Creativity?

Many non-writers believe that authors can jot down words easily and smoothly at a moment's notice.  Not true.  Composing is hard work.  The old saying "If it was easy, everyone would do it," rings true.  You have to love writing in order to master it.  There's no quick method around it.

That said, "What sparks your creativity?" is not an easy question to answer. 

For me, it depends on the situation.   For instance, when I attended my 25th high school reunion a few weeks ago, the feeling of youth, energy and giddiness resurfaced and the memories of  unrequited love, dances and a less complicated life sent my muse flowing. My high school crush was standing before me and I thought of all the things I could have said and done, if I had been as brave as I was now!  I was desperate to sit down and write, write, write.

Another time, I was feeling rather good after a workout and when I looked in the mirror, I felt sexy.  Yeah, I did.  My hair was mussy, my heart was pounding and I felt good!  I smiled and thought, "I could write a really cool love scene at this moment."

Sometimes, with the rain falling is a soft whisper, my fingers tap, tap away at a sad point of my plot.

There are episodes when I am with my family at the park, a cool breeze rustles by and the sinking sun warms my skin.  That's when the mood to write itches once again.

Of course, the mountains always call to me.  Anytime I am in Taos, New Mexico, my need to create stories seems to overflow lik the water cascading down the rocks into the base of the ski valley.

Music!  Music is key!  I play tons of music when I write, but it matches the scene.  If it's scary, I play the soundtrack from Signs or The Village.  If the scene called for sadness or poignance, it's Adagio in G Minor.  If it's holidayish, the strains of Manheim Steamroller's "Silent Night" or Trans Siberian's Christmas pieces can be heard.

Basically, beautiful moments in my life spark my creativity.   When this occurs, I quickly jot down or voice record the moment and the feelings I am experiencing.  I either compose it in one of my blogs or it's filed away for a future or current manuscript.

Each writer is different.  You just have to choose what works for you!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's funny how the creative process for writers can be so much the same, yet so entirely different at the same time. It's probably something as unique as each person in the way it works but can come from so many of the same things. Watching tv or movies almost always sparks something for me. I can catch a facial expression or a look and then I'm off. Music really helps to set the mood and the tone for me as well. And it never fails, as soon as I lay down at night to sleep, some great bit of dialogue pops in my head and I just have to get up and jot it down before I forget - and I do forget. Learned that the hard way.

Starla Kaye said...

So true...each writer is different and what works for one doesn't necessarily for another writer.

Pat Davids said...

I agree, everyone writes differently, and our creativity is sparked by different things.
I, too, enjoy listening to music, but my stories often come out of questions of what if? What if a cocky cowboy is taken down a peg by an injury and his nurse is the women he left behind years before? What if he feels a new spark for her? What if she has a son? Is it his, or the man she married and lost? What if the son is deaf? How would cocky cowboy react and relate to her boy? See, what if's go on and on.
Pat

Rox Delaney said...

It's definitely a personal thing for each writer. I'll even admit that there are times the usual doesn't work and I have to scout for something new and different, just to get my fingers on the keyboard.

Unknown said...

Wow! Each of you had wonderful comments! A long time ago, I used to believe writers followed a very specific formula. Of course, now I know that what works for one doesn't work for another (like Starla said) It's fascinating to see what each of us can do!

Joan Vincent said...

What is fascinating is how different the result can be from day to day from the same spark, even for the same writer. But writing when inspired is relatively easy. What makes writing really difficult is lack of inspiration especially when contracts loom and you have to produce. I'm truly amazed by writers who consistently do 3 or 4 books a year!

Penny Rader said...

Music inspires me, too. Especially story songs. Country music is really good about have story songs. I'm especially touched by those which have a repeating refrain where the meaning shifts a bit depending on the verse. Song titles also give me ideas.

Melissa Robbins said...

I hear ya, Tina on the music. The Transformers 3 soundtrack is amazing and it's so inspiring for me.