Committing to Creativity

I've mentioned before that there was a period in my life (almost ten years) where I did absolutely NO writing and, quite frankly, it sucked. When I committed myself to making writing a part of my world again, I promised to do it as "often as I could." It was a flimsy promise. I found myself skipping writing days because I knew the work could be put off. At first I thought that sluggish writing was better than not writing at all but eventually, I came to realize that it wasn't satisfying enough. I owed it to myself to do better.

The promise changed a couple of years ago when I decided to expand my creative horizons. I promised myself to write Monday through Friday with weekends off and it worked well for me. The quality of my work changed because of it. One of my closest friends, RC, told me just last week that she could see a lot of development and growth in my writing.

The vow has changed again. I now write every day except for Sunday. I've become an advocate of writing and reading daily because it keeps my creative mind open. I don't always get to write 5,000 words or read lotsa chapters in whatever books are on my reading list or nightstand. Some days, the most I do is a quick journal entry about a dream or idea and reading is limited to catching up on a few friends' blogs but I am doing something every day.

I know that sometimes it's hard to fit everything into our hectic schedules but doing something you love is important so you've gotta make room for it. I'm glad that I've been able to commit myself to a creative life. It hasn't been easy but it's been worth it! It's helped me to learn more about myself and has trained my brain to work in bolder, broader strokes. It feels good to be creative every day!

Smiling,

~Valeka

Scenery

I ordinarily do my writing at my antique oak kitchen table. It's been in my family since my Dad was a kid and I was lucky enough to be gifted it when I moved away from home. In my little head, I  believe that sitting at something old and familiar gives a sense of structure and strength to what I write. When I want a bit of a change-up from my regular writing location, I go to the park.

I love going to the park to write or read (or both!!). The sunshine, trees, and green grass invigorate me plus it's a great place to do some people-watching. The change of scenery often inspires new ideas and ways of improving items that I am currently working on.

Morning is my favorite time of day to go because it's so serene. I take with me a mug of hot tea or coffee, my notebook or sketchbook, a few pencils and then I'm set for a couple hours of quiet time.  

Where do you like to go for some quiet writing time?

Smiling,

~Valeka 

Stay Creative

I've been fortunate to have plenty of writing time for the last year or so. I won't always have this opportunity so I try my best not to squander a day of it! Soon, I will have to make space for writing and creativity in my daily life and it will be challenging.

One of my watercolor paintings

A while back, I made a promise to myself to do something creative (even if it didn't involve writing) every day no matter how busy I got. Doing things that keep the creative door in my mind open makes it easier for me when I must work on a writing project. Painting, knitting, creating new cookie recipes, and taking my dogs for walks on the trail behind my home work well for me.

Wall art found during a walk!

When I need help in maintaining my creative flow or need new stimuli, I venture out and find art everywhere! There is inspiration around every corner if we keep our eyes open. I always take a notebook with me and have my phone handy to snap pictures of things that may spark a story later on. I like to think of these things as deposits in my creative bank.  

What inspires you? How do you make time to nurture your creative self? 

Smiling,

~Valeka 

Creative Overload

Yesterday, I heard a lot of voices in my head - the voices of my ideas. If I had done a mind map, it would have been filled with bits of inspiration scribbled in pencil, crayon and thick black permanent marker ink. Arrows would have connected thought bubbles to each other. Then they would have started feeding off of each other and vines would have sprouted to attach themselves to other ideas and bubbles. A parasitic idea mind map.

Most days I get a mixed bag of good and bad ideas but not yesterday; it seemed that every idea that popped into my noggin was a good one. Some of them screamed at me while others used a quieter approach but they all wanted my attention. A few even begged.  I was completely inundated and didn't know where to start, pause or stop.

Finally, I decided that the best way to handle all of them was to create a list in my journal. I didn't put them in any particular order - I simply wrote 'em down as they came to me. Getting them out onto paper helped to appease them...for the time being!

Now the fun of sifting through them begins!

How do you manage a creative overload?

Smiling,

~ Valeka

Uninspired

I went through a period a couple of months ago where I was very inspired every single minute of every day.  I was constantly writing or jotting down ideas and I felt so creative.

Right now, it feels like the well has run dry.  I went from writing daily to writing a few times a week.  And it’s not enough for me.  

I feel like my muse has abandoned me and I’m not sure how to bring her back.  Maybe I’m not getting outdoors enough - sunshine always does me a world of good and makes me feel like I can do anything.

Sometimes I think that maybe I’m not as good a writer as I thought I was.  Like maybe I have been pretending to be good and I’m really not. An imposter. A poser.  In the absence of my muse, the insecurity and self-doubts begin to creep back in.  The longer they are present, the further away inspiration seems and the longer it stays away.

I’m getting out and doing more and I thought that would help to give me something to write about but so far it hasn’t.  Not really.  I’m just writing about how I don’t know what to write and my lack of creativity.  

I miss the feeling of being creative all the time.  I need that feeling back. I miss my muse the way one would miss someone they love. It's sad and it makes me want to stop writing. But I can't because it's such a huge part of me. So...what to do??  


Smiling on the inside -


~V