I'm sure we all have our creativity quirks -- those routines that prepare us to undertake a new project. I know I do. Today, author Jayme Mansfield shares how she gets in the creative spirit. -- Sandy
Jayme: It’s a bit quirky and most definitely a great
procrastinator, but I have an innate need before I work on my manuscripts to
straighten my desk, rewrite my to-do list, open the blinds, water the plants,
refill my coffee…you get the picture. I like to think of this ritual as my
version of a creative dance.
However, as much as those activities can wreck havoc on my
word count (which if tracked, looks something like a cardiogram), I find those
activities are actually my running start, my warm up, so to speak, to dive into
the action for which the Creator called us to do—create.
If given the chance, I would have loved to ask author and
Christian, Madeleine L’Engle what she did before sitting down to write one of
her many books. In Walking on Water ~
Reflections on Faith and Art, she fills the pitcher to overflowing with her
wisdom about the creative process, and most importantly, its Source. She shares
that we are made in our Creator’s image, and thus are created to create.
She describes this mysterious relationship— “The artist
cannot hold back; it is impossible, because writing, or any other discipline of
art, involves participation in suffering, in the ills and the occasional
stabbing of joys that come from being part of the human drama.” As writers,
it’s wonderful to know that despite how we arrive at the final piece, the
journey is never in isolation as much as it can feel that way.
Instead, even though throwing ten more balls to my dog and
sorting paperclips in my drawer might be part of my choreography to write, I
know my purpose is intentional. Ultimately, my true tasks
as a writer are to listen, to be aware of the words and stories on my heart,
and to finally park myself at the computer and respond to the Creator by
creating.
Whether I meet a self-imposed word count or not, I must
remind myself that sooner or later, the need to write will triumph. Because I,
just like you, was created to create—and clearly, it is not of our doing to
decide otherwise. So, before I open another file and make strides on my current
manuscript, I think I’ll look out the window at the sunrise and thank God for a
new day. For in the words of L’Engle, “In the act of creativity, the artist
lets go of self-control which he normally clings to and is open to riding the
wind.”
How do you prepare for that next creation? Do you have a particular routine you follow while you ponder the story?
~~~~~
Chasing
the Butterfly
From a vineyard in the south of France to the
sophisticated city of Paris, Ella Moreau searches for the hope
Jayme H.
Mansfield is an author, artist, and educator. She provides vivid imagery as she
melds her inspiring writing and artistic talents. Her debut novel, Chasing the Butterfly, released in
October 2014 from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Jayme is the owner of
Piggy Toes Art Studio in Lakewood, Colorado. After a career in both the
business and creative sides of advertising, Jayme received her teaching and
Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and Creative Arts. For the past
seventeen years, she has shared a passion for literacy and the writing process
with her students. She teaches at Aspen Academy in Greenwood Village. Jayme is
married to James and has three teenage boys.
To learn more and connect with Jayme, please visit:
The Blank Canvas blog: www.jaymemansfield.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jaymemansfield/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaymemansfield
