A Commonplace Book of One's Own

For many years I've been intrigued with the idea of the "commonplace book," a type of journal- or notebook-keeping system that dates back to the seventeenth century.  Two of my favorite examples from more modern times include E.M. Forster's Commonplace Book and A Writer's Commonplace Book by Rosemary Friedman. 

Basically the idea behind creating a commonplace book is to have a written record of meaningful or important instructions and reminders that you would not ordinarily find in any one place.  The two books I've mentioned above concentrate on the art of writing, but I've read others that are a wonderful hodge-podge of obscure and fascinating factoids, from graveyard inscriptions to medieval recipes for swan pie. 

If you're like me and have kept any kind of journal at all, you've probably unwittingly been creating a kind of commonplace book without even knowing it.  When I re-read many of my journals I'm always discovering notes on recommended book titles or a writing friend's best advice on how to create a scene or write a pantoum.  One of the reasons I've been reluctant to part with my journals is the fact that if I tossed everything out I'd be losing several volumes-worth of good advice.  Finding that advice when I need it, however, can be a major headache, especially when most of it is hiding between old morning pages, drafts for long-ago published novels and poems, and all the rest of the usual stuff that goes into a journal.  So here's my plan for separating the sheep from the goats:  Create a dedicated commonplace book! 

This first attempt, I've decided, is going to center around an art theme.  Some of the things I want to include are:

• Information on new art supplies—with pages that give me a place to try them, record how to use them, or paste in the manufacturers’ suggestions and instructions.
• Artistic quotes and phrases I like.
• Colors and palettes I want to try. 
• Lines of poetry about art.
• Other people’s art—whether from magazines, exhibition catalogs, or postcards.
• Museum/gallery notes and flyers. 
• Wish lists of supplies. 
• Lists of ideas and themes to work on in the future. 
• Art-related books I'd like to read or buy. 
• Notes from these same books. 
• Notes from workshops I've either attended in the past, or will be attending later on.
• Business and marketing tips and resources for artists.

A commonplace book is an excellent item to turn into a gift for someone special, either for now, or to be passed down through the generations.  You can include anything you want--there are no rules.  For instance, you might want to insert family recipes, favorite poems, or vintage photographs.  I'm defintely looking forward to starting my own book and seeing how it evolves.  Recently I received some gift cards from local bookstores, so there's no excuse for not finding the perfect journal to be my starting point.  Once I begin, I'll be sure to post some pictures to let you share in my progress.

Tip of the Day:  What subject interests you enough to start a commonplace book?  Keep in mind that you can mix subjects, too, sometimes this makes the books even more interesting to read.  If you're stuck, brainstorm a list of topics, e.g., genealogy, the paranormal, sewing, French cuisine.  Who knows--you might want to start and keep half a dozen!

Life Lessons From a Drawing Class

On Tuesday night my experimental drawing class came to an end.  It was both sad (no more Tuesday night socializing with like-minded new friends) and liberating:  "Okay, you've learned all about mixed media--now go make art!  You can do it!"

Besides acquiring a whole arena of fresh knowledge regarding techniques and materials (I absolutely fell in love with Pan Pastels and Stonehenge paper) I feel I learned several important lessons that can apply not only to drawing and painting, but to the way we approach any creative pursuit--including the art of living!  Here's my top twelve:

