Stay Creative Every Day Tip #5, Go Clutter-Free

Today’s tip from my free PDF over at Live at the Edge with Dr. Doris Jeanette is about one of my favorite topics: being clutter-free. 

Tip #5: Keep your work and living space clutter-free. Let go of anything that makes you feel weighed down, or that you think you’re “supposed to” like or keep. Give away, sell, or throw out whatever might be holding you back, or that takes too much time to maintain. Aim for simplicity.

Yes!

This year I’m taking my own advice a little bit further and really seeing what I can do without. So far within the last few weeks I’ve given away exactly half of my entire wardrobe to a local thrift store; donated a huge amount of “things I might need for a rainy day” art supplies to a third-grade classroom; passed on some very nice but just-not-me jewelry; gave away my sewing machine; emptied and cleaned my refrigerator (right down to the ice cubes); and on a recent trip to California resisted buying a single thing. My closets have never looked better and I’ve never felt more determined to keep them that way.

Maintaining a clutter-free environment is, I believe, a great boost to creativity. Some of my reasons why include:

-  You can find stuff! No more searching for that No. 6 sable brush or the collage papers you just bought last week. A place for everything and everything in its place.

-  Which means you can stop wasting time. Rather than looking for misplaced items, you can actually use them.

-  You can take your workspace from dull and messy to inspiring and nurturing with just a small amount of effort. Colorful organizers, printed file folders, woven baskets, and painted crates can help put the fun back into your creative work. And you can make them all yourself—how creative is that?

-  You can work on several projects at the same time when you’ve got everything labeled and ready to go in binders and clear plastic storage tubs.

-  In case of an emergency, keeping things like back-up discs of documents, pictures, and manuscripts in a sturdy case with a handle—one that you can just grab and go—could be the ultimate sanity-saver.

-  Thousands of people need what you don’t. Whether it’s toys, clothes for work, school supplies, or furniture—someone needs it, badly.

So what are you waiting for? Do a good deed for both yourself and others: attack those closets, purge those files, and let in the light of your true creative, and clutter-free, self.

Tip of the Day: Every year for our holiday party my writers' group has a "White Elephant Gift Exchange." What we do is bring to the party at least six or more wrapped items we no longer want or need. We then set these gifts in the center of the room and after drawing a number, we take turns at choosing the items one by one. Amidst much hilarity and a certain amount of "stealing" from each other, we all end up with some great gifts. Anything that remains unwanted goes in a box we then take to the thrift store. Not only is this a great way to have a gift exchange without spending any money, it makes a good start to a clutter-free new year (or any time of the year, for that matter). You might want to try it this weekend!

Stay Creative Every Day Tip #4: Dress Nice, Eat Well

Happy 2012, everyone! I hope you all had a brilliant holiday season and are now ready to greet a new year of creative joy.  Today's tip from my free PDF on how to "Stay Creative Every Day" at Live on the Edge is something that I tend to let slide too often and want to improve upon this year:

Tip #4:  Pay attention to how you dress and what you eat.  Make an effort to wear “good clothes” that you love, and give up things like fast food.  Make your own food whenever possible.  Cooking is a creative art. 

As with any creative endeavor, the way we dress and the way we eat is all about choices.  For instance, I'm a vegetarian for many reasons, but one of them is to counter all the hours I spend sitting in front of my computer screen or my drawing table.  I know as a fact that when I've eaten too much or too heavily, I'm just not comfortable writing or painting.  I'm too sleepy, too full, too blah feeling.  A diet that includes meat just increases that feeling.

Another law of nature for me revolves around what I call my "yard clothes."  You know, those things we wear to potter around in on weekends.   My problem is I then wear these clothes to the grocery store or library, telling myself "no one will see me."  However, without fail, the older and more hideous the outfit I've chosen to wear, the greater my chances are of running into important people who also just happen to look like they stepped from the pages of Vogue.  You'd think I'd learn by now, but it took a serious near-miss this past summer to drive the lesson home (I escaped without being seen by running out the door when I saw the "important person."  My heart was pounding, I can tell you.) 

So here are my top reasons to unleash your inner fashion diva:

1.  Writers can be shy and introverted.  Dressing smartly can help you be more confident--especially for those grocery-store run-ins. 

2.  Dressing well makes you feel more professional, almost like putting on a costume.  Even if it's just one extra item:  good shoes, or a new sweater, you'll feel more serious about yourself and your work. 

3.   Just like your "good art supplies or writing tools," we all have things in our closets we love, but think we're not supposed to wear except for special occasions.  Guess what?  Today is a special occasion.  Make every day a celebration--and before your favorite outfit is so hopelessly out of style you wouldn't be seen dead in it anyway. 

4.  It's fun to put together nice outfits, especially with jewelry and accessories.  Hats, scarves, gloves--they add color and creativity to your life. Dressing well--and differently--may be a way to break out of routine and habit.  Step out of the mold--express yourself! 

