Closed Communities, Spiritual Hothouses and Writing Groups by SC Skillman
Today I was thinking about the relationships we form throughout our lives; those that endure through many seasons, and those that either fade away, or are deliberately broken. In life I've discovered that the dynamics between people can be understood in terms of energy exchange. Within a group of people there can be some who give energy to the group, and others who drain energy from those around them. Although we might not consciously acknowledge what is going on, in our lives this determines who we stay in relationship with, and who we instinctively want to distance ourselves from. In my novels I am fascinated by human psychology and by the way different personalities interact with each other, and in particular, group dynamics. I write about spiritual communities, cult groups and charismatic leaders, and have been infuenced by years of personal experience in this area. And yet I will have to say this: look no further than a group of writers if you want to explore intense rela...