Search results for: creativity

There’s no time—or age—limit on creativity!

24 Wednesday Oct 2018

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CreativityUnlimited
Mary E. Pearson, author of The Remnant Chronicles, heralded the call to reason that “There is no creative clock ticking!” in her blog post on ageism in YA. This truth, as expressed by New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard, is worth repeating:

There is no expiration date on writing. There is no expiration date on success, and I will keep preaching this until my younger and older readers believe me.—Susan Dennard

I’m as guilty as anyone for rushing to charge across the Publication Finish Line. I wrote my first young adult novel in two months with the idea that “that would be it.” Luckily, common sense seeped in. I rewrote that book three times before realizing I needed to work on my craft and deepen my understanding of story structure. It finally hit me that once a book is published that’s it. There’s no do-overs. That’s when I decided to take Time out of the Publication Equation.

At a local author event, Mary E. Pearson admitted that it was 10 years before she published her first novel. Her fourth novel, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, was the start of the hit series The Jenna Fox Chronicles. Pearson didn’t rush. She honed her craft and storytelling to resonate on a deeply human level.

Taking time out of the equation

Taking time out of the equation for a project isn’t always easy. It took me a year to figure out the right approach and voice for the picture book manuscript I’m currently revising. I was feeling bad about it taking me so long to get to that point. Then I saw the following tweet by Kate Messner and felt instantly better:

Woke up this morning with the right voice in my head for a picture book I’ve been trying to write for THREE YEARS. Writers, that’s why we should never give up on those dormant drafts! —Kate Messner

In a followup tweet, Kate admitted it had actually taken 4  years!

I’m currently revising for my third young adult novel, as well as my third picture book manuscript. I want my stories to be as good I as I can possibly make them, and I’m willing to work until they get there. You don’t have to be under, or over, a certain age to get published. The secret to getting published is to not give up!

When you’re in a creative slump

I’m not one to wait around for creativity to strike. When I’m in a creativity slump, I work on something different. If that doesn’t help, I immerse myself in other creative mediums, such as film, television series, music, or dance.

If your creativity is in retrograde, check out how some authors get their ideas in my post on how to Be your own muse. You might also like Creativity kickstart for writers ~ 5 super fun steps.

Time is relative. The journey is the reward. Enjoy the ride!

Time-is-irrelevent

Creativity kickstart for writers ~ 5 super fun steps!

26 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by in Creativity, Writing

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January is International Creativity Month, a great time to remember where the magic happens in the creative process. If we’re honest, there’s two drastically different sides to writing fiction:

  • OC (obsessive compulsive)—the linear, orderly mindset required for tracking the details that make a novel rich and believable
  • Happy place—where stories start and creativity takes flight

Imaginative rocket made of school supplies

Getting lost in the necessary details

We have to think linearly, assess the plausible, and be orderly and organized in execution to write good fiction. As Mark Twain so adeptly explained, “Fiction, after all, has to make sense.”

Writing a novel requires tracking story structure, character traits and arcs, setting and world building details. And maybe more! JK Rowling created an overall spreadsheet for the Harry Potter series, as well as spreadsheets for each individual book. The following image is of Rowling’s hand drawn spreadsheet for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

JK Rowling's outline for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Rowling’s grid outlines the chapter, month, chapter title, with an explanation of how that chapter relates to the over-arching plot of the book. There are columns for each of the book’s six subplots (prophecies, Harry’s romantic interests, Dumbledore’s Army, Order of the Phoenix, Snape and crew, and Hagrid) as well.

Remembering all the necessary details across hundreds of pages can bog down the heartiest of writers, especially when under deadline. Luckily, there’s a cure!

