Tulips and Starbucks

Yesterday I received an email from MoveOn that Starbucks had come forward in support of the issue of Equality in Marriage and was being busted by the far-to-the-right-wing-nuts, so this morning when my son groaned about having to ride the bus to school I offered to drive him, then stopped at the local Starbucks and bought myself a soy latte. On the drive I was astonished by the blooming Forsythia, Magnolias, and daffodils everywhere. I sighed at the light green clouds that hover around the tree branches, soon to become full-green foliage. I stopped to buy some groceries and bought a bouquet of pink tulips for my studio today. By the time I arrived in my studio this morning I had perked up. My well was filled and now, I am ready to begin again.

I am in the midst of a deadline on a book that brings me great joy and great angst. I have never painted a book in this short amount of time and sometimes the panic gets so strong that I hit a wall. Yesterday was such a day. I felt stuck. More than stuck. I had hit the wall and it hurt. When I am not on deadline, the ideas flow. I feel free then, able to take long leisurely walks, meet friends for coffee, go to meetings, schools, movies, plays, readings, etc. All of which inspire my muse. But when I am on deadline and have to say no to everything, it is the little things that fill me up. Like driving my son to school and looking at spring springing, buying a latte, and bringing home tulips. Now to work! 

Five Well-Tested Strategies

Filling the well is an appropriate topic for me this round, since the last few weeks have been so hectic I haven’t even checked in with my fellow spuds on this blog, let alone gotten much work done. I count myself fortunate to even remember that today is my day to contribute! Now that the metaphorical storm has passed, however, I am settling back into my normal routines. And that means filling the creative well.

My best strategies include:

*Driving while listening to Tom Petty at high volumes

*Exploring local beaches with the natural musical accompaniment of the waves

*Sailing

*Rereading favorite books

*Talking with fellow artists

While I cannot always perform every strategy on a given day, I can always do at least one of them, and they always work! And so even though my list is short, it is long enough for me to accomplish my goal: fill the well and get back to work!

The gift of new ideas

New ideas come in the form of surprises sometimes. I'm reworking two books right now, and on a trip to visit our son in Utah two weeks ago, I watched a little girl with Down's Syndrome excitedly tell her mom that the pizza parlor we were in served bread. Her enthusiasm for the basket of bread delighted me and I realized that my story needed some of her wide-eyed delight for the simple things in life. I realized that I needed this for myself too. God bless that little girl!

Another story having to do with wheels was getting yawns from the publishers, until I watched the people at my mom's new board and care home navigate in their walkers and wheelchairs. Wouldn't a child who is obsessed by wheels be delighted to ride in a wheelchair with his grandparent? Wouldn't a grandparent love being the center of positive attention in his or her wheelchair? Another surprise that ended up in a story.

It has been an arduous two months for my family, but in the middle of it all, joy has reared its beautiful head and shown me that seeds of hope and ideas are all around, especially where they're least expected. We are here to help each other and I'm amazed at the gifts that are available when one is open to them.

How do I fill the well? Let me count the ways...

I don't seem to have a shortage of ideas, only a shortage of time to pursue them. Here are ten ways I keep my well overflowing:

1. Travel to a setting I love and immerse myself.

2. Travel to a new setting and explore not only the physical details, but also the people, the way of life, the diction, etc.

3. Read a good book and figure out why it's so good.

4. Go to a conference or workshop and open my mind to inspiration.

5. Talk to my parents about their childhood experiences and take copious notes.

6. Paddle a kayak on still water.

7. Get up early and listen to the birds.

8. Listen to baroque music to put my mind in order.

9. Listen to my grandson, Connor, play the piano--classical, jazz, ragtime, hymns and Broadway tunes. He's amazing!

10. Spend time with fellow writers.

11. Communicate with my fellow spuds.

Oh, I guess I said ten ways, but I can't possibly leave out the spuds!

Well Filling

I'm a creature of habit. Okay, make that a creature of ruts. I eat the same thing every day for breakfast (multi-grain Cheerios and a glass of orange juice), swim laps at the neighborhood Y, eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and banana for lunch, write in my journal before going to bed. I like to think that doing a lot of the same things each day frees my mind to work on more important things...but maybe I'm just lazy.

In any case, I find that doing something new, stepping out of my routine, can spark my creativity. For example, a few weeks ago I had my taxes done which brought me to downtown Minneapolis. I'm hardly ever there during the middle of the day. I took a long walk through the skyway, worked out at the downtown Y rather than my local one, had lunch at a new restaurant, and saw lots of interesting people and shops. It made me feel more alive, more energized, and made me wonder why I don't do things like that more often.

There are also people in my life who give me the same feeling. Being around them and hearing about all the creative things they are doing makes me feel more creative.

I've taught classes on creativity to kids, and one of the techniques I suggest is "Try Something New." Perhaps I need to take my own advice more often.

What fills my well?

• A walk with a friend
• A good conversation
• Viewing an art exhibit
• Travel and exploring new places
• Reading a good story
• Non-goal oriented art, craft, or sewing projects
• Learning something new
• Poetry

Filling the Well....

This round of posts is about how to fill our creative well when it seems to have run dry. Honestly, I always have ideas. They come from everywhere, from books or the internet or the evening news. I'm always hearing things that strike me as something interesting that needs further investigation. But sometimes my droughts occur in the middle of a project. I've started with a great idea and I know where I'm going. But you still have to come up with stuff for Chapter Thirteen or Fourteen that might not be totally covered in the very detailed synopsis. Which means I do have to try and fill the well midstream. Not an easy thing to do. Ever. So what do I do?
Well, I take a break and read. Sometimes being able to see how another author filled the gap between two parts will give me an idea of how I can do it, too.
I've been running a lot this winter. Luckily, the weather has been insanely mild and, except for a handful of days on the treadmill at the gym, I've been able to use the high school track nearly every day. I walk a half mile there, run my laps, then walk home. And there's something about the fresh air that helps me think, because I've done a lot of well-filling at the track the past few months.
Another thing that helped me this winter was all the Skypes I've done with middle schools. They have all been Q and A's about The Compound. And it's amazing how someone's questions can spur the mind and open new doors I never thought were there, especially since my current project is the sequel to The Compound. I realize it's a gift to be able to interact directly with my core audience.
Whatever helps to keep that well from running dry...