This morning, Tracey Lyons gives one author's experience in keeping those creative juices flowing. -- Sandy
Tracey: You may have often hear the phrase, “Go to your creative
well.” Some days my creative well is overflowing and some days it’s completely
dry. Creativity comes from many places.
The key to keeping that well full is knowing how to find ideas and thoughts. From
some writers it could be something as simple as working on morning pages. This
is a process where you keep a notebook and pen by your bed and when you wake
up, you write down the first thoughts that come to mind. For others it can be
meditation in the form of finding a quiet place to just breath and let those
thoughts flow. Or simply taking a walk
and seeing nature or walking through your neighborhood can open your mind to
new ideas.
Several years ago I decided to take up water color painting.
I did it as an experiment because I figured if I could write then chances are I
could paint. It ended up that after a few classes I realized that, yes, I could
indeed paint. My art turned out to be on the abstract level. I’m probably not
ever going to be able to capture the details of humans or animals, but that’s
okay. Because watercolors opened my mind to a new kind of creativity. I found
it soothing. Someone once told me that
the reason I like doing watercolors is because the paint flows on the page.
Lightbulb moment, right? That’s sort of what happens when we sit down to write.
Words and ideas flow onto to the page. Our thoughts, like the paint, are fluid.
I’m also big on projects. If I’m working on a writing
project chances are I’m also working on a house project. The thing is; I plan my house projects the
same way I plan out my stories or scenes. I ruminate. I sit and picture in my
mind how the room will look when it’s finished. I cull through magazines
cutting out pictures of pages that inspire my project. Well, writing a scene
isn’t any different for me except I have to go to my creative well to see
what’s there for ideas.
Every single one of us has the ability to keep our creative
well full. Some of us might do those morning pages, or start our day with a
walk or maybe something as simple as sitting down with that first cup of
morning coffee or tea. Creativity is a gift we were given. Yes, some days are
easier than others when it comes to finding it, but trust me when I tell you at
those time when you are at a loss for words if you quiet your mind and listen
those thoughts and ideas will return to fill your well to overflowing.
Share how you go about filling your creative well!
~~~~~~~
An
Amazon Top Ten bestselling historical romance author of the Women of Surprise
series, Tracey sold her first book on 9/9/99! Her books have been translated
into several languages and are available in print, digital and audio formats. Tracey
lives with her husband in New York’s Hudson Valley region. She has appeared on
the award winning Cox Cable Television show, Page One and on the stage of Lady
Jane’s reading salon in New York City. She holds membership in Romance Writers
of America, American Fiction Christian Writers and Novelists Inc. A true
upstate New Yorker, Tracey believes you should write what you know. Her
historical romances are all set in the New York State area. Tracey considers
herself a small town gal who writes small town romances.You can connect with Tracey by visiting her website www.traceylyons.com or on social media
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