Creative rejuvenation

Creativity is innate to everyone. Much of what is perceived as “writer’s block” is temporary amnesia, we’ve forgotten the pure joy of having fun. When your creative fuel tank sputters on empty, try the following steps to blast your creativity into orbit:

  1. Do something silly, like running up the Down escalator, jumping on the bed, or having a food fight. Breaking up your routine with something random and unexpected, opens a creative doorway.
  2. Make a creative mess. A BIG one! Nothing breaks the bonds of orderly stuckness quicker than doing something that’s the total opposite.
  3. Skip. Everywhere. For an entire day! We stop skipping around the age of 10 or 12, but no one knows why. Scientifically that is. I think it’s because that’s the age we start forgetting how to naturally have fun. Skipping for an entire day will force you to remember what it was like to be naturally happy. Instant creativity is the result.
  4. Do something your 12 year-old self loved to do. For me it was rollerblading, but do whatever made you happy at that age. Again, it’s about tricking yourself into remembering what it’s like to be naturally happy. Then, the creative faucet turns on with firehose force.
  5. Give yourself permission to do NOTHING for an entire day. This is harder than it sounds. In our overachiever society, we’ve forgotten how to slow down and live in the moment. For more about this creativity enhancing practice, check out The Art of Doing Nothing, by Veronique Vienne.

Tranquil spa setting

The “Creative High” is real!

25 Thursday Apr 2019

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Creative mind
Artists of all mediums have experienced the energetic bliss of the “creative high” at one time or another. I certainly did when painting and designing, as much as I have while writing. Maybe we didn’t talk about it, but we knew it was there. That it was real. Ray Bradbury, alluded to the creative high in his famous quote on writing:

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. —Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing

In recent years, neuroscientists have conducted studies that scientifically prove what artists of all types have known all along.

The biology behind the magic of “Aha!”

Vienna’s Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering in collaboration with Goldsmiths University London discovered the secret of the “Aha!-moment”. When people have a flash of insight when solving a puzzle, the mood-enhancing substance dopamine is released. The same is true with artistic creation and insights.

And it just gets better! The initial release of dopamine from a creative endeavor generates continued creativity. L’Amour understood this, as shown in his well known quote on how to avoid writer’s block:

Start writing, no matter about what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on. You can sit and look at a page for a long time and nothing will happen. Start writing and it will. —Louis L’Amour

The creative two-step

According to science and world-renown authors, how to get and stay creative can be summed up in two steps:

  1. Do (create), be (happy). Do, be, Do.
  2. Keep on, keeping on.

Backed by science

If you want to learn more about creativity and the chemistry of your brain:

How to outsmart the traps of ‘Writer’s Time’

29 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by in Humor, Writing

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Some days I wonder if Einstein set out to prove his theory of relativity after experiencing the phenomena of writer’s time:

  1. Suspension in the blissful bubble of the sparkly new idea.
  2. Trudging through horrifically hard scenes or the mire of the middle.
  3. The End…that keeps slipping away.
  4. The Wait after submission, when time freezes.

It took a couple of projects before I recognized the phenomena of writer’s time, and a few more before I learned how to sidestep the traps. The secret to managing writer’s time instead of being controlled by it is to juggle. Yes juggle.

Juggling hands

 

1. Blissful Sparkly Idea Bubble

You’ve got a sparkly new idea and you’re glowing with inspiration and so caught up in the creative process you’re not aware of time passing. You dance through the prose, and the story all but writes itself. This phase must be what Ray Bradbury was referring to when he said, “You must stay drunk on writing…” because it feels GREAT. The trap is believing that writing will always be this way. If you do, when the euphoria fades and the real work begins, you’ll quit. The secret is to enjoy the blissful bubble while lasts and accomplish as much as possible. This will help you through the other phases of writer’s time.

Creative inspiration

 

2. Horrifically Hard Scenes and the Mire of the Middle

The blissful bubble popped and you’re face with writing horrifically hard scenes or the slogging through the mire of the middle, and time crawls at a painfully slow pace. Don’t dismay. Every project this phase, to one degree or another. Trust in the process and keep writing. If the muck starts to feel like quick sand, juggle. Pick up another project for a while and rekindle the spark of inspiration. Always remember the quote by Louis L’Amour: “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

crawling through the hard scenes

3. THE END is in Sight and Out of Reach

Time fliesTHE END is near, but as you type faster, time speeds up, flying by at a gale force velocity. It’s like being on a treadmill, running in place. Invigorating and infuriating.

