Prescription For Writer Creativity
The January issue of The Writer Mag has an article by Bethanne Kelly Patrick that speaks about maintaining and/or reconnecting with your creativity. She offers the following prescriptions (Rx):
Rx #1: Take action. Nothing will happen until you pick up your pen or type on your keyboard. Find a way to keep writing a certain amount of time a day--if it's the same time each day, so much the better. Don't panic if ideas don't come immediately. Keep doing the first two parts of this Rx until they do.
Rx #2: Start reading, keep reading, don't stop reading. Savor the strange; even if your own writing is more about addressing an envelope rather than pushing it, you'll be rewarded with a creative spark.
Rx #3: If you always do X or Y, try Z. A few hours spent writing in longhand might be just the thing to jumpstart your creative engine.
Rx #4: If you connect with an object, whether or not it relates to your story, try keeping it nearby for a while--looking at, touching, smelling or hearing something unique can stimulate your creative center. You might need a walk or do some other physical activity: Allow your body to take over the creative process for a while.
Rx #5: Don't forget why you started doing what you love. Learn how to "sit in the mess." The creativity you save may be your own!
Writing is a solitary endeavor in many ways, but it doesn't always have to be. Make sure you connect with other writers, whether in person or on-line. They'll help keep you grounded.
P.S. I'm blogging over at Torrid Temptations tomorrow. Mark your calendars to come over and play with Santa and maybe win a prize.
3 comments:
Great comments, Sherril. Writing is so lonely sometimes. And my day job is writing Methods and Procedures, so its sometimes very hard for me to connect with people other than on-line which helps chase the demons away.
Ah, Sherrill. Now these I took to heart. I've copied them off your blog and printed them out and posted them right at eye level.
I'm finding that writing a post on my blog primes my pump. Posting is an activity I ought to do every day, and when I start, I'm rolling. Because I'm writing.
I'm finding the loneliness to be a sort of problem, that usually ends up with my going to get something to eat or drink - a LOUSY system, even though I'm leaning toward coffee, most of the time. When I'm really bummed out with the words, I don't want to talk to anyone about it.
And every time I go into the kitchen to make coffee or get a snack, Sherry hears me (the master bedroom's right off the kitchen) and wants to know how I'm doing. So I get caught with wanting to put something in my mouth and not talking to anybody about the words.
Ah, this is turning into a rant. I'm gonna copy it out and make a blog post out of it.
Thanks again for the creativity suggestions.
The Writer Mag is one of the best writer's tools I have. When I find something of particular use to me, I want to pass it on. :)
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