1. Be patient.  There is no magic button.  Life—and especially creativity—is not a foot race.  Take your time; trust that the process will work--it will.  Eventually!
2. Work on several pieces at once.  While you’re waiting and deciding about how to continue or enhance a piece, start working on something new.  Ideas will seed each other, bringing inspiration and giving you a strong sense of productivity.
3. Start.  Stop.  Wait.  Start.  Then stop again.  It’s a good idea to break your work into segments.  Once you’ve added a new element to a piece, let it sit for awhile before you rush to the next “improvement.”
4. The marks we make clue us into our natural direction.  Because I’m a writer, I tend to love line.  Cross-hatching with a sharp pencil, swirls of charcoal depicting hair and fur, I enjoy elegant mark making.  A knitter in the class gave her work the smooth, even order of a “knit, purl” pattern.  Another woman, a beader, worked with circles.  Art reveals our natural rhythms and preferences.  Go with them. 
5. Instead of saying you don't like a piece, say "it's not finished."  Which is another way of saying “don’t give up.”  It’s a journey—not every stop along the way is going to be "oh, wow!"
6. Put your work on the wall and live with it for a while.  Along with #1 and #3, let everything you do sit for a while and breathe.  Ask the piece what it needs (if anything).  What does it want to say?  Listen and don't rush to judgment or completion.
7. Your work is sacred, but it's not precious.  Honor the process, but don’t be afraid of letting the work go when it's time.  Most pieces and drafts are simply stepping stones and tools to guide you toward a more important work or truth.  Once they’ve served their purpose, thank them and move on.
8. Just make a mark.  Start.  With anything.  A red slash.  A green dot. A woman in a shopping mall.  Add a feather.  A leaf.  A crying baby.  Find the story.  One idea really does lead to another.
9. Be comfortable with awkwardness.  Appreciate the adolescent in your artwork or manuscript:  nose and ears too big for the face; gangly arms and legs, excruciating shyness—we were all thirteen once upon a time! And guess what? We all grew into swans and flamingos and eagles in spite of thinking we’d never be anything more than frozen turkeys.  Recognize your work will go through the exact same life stages we all do—every one of them special and engaging in its own right.
10. Take risks.  You’ll never know unless you try.  Throw that paint! Put a poem in Chapter Seventeen!  Write from the dog’s point of view!
11. You can't ruin anything.  There isn’t a single piece of art or writing that can’t be fixed.  Even the worst "accident" (torn paper, spilled ink, smeared paint, the dog’s POV didn’t work) can be turned into the starting point for a new—and often more exciting—direction.
12. There's plenty more where this came from.  We are all creative beings with limitless access to a universe of possibility.  Never fear running dry, or feeling you have to hoard your ideas and skills for “the real thing” (whatever that is).  The universe is simply bursting with grand ideas, and all of them are yours for the taking.  Give everything you work on your total best, your full attention, your most interesting angle—the well will be refilled long before you could ever possibly reach “empty.” 

Tip of the Day:  As the people around me can testify, I did a lot of complaining during the early stages of this particular class:  "It's nutty!  Everything I do looks like dog vomit!"  It took me nearly all eight weeks of class time to believe that any of the above lessons were true, let alone usable.  In the end I finally threw caution to the wind.  Here's the result:

Keep Playing!!

Making a List--and Checking it Twice!

The last few weeks have been incredibly hectic as I prepare Overtaken for publication.  Each time I bring a book to this last stage of the journey I'm reminded how very difficult the work really is.  Checking for word repetition, making sure the timeline is consistent, assuring myself that I really have gone as far as I can go with the editing--it's a lot to do.  And if I didn't have a series of lists to follow, I shudder to think how far behind I'd be right now.

I love writing lists.  As you've probably noticed by now, most of my blog posts are comprised of, or include, one or more lists somewhere in the text.  I think it's the organization I find so compelling, my brain just seems to thrive on list-making.  It's also about the only way I can multi-task.  Keeping lists close by can remind me where I am in my manuscript, how many times my heroine has worn a pink dress, and what kind of pictures I want to feature in my book trailer.

That said, I also have to admit "to do" lists are my least favorite.  I often find myself abandoning them halfway through, that is if I even get that far.  A much better system for me is to make a "have done" list, especially as a journaling theme.  The other kinds of lists I enjoy making are ones I can refer to many times over and that can even be expanded.  For instance:

• Repetitive word lists--things to avoid, e.g., buzz words such as "just," "only," "nice."
• Synonyms:  how can I take my buzz words to a new level?
• Interesting, active verbs:  same as above.
• Interesting scenes to write.
• Tips and checklists for making a scene "work."
• Character names:  the more variety, the better.
• Unusual professions--go for the weird.
• Little known locations, cultures, and customs.
• Colors, e.g. rather than green, how about "spinach"?
• Future book titles.  Nothing like being prepared!
• Rare phobias.
• Rare health disorders.
• Interesting hobbies.
• Unusual character goals.
• Bizarre opening lines.
• Little known facts/trivia.
• Strange items/objects.
• Ideas to write, paint, or collage.
• Lines of poetry--my own, to add to a future piece of work.
• Lines of poetry from others, to act as prompts, themes, idea starters.
• Unusual animals and their habitats. (Naked mole rats, anyone?)
• Food--past, present, and future.
• Memories.
• Dreams.
• Things to learn more about.

Whew.  And that's just the beginning.  The best way I've found to keep all these lists in order is to have a special journal or notebook just for list making.  Not only is it a great way to "keep writing" on the "blah" days, the finished product can also be one of the most useful reference books on your writing shelf.

Tip of the Day:  Create some lists of your own, perhaps using some of the ideas I've suggested here.  The next time you're stuck for a freewriting prompt, choose one item each from at least three lists, e.g., a character name, a strange profession, and a bizarre opening line.  Put them all together, and presto--it's story time!

Scenes from an Experimental Art Class

 

For the last five weeks I've been taking an art class:  Experimental Drawing.  And what an experiment it's been!  The best way I can describe what we're doing is by calling it "free painting," the visual equivalent of "freewriting." 

Personally I've found the approach both difficult and oddly liberating--a constant struggle between wanting to create the "picture in my mind" and then having to give in to what the images dictate.  It's a lot like wanting to write a contemporary romance only to have it turn into a Norse saga in iambic pentameter with science fiction elements.  All you can do is stand back and say:  "Oooh-kaaay..."

On a more technical note, the materials we are using for this grand experiment include:

• Stonehenge and watercolor papers, as well as Bristol board.
• Acrylic paints.
• Watercolor paints.
• Pastels in both stick and loose, powdered forms.
• Acrylic mediums/grounds/gels.
• Fixative.  (Lots of fixative between each layer of pastel or paint.)
• Ink.
• Collage papers.
• Graphite pencils.
• And just about anything else that makes, or takes, a mark.

So here's my small gallery of works to date (including the picture at the top.  I like that one in particular because I threw in some words: "The Art of Placing."  I love combining text with visuals.)

Perhaps the hardest thing for me right now is to stop assigning meaning to the work, in other words, to simply let the pieces be.  They are what they are:  surprising, foreign, challenging, and miles--light years--away from the Polyvore creations that usually illustrate my blog posts. 

I still have four classes left to attend, including one tonight, and I must say I'm filled with curiosity to know what's coming next.  It's kind of like waiting for the next chapter of a very strange book--one that I'm writing in my sleep!  Stay tuned. 

Tip of the Day:  S-t-r-e-t-c-h.  Take a class, join a group, buy a how-to book in a new-to-you subject.  It may not be in your comfort zone, but there's nothing like a little creative risk-taking to liven up the "tried and true" and get your mind going in a brand new--and exciting--direction.

Write Every Day--Even When You Can't

It's summer and the days are filled with distractions, heat waves, parties, holidays, vacations...yet we still have to "write every day," right?  But how?  How do we stay true to word count quotas, personal page goals, editorial deadlines--and still enjoy the season?

One way I've learned to solve the problem and take the pressure off is to at least do my best to "communicate with the manuscript" every day.  To me, the important thing is to stay in touch with my writing, especially on the days when I think I can't.  For instance, on my busy or "blah" days, I can still find 15-30 minutes or more to:

• Doodle on book cover ideas.
• Brainstorm a book "blurb."
• Design new postcards or bookmarks.
• Draw, paint, or collage my characters' homes, wardrobes, and story scenes.
• Freewrite in a "no thinking allowed" manner to create back stories, memories, and dreams for my characters regardless of their usability in a final draft.

But those things can be accomplished anywhere, from sitting at my office desk to lounging in bed propped up against a stack of pillows.  The real challenge is to still "call home" when I'm miles away from my writing space.  Some solutions I've discovered include: 

