Five Ways to Ignite Creative Thoughts

“Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing there is a field.  I’ll meet you there.” – Rumi 

1.  Let go of self-doubt.  Much easier said than done, I am well aware, but try it for one 15-minute writing exercise and see what you get.  No judgments, no criticism.  Just look at the words that came from your heart and see the message that is trying to escape.  Ask yourself, “What would I write if I didn’t have to care what anyone else thought?”
2. Create words from a word.  Write the word “creativity” at the top of a piece of paper.  (Remember this game from your childhood?)  Now list all the words you can create from the letters in “creativity.”  Try writing a short story or poem using those words.
3. Pick a theme.  Think of how your day is going, how you feel, or what you see.  Develop a theme around one of those things and begin writing based on that theme.  Do not worry about punctuation, grammar, or any of the detailed things that come later- just write.  Remember, it’s called a first draft for a reason.  At this point it is the process that matters. 
4. Take a break.  Get outside and walk, go where you can people watch, sit and breath deep and do nothing for a few minutes, go play…anything but what you feel you have to do.  Allow yourself to clear your mind of all the “have to’s” and see what floats in.  Take the first thought that is not, “I should…, or I have to… or I need to…” and go with it, see where it wants to take you.  If we allow the “muck” of everyday life to get so deep and thick, the light of creativity cannot shine though.
5. Take a class!  New information, new people, and like-minded enthusiasm are some great ways to spark that creative process.  It’s in there- let it free! www.eloquentauthor.com

© January 28, 2008 Marie Boyum    

Time Slipping Away

How do you get the time to write in today’s fast paced lifestyle?  The three biggest things I hear from people when discussing writing are as follows:

* Time

*Self-doubt

*Steps – Where do I go?  What do I do?  What next?

In these past blogs (and probably a bit more in the future), we have been discussing the time concerns of writers, future blogs will discuss the other two most commented points. 

Can you spare 180 seconds?  No one says you have to block out long periods that add stress to your already busy life; start with a few minutes a day.  Even just a sentence or two in a journal each night keeps you writing.  Many times, just giving yourself those few minutes frees you from the nagging guilt of not having written.  There have been times when I have thought I would only write a sentence or two but the words just kept coming- that’s when the adrenaline pumps for me, when it is not forced, it just comes.  Sometimes it takes believing I will only write a few words before that happens, I guess because I have taken the pressure off to write a paragraph, page, or chapter.  The point is to just write something each day; even if it is only, “I don’t have a clue what to write today!”  You are still writing, and it is only when you stop all together that the excuses come, the thoughts dry up, and time slips away. 

For more writing advice from local author, Carrie Lofty, go to:

http://exposekenosha.com/2008/01/20/romance-writer-in-kenosha/

 © January 23, 2008 Marie Boyum

Time and Time Again

It seems that time is ticking faster this year than last, and I find myself thinking of the clock the crocodile swallowed in Peter Pan.  There’s a lot to be said of that small part of the story on how time ticks away at our child-like dreams. 

I realize this seems to be a resounding theme lately, but I doubt I am alone in the feeling of not enough time in a day.  If you do not feel that way, please, let me know your secret!  Well, I have vowed that 2008 will be great, so I have decided that each day I will create a list of what has to be done and what I want to do (H2 & W2).  

When I really scrutinize the list, I find that many of the things listed on the H2 (has to be done) list can wait; I can have someone else do the tasks, or they may not really even be under my control or concern to deal with in the first place.  Looking at all the things on my W2 (want to do) list helps me to see where my heart truly wishes to be.  A wise friend this week told me that even if I only allow 15 minutes for one thing on my W2 list each day, I am going to feel happier for having done something that makes my heart smile, and the rest will fall into place much easier, and without that feeling of time ticking away with no time for me.

So I challenge you to take this H2/W2 test and see if it helps you hear the crocodile’s clock growing fainter.  Try it for a week and write me to say how it worked for you.  Are you still finding yourself time and time again saying there is not enough time, or have you felt more productive because you have found little bits of time for you?    Only time (and you) will tell- in the mean time, I’ll wait to hear from you.

