Automatic Writing: Surrealist art or psychic ability?

What is automatic writing?

Automatic writing has different definitions depending on the movement and historical context in which it’s being practiced. Automatic writing originated from spiritualism, or the belief that spirits can interact with the living. It involves a subject, the writer, moving their pencil without being conscious of what they’re writing. Automatic writing can be practiced using tools, such as a Ouija board or pencil holder.

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Sometimes writers practice automatic writing when they’re in a trance state, usually while participating in a séance. Practitioners hold a writing utensil in their hand while it moves automatically, allegedly because it’s being manipulated by a spirit that wants to communicate with the living. The writers may also be channeling the spirit or allowing it to use their body. Unlike possession, channeling is considered voluntary.

Automatic writing was also popular during the surrealist movement, where it was used to channel the subconscious mind and produce original art pieces.

The history of automatic writing

Automatic writing became popular during spiritualism’s peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by mediums who used it to contact spirits. Back then, writers would take down a spirit’s message using a pencil attached to a planchette—a small board on legs with a hole in the center that supported a pencil. This form of writing usually resulted in incoherent scribbles, so practitioners moved to using a pencil and paper to make their writing clearer. Some have even used typewriters to practice automatic writing.

André Breton, born in 1896, was the founder of surrealism and the first person to apply a surrealist lens to automatic writing. During the First World War, Breton studied medicine and worked in a psychiatric ward where he observed his patient’s language. He believed that the occupants of the hospital expressed their subconscious minds through their speech patterns. After watching his patients for some time, he eventually developed automatic writing to tap into his subconscious as he believed they did. He first started using automatic writing in 1913 to explore authenticity through spontaneous writing and artistry.

After Breton popularized automatic writing, surrealists started applying the principles of automatic writing to their own drawings. They would write as quickly as possible to tap into their subconscious mind while shedding the moral and social constraints that they believed interfered with expressing themselves authentically.

How to practice automatic writing

Whether you believe in spirits or tapping into your subconscious, automatic writing can be a powerful tool for channeling your creativity, brainstorming, and overcoming writer’s block. Follow these steps to practice a secular form of automatic writing on your own:

1. Set aside time.
2. Find a quiet place free of distractions.
3. Clear your mind and try to enter a meditative state.
4. Place your pen or pencil on the paper.
5. Let your hand write whatever comes naturally without overthinking.
6. Avoid looking at your writing until you’re finished.
7. Interpret what you’ve written.
8. Optional: use your results as inspiration for your next piece of writing.

If automatic writing doesn’t work on your first try, don’t be discouraged. In our technological age, it’s hard to quiet our minds on demand. Give it another chance and see what you can create. Some poems, songs, and even novels have all developed from automatic writing.

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