You know exactly what needs to happen in your story and what to do to get there. You can taste victory, especially when chocolate is at the end of the deadline, but it’s perpetually out of reach. The secret to remember here is that time is an illusion, and in the end (pun intended) the writer always wins! Keep typing.

4. The Wait

You made your deadline with style and grace, but the excitement of sending off your ‘baby’ soon fades. You put your heart and soul into a story and now it’s gone. The Wait to hear back begins. The trap here is allowing yourself to indulge in feeling lost, or succumbing to insecurity and doubt. Don’t do it!

Instead, juggle. Start a new project, or pick up an old one you put on the shelf. Try a new genre. Write something totally different. Write anything. Keep the creativity flowing. If you don’t, you might find yourself in the same predicament as Han Solo, at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. Frozen. Insecurity, doubt, and fear are insidious. Don’t give them a chance to seep in. Keep writing. The secret to getting published (again and again) is to not give up!

Han Solo

 

Zen and the art of creative rhythm

06 Sunday Jan 2019

Posted by in Creativity, Music, Writing

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Dancing figures silhouette

In the Western world, we are judged—and often judge ourselves—by how much we do. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just not always conducive for creativity. Writing, like other creative processes, has a rhythm.

The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between them. —Claude Debussy

Musical structure, by definition, is rhythmic. It relies as much on the silence in between the notes as the notes themselves. The written word is much the same, as is the creative process itself. When creativity is continuously forced, full-speed-ahead, we eventually lose inner and outer balance along with the ability to create.

You may have families, jobs, or other obligations that demand a lot of attention on a daily basis. Making time to write may push your limits some days, especially if you’re on deadline. The secret to maintaining your creative rhythm is to periodically step back, if only for a few moments:Spa rocks and lotus flower

  • listen to classical music during your commute
  • stop for a few minutes to fully appreciate a sunset
  • take a short walk and focus on nature
  • sit for a mini meditation, two or three minutes works wonders

I love the line from the film Million Dollar Baby when Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) tells Maggie Fitzgerald (Hillary Swank), who he’s coaching in boxing, “Sometimes the best punch you can land, is to take a step back.”

This is not a new concept. It’s Zen wisdom that we intrinsically know, but often forget when swept up in the flurry of life’s demands. Ray Bradbury‘s book, Zen in the Art of Writing, provides a deeper look into the practice from the viewpoint of a master.

Musical notes and splashes of color

Get that Half-Baked Story Out of the Oven!

17 Monday Apr 2017

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Writing Recipe for Success

Toddler chefIt happens to every writer. At least once. We start a project, excited and inspired by the sparkly new idea. We run with it, fleshing out characters, working magic with dialog, setting, and plot. Then something happens. Our inspiration dissipates, like air from a hot air balloon. We’re slugging forward through molasses, when once we soared.

It’s easy to get discouraged, or possibly even give up on that great idea at this point. I’m here to tell you…

DO NOT GIVE UP!

Writing a novel is a lot like baking a cake. You carefully organize and mix the ingredients, select and prepare the pan, then put it in the oven to bake at the right temperature for the perfect amount of time. Unlike the cake, a creative oven requires our input for the heat, and the time it takes to fully bake is not always in our favor. Deadliness be damned. Unfortunately, half-baked is only half there.

The good news is that you got the story into the oven. Here’s a few strategies on how you can get it out…fully baked.

Turning Up the Heat

We get stuck in our writing for lots of reasons. The best way to get unstuck is to shake things up, take a new approach, do something totally different. The unexpected has a way of jump starting creativity. Here’s few suggestions:

  • Go someplace you’ve always wanted to, but haven’t. A change of scenery, especially a place that elicits intrigue, works wonders.
  • Watch A LOT of movies and TV shows. Joss Whedon would watch four or five movies in a row (in one day) to study story. You never know what will provide the boost you need for your story.
  • Read A LOT of different things, both magazines and books. Read outside your comfort zone. Change is good. Embrace it.
  • Talk to people who have cool jobs, or who’ve had very different life experiences than your own. This is one of the things Amie Kauffman, co-author of Illuminae and Gemina, does to get new ideas.
  • Go to a public place and people watch. Imagine where they’re going and what they’ll do when they get there. Have fun creating stories without the pressure of an outcome.
  • Start a totally different project in a completely different genre, just for you. Published authors confess to doing this when they’ve been paralyzed under a deadline. TheFemail chef illustration story they started “for themselves” got them excited about writing again and they made their deadline. Those stories later became wildly popular books too. A win-win.
  • Brainstorm with other writers. Especially if you’re under deadline. Screenwriters work this way a lot.
  • Write stuff. Then write more stuff.
  • Fire your internal editor and keep going until you reach The End.

You’re doing great!

 

Be Your Own Muse

31 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Story, Writing

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The Myth of the Muse

Muse ~ a person, or personified force, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.

A muse

For centuries, there have been accounts of writers and artists who looked to muses to spark imagination and fuel creativity. I hate to throw shade on anyone’s creative process, but creativity and imagination are not something you can get from something or someone else. The truth is…

There’s No Magic Feather … or Genie

That’s the bad news. Nothing, and no one, can magically imbue you with creativity. Grow up. It’s just not going to happen.

Creative mindIn Stephen King‘s book, On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft, he says just that: “There’s no magic feather” that will make you a good writer (or artist). It takes a certain amount of innate talent combined with a serious amount of hard work.

The good news is, you don’t need anything outside of yourself to be amazingly creative. You have a vast storehouse of creativity inside you. You just have to know how to access the limitless supply of ideas and raw imagination.

It’s like having your very own Idea Store…inside your head. You just might have temporarily misplaced the key that unlocks the door. Studies of consciousness and the science of creativity (yes, it’s a thing) show there is a Fort-Knox treasure of creativity inside us…just waiting to be tapped.

Activating Your Inner Muse

It’s great knowing you have a wealth of creativity at your beck and call, but you have to know the number. Here’s a few ways to find yours.

I’ve used the following methods, and (from my personal experience) they activate my inner muse. These approaches to unleashing creativity are also listed in the Forbes magazine article Science Continues to Show Us How to Be More Creative.

  • Performing routine tasks, such as housework or walking, allow the mind to wander so creative ideas flow in.
  • Being painfully bored also opens the floodgates of creative thinking. For example, having to wait for long stretches of time, like long airplane flights without a book to read or waiting in line at the DMV.
  • Having a regular meditation practice has shown to improve creativity. Meditation helps slow down the mind, which in turn opens the creative centers of the brain.

At a recent YA (young adult) novel conference, a young writer asked the panel of published authors how they get their creative ideas. Here’s how a few of the authors responded:

Inspiration is Contagious

Why is inspired creativity important for writers? Because a writer’s emotions are woven throughout the tapestry of their stories. As Robert Frost said so succinctly:

No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.

When a story is infused with imagination, the reader is swept up in the fictional world and carried away. I think we’ve all had that magnificent feeling when reading a good book, becoming the characters and our real world drops away. That quality of writing can create a lifetime love of reading. And to me, that is an author’s true measure of success.

Boy's imagination while reading

Fanning the Creative Flame ~ Why Conferences Matter

28 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by in Conferences, Inspiration, SCBWI, Writing

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Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CAThe SCBWI San Francisco/South Golden Gate Conference (at Asilomar) was earlier this month, my first conference in over a year. Such an amazing conference! I can’t believe I was so short-sighted, to go that long without attending a writing conference.