5.  You can inspire others to have more fun too--many people hold writers and artists as people to emulate.  If they see you enjoying your wardrobe and food choices, they might consider that as "permission" to do the same. 

Tip of the Day:  Fashion posts are fun to read and can give you ideas not just for yourself, but for your characters' wardrobes too--especially when you're writing about another generation or culture.  And in case my male blog readers are thinking, "Whoa--no way am I reading a fashion blog!" let me just say if you're writing about female characters, they'll need some fashionable wardrobes!  For instance, "fashion blog" is a good search term to try. 

Stay Creative Every Day, Tip #3

I've always loved that ancient joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall:  practice, practice, practice.  But sometimes practicing can be difficult or boring, especially when you're not feeling particularly motivated to just sit down and repeat the same old thing over and over.  Which is why I strongly believe that every time you read a how-to book, it's a good idea to:

Tip #3:  Do the exercises!  (Even the ones you don't like.)

Here's my top reasons why:

• The exercises have been designed to help you step-by-step.  If you do them, you really will improve your skills.
• They're much cheaper than the tuition and travel expenses of taking a workshop--and easier too.  You can wear your pajamas if you feel like it!
• Exercises can help you to create--and stick with--a dedicated creativity schedule.  You choose the best time of day or night to take your private class.
• You never have to worry about what to write or paint next.  Doing your exercises eliminates the blank page or empty canvas forever.
• Doing an exercise you don't like, or at least some of it, helps you to understand what it's like working freelance or under editorial direction.
• Exercises force you to explore and get out of your comfort zone.
• And you might like them more than you thought you would once you're finished.
• Which might also give you a whole new direction for your creative work, one you never considered before.
• Often an exercise can expand into a published or salable piece of work.
• Just like changing a recipe, it's fun to tweak an exercise, adding your own touches and giving it a unique, personal twist.
• You can take exercises to your writing groups.  The exercises can be the foundation of "assignments" for your group to do in-between meetings, or they can be used for freewriting sessions together at the actual meetings.  They can even be the reason a group meets.
• Completing a series of exercises is an excellent way to build your confidence and rack up your creative achievements.  You can say to the world:  "See?  I stuck with it and (wrote, painted, learned to play a musical instrument, made a new dinner set, opened an etsy jewelry store).  I did it--and I can do much more in the future too!"

Tip of the Day:  Once you've finished a series of how-to exercises, do them again.  Not only will you have an entirely new perspective the second time around, but you'll have a stronger set of skills to use as well

Stay Creative Every Day, Tip #2

It's snowing in Albuquerque today, the perfect excuse to stay home and write about: 

 
Tip #2:  Read How-to Books, lots of them!

I love any book that has something to teach or is written as a workbook.  In fact, as soon as I see anything with the word "workbook" in the title, I'm hooked.  Only a couple of days ago I was at a bookstore renting DVDs when I saw a used copy of Animal Painting Workbook by David Webb.  It didn't take me long to know I had to buy it, and I'm glad I did; I've decided it's going to be the foundation of my painting and drawing practice in the New Year.

Most of my favorite how-to books center on art and writing.  Top of my all-time "best" list has to be Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones, followed by Wild Mind.  Others include Making a Good Writer Great, by Linda Seger, and Nick Bantock's book on collage techniques, Urgent 2nd Class. 

Reading cookbooks and step-by-step travel guides can be another way to keep creativity on tap.  My well-worn and much-loved copy of The Complete Asian Cookbook by Charmaine Solomon has given me the confidence to make authentic Indian dishes from dhal to kulfi, and even invent my own vegetarian curries based on her ideas.  It also gave me the idea for a character from India in one of my on-going WIPs. 

One great trick I've learned for using art instruction books, and the over-sized ones in particular, is to tear them up.  There, I said it.  But using them in the conventional manner, i.e., trying to keep the pages open and flat (impossible with a paperback), and then still have space left on my work table to draw or paint can be challenging to say the least.  What I now do is separate the pages from the binding and hold them together with a bulldog clip.  When I want to try an exercise or copy a drawing, I take it from the stack and tape it to the wall.  This has made such a difference to how often and willing I am to use my art books that I wish more were published this way.  (Could also work for cookbooks, too.)

I buy a lot of my how-to books second-hand.  The subjects have ranged from knitting to pottery-making, but I must admit I don't keep many of them.  Unless it's going to be something I'll use again, I usually pass the books on to my friends, writing groups, and the library used bookstore--a great place to find more how-to books!

Tip of the Day:  Reading how-to books are a necessary--and enjoyable--part of the creative process, but writing one of your own can be even better.  When I wrote The Essential Guide for New Writers, From Idea to Finished Manuscript I think I learned more about writing than at any other time in my life. 

To get started writing your own how-to book, list 12 things you know how to do that could be the basis of a book.  Choose one topic and then organize it into 12 potential chapters.  Make each chapter the solution to a problem and add some how-to exercises at the end.  Start writing!  The how-to books that have meant the most to me have also included the author's personal life-story and creative journeys.  Freewrite and add similar examples to your own chapters.

