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| Annette M. Irby |
Each of you must take responsibility
for doing the creative best
for doing the creative best
When are you at your best? First thing in the morning? After
the kiddos are down for the night? Right after your day job? Or maybe before?
How about Saturdays? Or Sunday afternoons? Maybe at 3 a.m. when everyone else is asleep?
Our critique group has just changed to an earlier time so we
can hopefully better serve each other. We used to meet late on Mondays. I don’t
know about you, but after a full day of work, or family, or anything, I can be
rather fried by the end of the day. So, since many of us were feeling
that way, we decided to give late morning a try. Hoping for clear thinking so we
can be most effective.
If you don’t already know your own most creative hours, I
recommend trying different times until you find it. When you discover it, put it on your calendar. Ask for help
from your family to guard the time. And try to finish other tasks ahead so you
can zero in.
Permission
I once knew an author who, because of her day job, had to be
very intentional about scheduling her writing time. But just because the time
was scheduled, didn’t mean she always felt free to use those hours for writing.
If, for example, there were other tasks that needed doing (because she couldn’t
do them during her workweek), those took priority. Blogging, e-mails, errands.
She worked most creatively when she had full permission to
do so, even from herself. Does that sound familiar? I’m like that. If there are
errands or other obligations, it is very difficult for me to give myself
permission to get lost in my fictional world and write.
Writing Takes a
Backseat
Why does writing sometimes slip down the to-do list? During
this series on being our creative best, we’re giving ourselves permission. Say
this aloud: I give myself permission to
write. And I take responsibility to be my creative best.
If you’re like me, you can be creative in a few different
ways—maybe in painting, sketching, crafts, scrapbooking, sculpting, music,
writing, poetry, songwriting (some of these are applicable to me, some not so
much ;-). And you could take those artsy endeavors in a few different
directions. For example, you could paint something that glorifies God or
something that doesn’t. But what glorifies God, lasts forever.
Our church believes in creative worship and encourages folks
to glorify God during our worship services through painting or dancing, in
addition to singing along. Then, the large canvases are put on display,
sometimes for weeks. Left up to glorify God and to show that worship can be
expressed in many ways.
It's about Doing
It's about Doing
He gave us creativity, it’s up to us what we do with it. We
have an invitation to commit to pursuing God’s best in our use of His gifts.
That’s what will last eternally. That’s what will minister to the most people.
That’s how to be our creative best.
~~~~~
Annette M. Irby has two published books and runs her own editing business, AMI Editing. She is also an acquisitions editor for Pelican Book Group. See her page here on Seriously Write for more information.