 © January 17, 2008 Marie Boyum

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding Time

Do you find yourself saying you don’t have the time to write?  If your life has been anything like most of the people I talk to lately, it is tough to find time for the day-to-day necessities, let-a-lone the things you want or wish you could do. 

Going to the gym at this time of year reminds me that there are those who begin and then let it slide, and others who decide to make it a year where there are no excuses for what really matters to them- they will find the time, even if it is only for a few minutes.  In the writing world, those are the people that bring the initial thoughts to the first few pages, and then to chapters, and on to a book they can feel proud of completing.  You will never know if you are good enough, or if you can be the one who gets your book published if you do not begin. 

Just like working out, we need to take a few minutes of thought towards how we will reach our goal, but if the desire is not truly there we will probably not stick with it.  So, the real question might not be, “How do I find the time?”  Maybe, we should be asking ourselves how bad do we want it?  How much does the desire to be a writer burn within you?

When I worked at a 9-5-type job, I took every break and lunch I could to at least write down thoughts I had for story ideas.  It freed me to think that there could be hope of moving towards my dream.  By getting it on paper, it began to be concrete, not just thoughts and dreams swirling in my head. 

Blog writing is one way to get a few minutes of writing in every day.  Even if you only write to tell me to “pound sand;” responding to this blog would be a way to begin.  Get those fingers flying across the keyboard, grab a pen or pencil and put down your thoughts!  They do not have to be coherent to start (there is a reason it’s called a first draft)- the important part is to get writing!

As this New Year begins, you may wish to ask yourself if this will be another year that you let time take your hopes and dreams away or, will this be the year you begin to move towards your dreams?  Just like going to the gym, it is easy to let time be an excuse to keep you from your goal (there’s always something else that needs to be done) but truth be told, you are really the only one that is stopping you.

Thanks for finding the time to read this.  May your days always be filled with time for what matters most to you.

© January 14, 2008 Marie Boyum

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding Your Voice

To be a writer, you need to be a reader.  I feel very strongly about that statement.  I know there are people who write and do not really take the time to read, but to truly hone your skill, it is so important to read a variety of books in various authors and genres.   

It is the way writers find their voice.  Yes, the practice of writing is also a key element in finding your own expressive style and tone, but just as when we were preteens and teenagers, we need to “test the waters” to find out who we are.  As young adults, we did that by observing, talking to, and mimicking those we knew, or thought we did (like celebrities).  We found out what actions, thoughts, beliefs, and voice fit who we wanted to be; taking a bit from here and there until we could make it our own.  

Reading various styles, authors, and genres help us to pick and choose what draws us to the book, what keeps us reading, and what makes us long for more.  That, I believe, is the goal of an author; to keep the reader wanting more, feeling filled, but yet left with a emotion that it was so delectable, it boarders on addiction.   

Reading, writing, networking with other writers, continuing to expand and learn your craft is what continues to spark those creative juices, and keeps us singing in our own special voice.

 © January 7, 2008 Marie Boyum

 

Time For a New Year

As the New Year creeps closer, it feels like a cat stalking a mouse, slinking nearer and nearer until it unexpectedly pounces on its prey.  That is how I sometimes feel in regards to time, like prey that will soon be pounced on; unaware it is upon me until it is too late.  More and more I hear people talking of not enough time.  Especially when it comes to writing.  

You may have heard people say, “just find a few minutes a day to write.”  Good advice, if you can figure out how.  The first thing that probably really needs to be done is figuring out where and how you are currently spending your time; only then can you find a way to make time for what you want. 

Time experts say that if you list five things that you feel are truly important to yourself and your life, honestly look at what you want to say yes to (relative to your five things), and eliminating the things you do out of guilt, then you are focusing your time on what matters most to you.

