Sweden’s Philosopher Queen, Miriam van der Valk offers fresh practical philosophy and a subtly humorous take on shift-disturbing.
Bored silly by the echo-chambers of my own mind-palace, I sought out some fresh material from a fabulous Thinker; one who takes practical concepts and philosophizes them in fresh ways.
If you want a Thought Re-boot from someone who implements her creativity on a regular basis, Sweden’s Philosopher Queen, Miriam van ver Valk is a great go-to.
So I asked Miriam, “How has coaching improved your writing, as a gifted person ?” Here’s what she had to say:
“Being able to learn from others’ mistakes as well as one’s own is useful. And being able to appreciate subtleties and layers and humor is pretty wonderful. And, with practice, being able to produce some of it yourself.
Coaching provides a setting for progress – there’s the individualized feedback, of course, as well as working on imagining your intended reader, and getting your text to do what you want it to do – but there’s also just the fact that someone clever is reading your stuff.”
“Oh, and the deadlines. They’re also good.”
That’s the whole purpose, isn’t it, to actually progress to the point of producing something that connects with someone.
Deadlines are such an obvious way to reign-in purpose! As fast forward thinkers, it takes a clever coach to bring us back to the obvious. That’s what I appreciate about gifted coaches.
What do you respond to, and Why do you write?
“I like texts that are clear, clever and subtly humorous. Texts that aspire to make you transform and grow. I want to write like that too.
For now, I’m a private journal writer by necessity, so to speak, as well as a short format philosophical blogger and an occasional ghost writer for two very different clients.
I kind of think that I’m a writer waiting to happen. I do hope so. ”
Growth, necessity, and anticipation sound like some pretty potent Why’s, Miriam. It’s funny how brilliant writers can pierce the heart with humor and then install that nugget of truth that creates such a shift-disturbance!
Even as this ‘writer waiting to happen’, I see how your fascinating innovations seem to spring – with little hesitancy – from your writings. There’s a brilliant momentum around all these ‘happens’ that you create. I’m curious: what projects are you potentiating, right now?
“I just finished a philosophical fan fiction type text called “The Exodus of Ms. Fillyjonk”. Ms. Fillyjonk is a character by Finnish painter/writer/illustrator Tove Jansson (1914-2001).
She’s a nervous, misunderstood rodent-like woman with great potential, and I figured that I might let her have some insights and see where it all led. Writing it was fun and felt meaningful, and I think I’ll write one about the character Whomper Toft too. And post them on the Filoprax blog.
My main project is an article called “Philosophical Practice as Coping Facilitator for the Gifted.” It’s almost done – you’ll find it online very soon.”
Miriam van der Valk is a writer who is already happening.
Följ hennes briljanta momentum på filoprax.com
Potentiate what you Create through Workshops & Coaching at intergifted.com
Låna Brown, Innovation Curator, reporting for Intergifted Creatives (Mar – Aug 2017)
well rounded rant 