Oh sure, I had the standard rational excuses, that made perfect sense. Taking a year off from writing conferences would save time, money, and effort that would further my work in progress.

What I totally forgot, was how invaluable it is to connect with people who share the same passion. Writing can be such a solitary journey. I always come away from a conference with my creative energy renewed, and a feeling of deep kinship with others who are called to the writing journey.

Motivational Milestones & Inspiring Insights

Initially, I think of  conferences as motivational milestones for my current work in progress (WIP). I admit I am motivated by fear. So when I sign up for a professional critique, I am dangling a figurative hatchet over my head. I will work harder than ever to deliver the best possible pages by the submission deadline, out of fear of public humiliation. I put my self through this trial, because feedback from the editor of a major publishing house is invaluable. I always come away from such a critique with tools for improving my craft, and a clear path for strengthening my story.

Just as important as professional level feedback though, are the insights that arise from the talks and workshops given by the conference’s faculty.

Award winning illustrator E.B. Lewis reminded us all, writers and illustrators alike that:

We’re in the business of amazement.

Jodell Sadler, of Sadler Children’s Literary, invited us to see:

Language is music  … music is language.

E.B. Lewis delivered the most profound insight (for me) with his presentation on the language of pictures. He explained the components of an image that make it a story: narrative (plot), emotion, and anticipation (what’s next). A light bulb went on in my head when I realized that these are the same elements that comprise a well crafted scene in fiction.

Stories aren’t bound by format or medium. E.B. Lewis told us of a young boy who said he “writes the pictures”. We writers, paint with words.

E.B. Lewis, profile picture and quote

Synergy Happens

Creativity is contagious, and the Golden Gate Conference Brochure cover synergy at conferences is nothing short of miraculous. Sparkly new ideas dart about like fireflies, lighting new pathways of possibility.

I learn something from everyone I meet at a conference, and the connections forged can blossom into friendships that last years. 

If you’ve ever thought about writing for young readers, join SCBWI now. SCBWI provides extensive professional resources to its members. You won’t find a more welcoming and supportive group.  And they’re super fun.

I feel fortunate to have found the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). They are my tribe, my people.

[All images are my own]

Creative Courage ~ Blowing Away “The Box”

27 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by in Creativity, Inspiration, Music, Writing

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David Garrett ~ Musical Maverick

When a friend asked if I’d go with her to a concert featuring violinist David Garrett (in San Jose last Tuesday), I expected an excellent show. After all, I’d heard Garret’s classical album, Legacy; proving his world renowned talent as a classical musician.

David Garrett

What I didn’t expect … was to be totally blown away…
Along with that box everyone talks about thinking outside of.

His show — Music, named after his latest release — was genre busting in every possible way. From the wide range of music, to the orchestration and technological presentation. He played everything from Beethoven, Queen, AC/DC, Bach, Brahms, The Beatles, Brazilian … you get the picture. All backed by a rock band. Mindblowingly awesome!

I am inspired by any artist (in any medium) who refuses to follow the customs of their group and sets new standards of excellence. The Maverick … who sees beyond the rules, envisions explosive possibilities, and then brings them to life. What I love most is Garrett’s all-inclusive approach to his art…

I use my instrument to endeavor into all kinds of music genres… ~David Garrett

He draws from “everything” he hears, then filters through the possibilities and permutations to create something fresh and new. He doesn’t see one genre as “less than” and another as “superior”, he embraces all … even technology … to drive creativity to new limits. Check out the video below and see for yourself.

Garrett’s performance turned my head around in more ways than one. It made me take serious look at my approach to my craft, and ask how I can make my writing and my stories fresher. What possibilities haven’t I considered? What potentials should I investigate? What can I do that hasn’t been done before?

Mavericks in Fine Art and Filmmaking

Every medium has its mavericks. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. Pablo Picasso and Joss Whedon pioneered new ground in the fine arts and filmmaking, respectively.