• Use waiting time for creative time.  Nerves can make it difficult to write while you're waiting for the doctor, dentist, or hairdresser, but that doesn't mean you have to sit in total boredom or frozen terror waiting for your appointment.  Reception lobbies and waiting rooms are full of magazines.  Pick one or two and ask someone at the desk if you can keep them--the answer for me has always been "yes."  Now instead of aimlessly waiting, you can start searching out pictures to illustrate your manuscript--a very active way to stay in touch with your story (and to stop worrying about your appointment).
• The next time you're at a social gathering and feeling guilty for not working on your manuscript, try this:  ask the people you're with for some "what-if" suggestions.  Welcome as many ideas as everyone can think of, the more outrageous the better.  Write the ideas down on slips of paper and save them for your next writing session.  If they're really good and you use some of them, you can always thank your friends in print when your manuscript is published.
• Rather than lugging a laptop computer or other device along with your luggage or picnic basket, go back to basics:  tuck a hard-backed journal or sketchbook into your bag along with your favorite pens.  Writing by hand is easy and of course quite wonderful for instant idea transcription.  It can also encourage you to explore some new perspectives and insights you may be losing if you depend solely on typing.
• While you're traveling or sightseeing, imagine your trip through your characters' eyes.  What details are important to them?  Why?  What tourist site would they want to visit?  What foods would they order?  What places would they avoid?
• Another travel idea is to purchase souvenirs or items that can somehow relate to your WIP.  Whether they are items your heroine would buy for sentimental reasons, or they're objects that can make your story setting more vivid once you return home, the point is to shop with your plot in mind.
• Heat and humidity can make you sleepy--so take advantage of the lethargy and lie down.  But before you turn out the lights, make sure you have an open journal or some blank pages by your side together with a smooth-flowing pen.  As soon as you close your eyes, ask yourself a question relevant to your story and then drift off with the intention of having the answer when you wake up.  This works particularly well for those seemingly "unsolvable" story dilemmas that plague even the best outline.  And if by chance your dreams go off onto a tangent unrelated to your current WIP, see if there's a way you can incorporate them anyway.
• Find a new time of day or night to write.  Rearrange your schedule to either get up earlier or go to bed later and use those times just for writing.  With any luck the hours you pick will be cooler, quieter, and the new times may also stimulate new ways of thinking and working.

Tip of the Day:  Rather than abandon your manuscript for the summer, consider these months to be some of the most creative times you'll have available all year.  The next time you think you're too busy or hot to write, try one or more of the suggestions listed above.  Personally I find writing in shorts, T's, and bare feet so comfortable I wish summer could last forever.

Filling the Well; Filling the Joplin School Libraries

Another weekend creative session--this time firing up my (very small) electric kiln for a Cone 6 stoneware coil-built pot I started about six months ago.  Plenty of time for the clay to dry, especially here in New Mexico, but for a variety of reasons I was reluctant to submit the piece to the kiln.

To start with, the pot measures 12" high, which is the entire height of my kiln--I was worried I wouldn't be able to close the kiln lid.  To make the pot fit, I wouldn't be able to use a kiln shelf; all I could do was place the piece on the kiln floor.  The glaze I chose is manufactured locally, and the clay store wasn't very enthusiastic about it.  They warned me it would drip, and I certainly didn't want glaze destroying the floor of my kiln.  And then Cone 6 is such a long, hot firing.  Most of my work with this kiln has been low fire earthenware, 8-9 firing hours max; the only time I tried Cone 6 it was a disaster.  Would this one be the same?   Worry, worry; fuss, fuss.  Finally I got so sick of my concerns I decided to just jump off the deep end and get that pot finished!  Results = one happily fired pot, no kiln damage, and a good lesson learned:  Stop fussing!  Stop worrying!  There are bigger things in life than potentially messy glazes.

Which brings me to the real subject of today's post:  REQUEST FOR JOPLIN, MISSOURI LIBRARY RELIEF.

Yesterday I received an e-mail newsletter from my Albuquerque chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.  Included was a message from Joyce Ragland, RA, SCBWI-Missouri.  Joyce wrote:

"Five Joplin school libraries were damaged or destroyed in the Joplin tornado. Beyond that, many teachers had many personal libraries damaged or destroyed. Some teachers, I'm told, had years of books they had purchased to share with their students and are now rebuilding. So far, they have put together 7,800 backpacks for kids in summer school, thanks to many volunteers from all over the world who've donated cash and/or books. Still much to do. I can imagine the wonderful escapes into books that kiddos of all ages are getting."

Yes, I can certainly imagine the solace and escape books have to offer the young people of Joplin, and for that reason Dava Books will be sending several cartons of books early next week.  With that, I'd like to extend an invitation to my blog readers.  If you'd like to join with us and send some books of your own,  please address your packages to:

Attn: Debbie Heim

Library Memorial Education Center

310 West 8th Street

Joplin, MO 64801

I think this is a wonderful project and I wish the center much success in reaching their goals and more.