People are overloaded with everyday life- so life tends to feel as if it is passing us by.  We constantly tell ourselves we will do for ourselves later.  Recent studies show that 75% of people (especially women) say that time is a huge issue in their lives.  We as a nation are starved for time, which really is a newer concept.  People of the “baby boomer” era do not have parents or grandparents that had to deal with these issues.  With the influx of cell phones, e-mail, texting, and the like, there are so many ways we multi-task that were never possible before. “Multi-tasking is the biggest time suck of all,” says Jean Chatzky, author and money coach.  Research, studies, and publications all show that when you stop and start tasks (as you do when multi-tasking), it takes your brain 15 minutes to get thoroughly focused and back on track again, so multi-tasking can actually lose you hours each day.  

It is also known that, when we procrastinate, or make excuses to not do something, it is the very thing we probably need to do for ourselves.  Generally, we delay due to a fear of failure, disappointing others, or not living up to our expectations.  So, instead of taking action, we make excuses, and put other things first in line for our time.  That is very easy to do in regards to writing, and fears can loom large when it comes to our feelings about what we write.  Remember, nothing will ever sell it sits in a desk.  You cannot move forward without practice, knowledge, and tenacity. So will you let time creep up on you again this New Year and slip by without finding the time to write?  Or will you make use of the last couple of days before the New Year using the time to delve deep into what are your future priorities?  What ever you decide, make 2008 great; follow your dreams, and stalk life like a cat on a mission to get that mouse.

 © December 31, 2007 Marie Boyum

 

 

The Personal touch

I realized the other day when we received a Christmas card from a relative with an address label for a signature, that we are losing the personal touch of writing with a pen and paper.  In today’s technological world, it seems even more important that we remember the importance of letter writing, and writing that involves more thought than icons and acronyms.  Texting, e-mail, voice mail are all great, and yes, we do write with two out of the three, but when was the last time you sent a friend a real hand-written letter?  When was the last time you received one?  Is letter writing dead?

Many of us probably have at least one relative (always the one you never met, have no idea how they got your address, or even knew who you were to send you anything) that writes the once a year Christmas letter, highlighting their life’s events.  You know, the things no one cares about, like the cat had surgery, and the pool needed repair.  These, I have to say (at least for myself) do not count in the book of “thought out” letters.  They have that obligatory feel that reminds me of making out a grocery list.  

As writers, we should take every opportunity to hone our craft through practice.  All great artists practice, and start with the basics before moving on to their masterpieces.  Consider practicing by writing a few letters, not just at Christmastime, but anytime.  Begin by challenging yourself to two letters a month, making one hand written; no one says they have to be novels, but please, at least sign your own name. 

 © December 19, 2007 Marie Boyum

 

You Know You’re a Writer When…

To steal a bit from Jeff Foxworthy-
You know you are a writer when…

• You get the latest copy of Writer’s Digest and you act like Steve Martin in the movie,
“The Jerk” when he gets the new phone book.
• Your dreams only consist of characters in your latest novel.
• Everything you see is a potential story, even the garbage you see along the street- (check out the “story quilt” - for more on that idea go to: http:// eloquentauthorstoryquilting.com.
• You want to be with other writers so much you start a school to get them to come to you (okay, maybe that’s not every writer!)
• When you meet new people, you have to run and take down notes for potential future characters.
• An exciting evening out consists of a writer’s discussion group, a trip to a bookstore, or a writing class.
• Every new book that comes out, you envision your name on the cover.
• You save all your extra pennies (because as a writer, that’s about all you have) to buy writing reference materials.
• You buy cheap toothpaste to keep in the shower so when that grand idea hits you, you are ready to write it down. Okay, maybe you hadn’t thought of that one yet, but it is a great (and inexpensive) way to write down your thoughts and not have them wash off too easy before you can get to a real paper and pen! It may seem a bit weird, but hey, it works!

 And last, but not least, you know you are a writer when… 

You plan on using that last idea! 

Happy writing!

© December 11, 2007 Marie Boyum