garner as much attention as a shower scene in the Bates Motel.

2) Following on the coattails of #1, this is not an online forum for psychotherapy.

After more than twenty years' work in various aspects of Human Services, I'm acutely aware of the pain and heartache and pressure that individuals everywhere suffer.

Years ago, Dr. Scott Peck began his popular work The Road Less Traveled with a simple declarative sentence:

"Life if difficult."

It was true then, and it's still true today...

Simply put: We can't fix that here.

There are resources for hurting people, both online and in your community. If you need some TLC in the midst of personal struggles (and we all do, at times) please seek out these options. As a last resort, there are even Call-In shows...but don't get me started.

3) My goal is to dig into the research, find some neat stuff, and talk about how it might apply to fiction. But please remember, Psychology, like all areas of study, is founded on controversy. Economists argue endlessly over economic theory. Physicists still debate today whether Einstein got it right. The same is true for Psychology.

This is how true science works...over time, the evidence accumulates. Some theories are supported, others fall by the wayside. That's a healthy and needed process.

But this is not a forum designed to argue the relative merits of various psychological theories.

That would steer the conversation away from practical application, make this a purely academic exercise, and bore most people to tears. If serious psychological debate is your cup of tea, gratify your needs elsewhere...please and thank you.

Ground rules sound fair?

Let's get started!