Some people would think long, unstructured periods of time would promote the best opportunity for creativity. But I have found I am most productive and creative in small, focused, bursts of time, especially when I have a deadline I'm trying to meet--and I don't mean a self-imposed deadline. Large periods of time overwhelm me by pulling me in too many directions with too many options. I could do this... Or maybe I could work on that... And then I'm distracted by the deer outside my window, or I need to throw a load of laundry in the washer, or maybe I'll take a walk first, and so on...
I completed my MFA in Writing while working full-time as Coordinator of Admissions in a busy Maryland community college and while having my daughter and young grandchild sharing our home. Believe me, there were many distractions, but the deadline of having to produce a packet of creative and critical work every three weeks was my taskmaster. I devoted my one-hour lunch break each work day to writing in a study carrel tucked away in the basement of the community college library. I knew I had a limited time to accomplish a lot of work, and I was able to dive into it quickly. The hard part was to stop and re-enter my regular work world at the end of that hour. Of course, I had to fit in other early morning and late night hours at home, too, but those short bursts of time kept me going!
Now that I have more freedom, I have to designate hours here and there (with a specific beginning and ending time) to get myself on track. And nothing helps more than having a deadline from an editor!
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6 comments:
Edie, I so agree with this. I seem to do better when my time is more in demand. I've signed up to teach several courses with Gotham this winter, hoping that will spur me on to produce....
Stephanie,
I'm in awe of how much you already produce!
Edie, between all your regional SCBWI work, your care for your parents and other family members, you must be creating some of the pressure you need to get things done. I hope an editor gives you a deadline for that new book. That would be very satisfying way to feel some pressure and we all are eager to see your next work.
Edie, I admire how clearly you know what you need to make your best work. I wish you many focused bursts of time in the coming months with lots of stories generated. You are a wonder with all that you juggle and still manage to get to that necessary creative-emotional place.
Whereas I hear so many artists yearning for uninterrupted time to create, your desire and/or need for a busier schedule to help you focus falls more in line with my own experience: with too much free time I find myself wasting more time than when an external force (such as a deadline) forces me to focus. May you stay busy and productive -- the world is a better place for what you have already given us, and I look forward to more stimulating works in the future!
Edie, you are living proof of the adage: If you want something done, give it to a busy person.
I, too, am amazed at all you accomplish.
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