Tag: creative

Spring Has Sprung…Or Spring Sprang–Either Way, Spring into cREative Action!

So, spring has sprung. Or, maybe spring sprang.

Well, whichever it is, I know that first iteration up there is what fits best with that saucy Sinatra song lyric, “You make me feel so young…” I think a sprung spring was the right choice.

Anyway, now that spring is upon us, it’s time to think again about who we are creatively. It’s time to thaw out and meditate on rebirth. Renewal. Anything with “re.” Come to think of it, creative has “re” in it. So, with that in mind, how do you plan to use this season to your best advantage? How do you plan to warm up the creative engine and get going on your pet projects?

If you’re stuck, here are some ideas:

  1.  Pull an old manuscript OUT of the drawer and REvisit it. Dust it off, give it another look, and see what you can do to breathe new life into it. Add some fresh flowers, some fresh faces, or a fresh new storyline. Give it to a friend and see if they can revive it. Get a new perspective.
  2. Put a current stale manuscript IN the drawer and REv up a new one. Think of a new character and put them in a new situation. Put a bit of yourself on the page and then write your dreams around this new side of your persona. See what happens! If you don’t have time for that March getaway, then write about a character on vacation and live vicariously.
  3. REinvent yourself. If writing or painting or whatever you do has you down, pick up a used guitar and do what I did: sit in front of YouTube until you can play. It works. I bled a lot, but now I’ve got the ability to make music. Yeah, I still write and write and write. But now I can take a break and play Simon & Garfunkel tunes. Paul Simon was one of the greatest writers I know, and it inspires me. What music inspires you?
  4. Go sit in nature in REpose. No book. No music. No conversation. Just sit there and listen to the grass grow. Hear a child laugh in the distance and let that make you happy. Take pleasure in things that don’t need to be created. Find joy in things that just are.
  5. REad. See what someone else created and let it get your juices flowing.
  6. REpeat this mantra: creativity is a process. What I’m saying is, if you’re trying to shake the sleepy doldrums of winter, don’t expect that it’ll happen overnight. Give yourself time to thaw, stretch, and get into the swing of spring again.

It’s spring. It has sprung. You don’t need to be Sinatra to make beautiful creative music this time of year. You just need a little inspiration. Or a good Paul Simon tune.

How do you get into the creative swing of spring?

2016 Is Bringing Out the Sweetest Creative Juices!

As 2016 progresses, I’m finding lots of things moving and shifting. Big changes. Little changes. Changes so small, they’re hardly perceptible to the human eye! One change in particular that I’m noticing: I’m falling in love with creativity and the creative all over again. And it isn’t taking the form I thought it would as 2015 came to a close.

First? I’m loving my instructional design (e-learning) work. A lot. Why? Well, I’m working with some really creative people and it’s giving me a chance to create new storylines, copy, and design ideas. I’m taking what I’ve done and pushing it to the next level. Stretching out in new ways. Very exciting.

Second? Changes in my non-work life are prompting me to think about my creative writing in different ways. Instead of focusing solely on book-length manuscripts, I’ve started mining the everyday for creative stems. I got away from that for a while, but it’s good to be back. These tiny fireflies don’t have to light up the big city just yet. They just have to exist as kernels–ready to pop at a moment’s notice.

These are just two examples. But y’know? They are exciting. And the best part of new creative juices is the sweetness they bring to the rest of life. As 2016 progresses, I have to say I’m really looking forward to tasting more.

If you need instructional design/e-learning services, creative copy, editing, proofreading, or any other projects of that nature, reach out! Let’s make 2016 great all around.

If Creativity Eludes You or Writer’s Block Finds You, Just Celebrate

If creativity eludes you today, or if you are suffering from the dreaded writer’s block, don’t worry too much about it. Go do something else and celebrate the fact that you are creative and have creativity in your bones. Period.