MODES OF IMAGINATIVE CONSCIOUSNESS IN NARRATIVE PRACTICE OF CONTEMPORARY WRITERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21009/ishel.v1i1.56239Keywords:
imaginative consciousness, writing process, popular culture, adult fiction writers, narrative phenomenologyAbstract
Imaginative processes in fiction writing are often discussed in terms of creativity, yet less is known about how imagination functions as a mode of consciousness shaped by cultural environments. This study investigates how imaginative consciousness emerges in the narrative practices of six Indonesian fiction writers who are active across digital and print platforms. Employing a narrative-phenomenological approach, the research draws on Sartre’s theory of imagination and Strinati’s theory of popular culture to examine the writers’ lived experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically using open coding. The findings reveal that imagination is structured through sensory perception and internalized cultural symbols. Two dominant modes of imaginative consciousness emerge from the data: a reflective mode, linked to planning, character design, and narrative structuring; and an affective mode, marked by emotional flow, spontaneous associations, and memory. These modes are shaped by popular culture, including digital reading trends, audience responses, and symbolic references. The study offers a grounded understanding of imagination in fiction writing as a dynamic interplay between subjective experience and cultural influence. It highlights how fiction writers navigate between self-expression and symbolic mediation within contemporary literary environments.
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