Back to Work....

After what has been an age (88 working days apparently) I have gone back to work.  Initially doing half days and then hopefully back to my usual 25 hours after the Bank Holiday.  I am not sure that I am really ready.  I am not sure that I ever will be.  However, I know I need to get back for my sanity if nothing else.  Oh, and the money will come in handy!!

Advice from Anne Rice on Writing

On writing, my advice is the same to all.  If you want to be a writer, write.  Write and write and write.  If you stop, start again. Save everything that you write.  If you feel blocked, write through it until you feel your creative juices flowing again.  Write. Writing is what makes a writer, nothing more and nothing less.

http://annerice.com/

There is a Muse.....

There is a muse, but he's not going to come fluttering down into your writing room and scatter creative fairy-dust all over your typewriter or computer station.  He lives in the ground.  He's a basement guy.  You have to descend to his level, and once you get down there you have to furnish an apartment for him to live in.  You have to do all the grunt labour, in other words, while the muse sits and smokes cigars and admires his bowling trophies and pretends to ignore you.

Stephen King in On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft
http://stephenking.com/

Bleed....

It is only when you open your veins and bleed onto the page a little that you establish contact with your readers.  If you do not believe in the characters or the story you are doing at that moment with all your mind, strength, and will, if you don't feel joy and excitement while writing it, then you're wasting good white paper, even if it sells, because there are other ways in which a writer can bring in the rent money besides writing bad or phony stories.

Paul Gallico
http://www.paulgallico.info/

Don't Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle: Doreen Virtue

The book is a self-help book; dealing with the issue of Stress in our lives, and talks about how many 'traumas' or life events; such as deaths, birth, job problems etc, lead to emotional feelings of loss of safety and unpredictability.  This leads us to be hyper vigilant which causes stress.  Of course the main focus of the book is the need for us to Relax.

In relation to writing and creativity, I find the notion of having a 'Drama Detox' very interesting.  One of the items that is listed under detoxing is Procrastinating and getting behind schedule. But other items include cutting out stressful TV, stressful friends, overspending, bad foods and (self imposed?) time pressures.  For someone who has struggled with OCD in the past, (myself), Doreen discusses this as a desire to run away from fear and pain.  I think this is linked to Procrastination in a big way.  Therefore, we need to face our emotions in order to remove the need for procrastination or OCD.

So, pay attention to your internal signals.  Don't immediately react. You can have control over your reaction to stress. 

Take steps to restore your inner glow.  Have a best friend relationship with yourself.  Take care of yourself and don't push yourself too far.  Spend your time in meaningful ways and Have Fun!

She goes on to give us a list of 'Healthful behaviours'.  This list includes artistic and creative endeavours, as well as more obvious relaxation such as massage, relaxing music and deep breathing.   She also emphasises the need for you to do what your soul calls you to do!

She also touches on the subject of 'Approval Seeking'.  In relation to writing, you are the one who can give yourself that approval.  You ARE good enough!   As for other people, we can't control other people actions, only our reactions to them.  Don't take things personally as any criticism is a reflection on them, not you!  Be assertive, calm and mature.  Remind yourself often of your accomplishments and who you are as a person.  No one can take that away from you!

Perfection

If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word

Margaret Atwood  http://margaretatwood.ca/

Be Like The Fox

Be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direction.

Wendell Berry; Farmer and Writer   See: www.wendellberrybooks.com/

Quoted in: Unleash Your Creativity: Secrets of Creative Genius, by Rob Bevan and Tim Wright published by The Infinite Ideas Company Limited www.infideas.com (2005)