Writing is a creative process, a form of artistic expression. Granted, some endeavors are more so than others, but you get the picture.
The whole creativity thing sometimes stymies my writing because I feel like brilliant words should flow from my pen in an inspired stream. They don’t.
Just yesterday, in fact, I was telling a fellow writer how painful I find the actual writing process. Remember the quote by sportswriter Red Smith? “Writing is really quite simple; all you have to do is sit down at your typewriter and open a vein.” For me, it’s more like a double amputation at the wrists, which really makes writing a challenge. He looked at me as if I’d opened a Slim Jim at a vegan conference.
No frenzied bouts of all-night typing, brought on by a killer story concept that struck me at ShopRite. Instead, I resort to the same dull, control-freak practices that keep me focused in my day job:
- I schedule writing time.
- I make lists.
It seems counter-intuitive to plan creativity. And, much of my preplanned writing feels forced and sluggish. It’s in the midst of those plodding writing sessions, however, that my muse finally rouses from hibernation and tosses up some creative gem.
With enough discipline and practice, I’m hoping to entice her to wake up a little more often.
Are you one of those writers who need inspiration to create? Or do you discipline yourself to write and trust that creativity will follow? Perhaps a little of both? Please share your experiences. Pretty, pretty please?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree that creativity comes out of routine — going through the motions is often the first step to really getting something done. If I had to be inspired before working I would be waiting a long time. On the other hand, I get great ideas away from the desk — but that is set up by being at the desk in the first place.
And you DO know Slim Jims are disgusting?
Please explain the part about setting up those great ideas “by being at the desk in the first place.”
And yes, of course, I do. You know I freely admit to being a food snob.
Lately, I mainly wait to be inspired to write. Often, that inspiration comes with an idea that pops into my head at the instant I wake up. If I don’t write it all down right then and there, I lose the momentum, and it almost never gets finished. There have been plenty of times that I’ve been late to work, because I didn’t want to stop writing.
Really? That takes courage, risking the wrath of your employer for the sake of writing. How does it make you feel, putting the writing first?
That’s ultimately my goal – and part of the reason for starting this blog. When I’m writing, I find that I function better in all the other areas of my life, including work. But often, I’m still too much of a coward to embrace the writing life fully. It’s so much easier to cling to the comfort of practical pursuits, even though I know better.