Pablo Picasso was a maverick in the fine art world. He trained classically, painting in the realistic manner of the time through his childhood and adolescence. After that he experimented with different theories, techniques, and materials. His unique vision helped found the Cubist movement and made him one of the best-known figures in 20th century art.

Joss Whedon is a contemporary screenwriter, producer, and filmmaker who used his “genre salad” approach to story to create some of the most memorable TV series of our time. Whedon is best known for his TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a teen-angst dramedy with vampires, monsters, and hot chics with super powers who kickass and take names. Whedon stretched the genre envelope even further with the TV series Firefly, a space western drama. And that’s just two of his remarkable genre busting accomplishments.

The question we should all be asking ourselves is…

How can I turn my [type of creative work here] on its head, spin it around, and create something new?

Viva La Vida ~ David Garrett

In the following video, as in his live performance, David Garrett puts a fresh spin on Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, using technology to push the creative edge even further. Yes, he’s playing all the tracks in real-time (on a Stradivarius!), thanks to technology. Pretty awesome.

No powder throwing ravers at the live concert…
Is anyone else concerned about the violin in that scene?
Hopefully, that’s not the Strad!

14th YAppiest Giveaway! “Rootless” by Chris Howard

15 Friday Nov 2013

Posted by in Book Reviews, Giveaway, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

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17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with epic read giveaways by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 14th YAppiest Giveaway! for Rootless, by Chris Howard. For a chance to win a FREE copy of this book, see the “Here’s How” section below. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

Brutally gritty … yet fueled with hope

Cover for "Rootless" by Chris Howard17-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using scrap metal and salvaged junk, he creates forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan’s never seen a real tree—they were destroyed more than a century ago—his father used to tell him stories about the Old World. But that was before his father was taken . . .

Everything changes when Banyan meets a woman with a strange tattoo—a clue to the whereabouts of the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can’t escape the locusts—the locusts that now feed on human flesh.

But Banyan isn’t the only one looking for the trees, and he’s running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he’s forced to make an uneasy alliance with Alpha, an alluring, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees. [Synopsis]

When you lose everything, you’ll try anything…

Banyan’s post-apocalyptic world is as brutal as it is desolate. The people who survived the Darkness, and later the flesh eating locust, are desperate and borderline feral. So when Banyan loses his father in a dust storm, he is driven to search for him; the only family he’s ever known. Luckily, serendipity is in his favor. Banyan takes on a construction project for a despicable man that uncovers secrets to the location of the last living trees on earth, and evidence that his father is there. If he’s still alive.

Banyan’s harrowing journey to find his father and the last living trees on earth, throws him together with unlikely comrades who prove their worth as friends when the going gets ugly. And trust me, “ugly” is an understatement. Howard doesn’t pull any punches with this fully realized view of what our world could become. The characters are drawn with realistic brush strokes as well, revealing the harshness of their flaws. This is not a “light” read. But the ugliness of the world makes the threads of hope and humanity woven through the main characters shine all the brighter. I can’t tell you much more about the plot without spoiling this monumental story for you.

What continues to resonate with me long after finishing the last page of Rootless, are its thematic questions: “What defines family?” and “Where do you draw the morality line?”

But that’s just my interpretation. Which is what’s great about a good story — it touches each of us on a personal level. Here’s what Chris Howard says about Rootless on his blog:

In ROOTLESS I tried to draw an analogy between human creativity with the forces of nature and the cycle of life.

Rootless is the first book in a series.  For more information about Chris Howard and the upcoming books in this series, visit his web site: chrishowardbooks.com

Here’s how to win…

NOTE: The FREE giveaway of a copy of this book is open to residents of the United States only, due to shipping costs. My sincere apologies.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog–explaining WHY you want to read this book— by midnight, November 22nd (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner, then announce it on this blog on Monday, November 25th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for the next YAppiests Giveaway!

Book Covers for Giveaways