This article explores the conditions of "flow" experience from two studies into the literate lives of young men (Smith and Wilhelm 2002; 2006) that were explanatory, when present, of motivation and engagement in various activities including literacy, and when absent, of a lack of motivation and engagement in various activities including literacy. Typical school activities and the lack of flow, as experienced by informants in the studies, is contrasted with the experience of playing video games and the practical implications of how to meet the conditions of flow experience in school using inquiry framings of traditional curricular topics.