Learning and action go hand in hand for me, so as I’ve started to build more creative activity in to the new year, I’ve sought lots of connections and resources for ongoing learning about creative process, inspiration, etc. These are four of my favorite finds from this week:
Some thoughts on writing, by Elizabeth Gilbert. Because I’m reading Eat, Pray, Love and because I really like Gilbert’s style, I was hoping she’d have a blog I could become similarly infatuated with. Not so, but I did find this page with her ideas on writing process, including her take on how to learn as a writer. What she offers, especially her perspective on workshops and formal training, is pretty refreshing.
Cultivating a Writing Habit, by Chris Brogan. This blog is a must if you’re someone who cares about social media and online communications, but it was great to read this post on writing process outside the scope of a particular content area. It goes without saying that I’m in agreement on the notion of reading first, writing second, as Chris recommends. I also like the suggestion that writing is something bigger than action that happens on a page, with a specific intention to Write Something. It happens when we’re brainstorming, talking, jotting notes, sending off a quick email.
Passion vs. Practicality, by Susan at twenty(or)something. Good thoughts and questions on the struggle to balance personal passion with paying the bills, from another twenty-something who seems to be where I am in terms of craving a more creative life (and who also keeps looking back at college, thinking — seriously, was that the best incubator I was going to get for this work?).
Writers, abandon your muses, by Iain of Write for Your Life. Given my attempt at a no-nonsense plan for writing, this post’s no-nonsense approach to the muse cliche is appealing. Anything that assists in excuse-making, as a muse sometimes does, really has no place in a plan for building a creative life. Because even when you’re “on”, the muse isn’t any more or less a tool for writing well (or writing at all, for that matter).
With all the reading I’ve done this week, I continue to see some threads: people want to introduce more creativity in their lives, but not just creativity for creativity’s sake. Creativity is both a desired goal and an intentional process, one that has to be married with other parts of life — like business and paying the bills — for it to be meaningful and sustainable.
It makes me wonder what kind of resources or communities could emerge this year to help people find the intersection of creavity, practicality, and process. I hope that blogs like Write for Your Life fill this role, but wonder if there are tools that might also crop up to support this kind of work?
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Emily- I am having such a giggle because this is so you. And of course it is so me to be like, whaaaaa? I do think that creativity is a whole process that touches every corner of our lives. I’m just to distracted to think about it that much ;) I like the idea of helping people to find that intersection of creativity, practicality and process. So often I feel creative or want to be creative, but lack the time, resource, energy, or even venue so to speak.
I would love, and have always wanted to go to a workshop or two, to see what kind of drive and process this sparks for me. And it would just be fun.
Thanks Em. This is great food for thought, and if I wasn’t so tired I’d probably have more eloquent ideas to share. I’ll have to think about this one for a little while.
Thank you for the mention Emily.
I think that everyone approaches creativity in a different way, and that’s a great thing. It’s why the world continues to produce such rich and engaging art, writing, media etc etc. What I wanted to say in my post was more about seeing creativity as a process and putting your faith in your ability, rather than aportioning blame/praise on a lack, or flurry of inspiration.
All interesting stuff and I’ll be sure to check out some of these other links too!