So, how does this tie in to pots?  Well, one of the things I enjoy about making pots is wondering how they will be filled.  Sometimes I fill them with plants and river stones, other times I turn them into holders for candles or pot pourri.  But usually I like to just leave them as they are, letting them be reminders to stay open to receiving the goodness of the universe.  So with that intention, I'm dedicating my new pot to the Joplin Library Project.  The pot may be small, but the project is big.  Let's help fill it to overflowing.

Tip of the Day:  I'm sure the library center will be open to all kinds of books, gently used from your shelves, or brand new copies straight from the bookstore.  If you can, please take some time to choose a special book to send to Joplin, maybe one of your childhood favorites or perhaps a book filled with inspiration and hope.  Whatever you can do, I know your efforts will be much appreciated.  Thank you!

Lessons From a Bead Class

Last Saturday I took a bead stringing class, something I've wanted to try for years.  It was super fun--and super exhausting.  I don't think I've ever been quite so focused on such a (deceptively) simple task in my life; after I got home I fell asleep for three hours straight. 

Up above you can see the results of my efforts after 7 1/2 hours of class instruction:  1 wire-strung bracelet; 1 "floater" necklace using knotted silk cord; and 1 wire-strung necklace.

Unfortunately the class was too successful and I now have a new obsession:  beads in all shapes, forms, sizes...  Like I really needed one more creative outlet.  But now that it's too late and the damage is done, here are some of the great things I learned:

• Don't point the awl (a sharp and scary little tool) toward your eye or the person sitting next to you.  Of course with my typical inability to follow instructions, as soon as the teacher said, "Be careful!" I dropped the pointed end right onto my leg.  And continued to do this for the rest of the day.
• On a more positive note:  Keep a bead journal.  I liked this tip very much.  The goal is to create a sketch/scrapbook of ideas, colors, photos of your various creations, sales, and anything else you want to put in there.  I thought this was a lovely idea, and I plan to buy a special journal just for this purpose.
• Find beads at yard sales and thrift stores.  I never thought of this, and it's an excellent suggestion.  Even the most unattractive piece of old jewelry might have one or two interesting beads well worth the price of the entire necklace.
• Use a bead board template.  A wonderful tool for measuring, laying out, and rearranging pieces until you get them just the way you want.
• And finally--just do it!  By the end of the day I had learned to use my awl correctly (small miracles), make a variety of knots (intentional ones), "crimp" beads onto the end my wires, bend "clam shell" end-holders together, and feel confident enough to continue bead stringing on my own.

Perhaps the most interesting lesson for me was how I chose my beads.  The pre-class material list said to "bring lots of beads."  I wasn't sure what "lots" meant as I had no idea what we would be making, or how much of any one type of jewelry item.  Going to the bead store didn't make the task any easier.  Seeing walls and walls and cases and cabinets filled with glowing, sparkling, amazing beads in every shape and color had me stumped; where to start?  In the end I gave up and purchased two "grab bags" of random, mismatched beads; one in green and the other in purple.  It turned out to be the best decision I could have made.

Stringing necklaces from random beads is exactly, I discovered, how I write, especially when I use writing prompts or magazine cut-outs.  One of my favorite things about writing is making connections between apparently unrelated events.  I like quirky, unusual, and different approaches to story problem-solving, and this is how I had to tackle my beads, especially when I didn't have enough of any one color or style of bead to make a perfectly matched set.  But as they say on Project Runway, who wants "matchy-match" anyway?

At the start of the class the teacher warned that bead stringing could become compulsive--but it could also be an excellent way to relax, dream, and zone out for awhile.  She was right; in spite of my initial tension (don't drop the awl...don't drop the beads...) I found that by the end of the day I was stringing my beads and also thinking of characters, scenes, and plots for future stories.  Using my brain in a way that was both methodical and creative seemed to put me in a space that looked forward to my next writing session.  As soon as I woke up from my after-class nap, I wrote five brand new pages I then had to collage right away.  Best of all, I got to reward myself with a bunch of new bling!   

Tip of the Day:  Summer school:  What kind of creative class is calling to you?  Take it!  In the meantime, what if you thought of your various scenes as beads?  What is the most pleasing, and most original, way you can string your story together?