Radio Show! "Stay Creative Every Day."

Last week I did something entirely new for me:  I was interviewed for a web radio show, Live at the Edge, with Dr. Doris Jeanette.  And guess what?  It was so much fun!  The show is now up and running and you can listen here, as well as print out a special PDF I made for the interview:  "12 Ways to Stay Creative Every Day."

When I told Doris that I would be sure to write a blog post to let everyone know about the show and my guest spot, she had a great suggestion--write 12 posts.  I liked this idea because I've been wanting to blog more anyway, but it also gives me a chance to write a little bit extra about each of my 12 tips in the PDF. 

So in the spirit of "The 12 Days of Christmas," I thought I'd make December "Creativity Month" and take each one of the tips as a separate post, starting with: 

#1:  Use Your Favorite Tools.  My choices include fountain pens, plum ink, top quality journals, good pencils, paints, and watercolor or other papers.

I can't imagine writing with a broken pen, or on paper that didn't have a smooth finish and a good weight to it.  But that's just me.  I have friends who love newsprint and old biros, others who couldn't live without chalk.  Whatever we choose, though, will still come down to the same thing:  when we like our tools, we like our work, and it will show in the finished product.  More reasons to use your favorites include:

• Materials you like to use will inspire you.
• Choosing ink that flows, or a brush that fits your hand just makes life a whole lot easier!
• You feel more serious and professional about your artist/writer self when you buy good tools.
• Buying the tools you want is a great step forward in making future artistic decisions; ones that define who you are as a creative being.
• Your chosen materials and mediums express who you are right away to your audience.
• Making a conscious choice about your materials expresses your uniqueness and independence.
• And it's a great way to learn how to give up the “shoulds” in life, e.g., "You should use oils, you shouldn't use an eraser, you should never use black…"
• Our day jobs can be too full of "office stuff":  white paper, red ink, #2 pencils.  Fun materials set firm boundaries between the workplace and a chance to enjoy some playtime every day.
• Nice materials make your creative space attractive and inviting, a true haven away from the pressures and responsibilities of daily life. 
• Which means you will look forward to going to your writing area or drawing table.
• Fun materials are a way to give yourself permission to experiment.  If you’ve always wanted to try purple glitter glue—why stop there?  How about purple origami paper?  Purple beads?  Purple feathers?
• Shopping for art and writing supplies makes for a great Julia Cameron "artist’s date."  No excuses to stay home when you need to buy gold gel pens or a new Moleskine!

Tip of the Day:  It's December, season of holidays and gift-giving.  This year, consider gifts that encourage your friends’ creativity.  Schools and teachers in particular need art supplies of all kinds.  Happy creating, and be sure to tune in to Live at the Edge with Dr. Doris Jeanette.

At the End of the Day--My Top 12 Writing Tips

I can't believe I haven't blogged in over a month--disgraceful!  My only excuse is I am so consumed with Overtaken pre-pub I barely have time to eat or sleep, let alone blog.  But I've certainly missed you all. It's also been difficult for me to think of a blog-worthy topic right now, but since this is primarily a blog about writing, and we're in the middle of Nanowrimo (which I am NOT participating in this year, thank goodness) I thought I'd share some of my fave writing tips.  At the end of the day, when all is said and done, these are the ones that have always served me the best:

1.  Go for pages rather than word counts.  Yes, I know Nanowrimo is all about hitting that 50,000 word goal, but if you set yourself a number of pages per day first, you'll find you can surpass that final number, and ahead of time too,  During the rest of the year, watching your pages add up is, fo me, far more satisfying than stressing over a bloated word count.

2.  Break your writing sessions up into several sittings per day.  It's a bad idea to work on anything for longer than an hour without a break.  Writing is no exception.  Schedule your writing session for various times during the day (or night).  You'll be more productive.

3.  And break those sessions up too!  For instance, give yourself 15 minutes to freewrite, then stand up and get a drink of water.  Then take 15 minutes to write some more.  Stop, read a few magazine pages.  Then go for, say, 30 minutes...have lunch.  You get the picture.

4.  Write your first draft from start to finish--without editing.  While you're writing the first or discovery draft, try not to look back at your previous pages unless it's for something like a quick reminder of a character's name or the last thing he or she said when you put your pen down.

5.  Write your last scene first.  I've always thought it's important to know where I want my story to go.  I consider this last scene or page the equivalent of a life raft, something to swim toward when the going gets rough.

6.  Always diagram a "W" goal structure even if you have no other plot or outline, starting with:  What does my main character want, and why can't she/or he have it?   (For more information on the full "W" and what exactly it is, check out The Essential Guide for New Writers, From Idea to Finished Manuscript, currently on super sale at valeriestorey.com.)

7.  Write longhand whenever you can.  In my workshops I've always taught:  ideas come through our heads, pass through our hearts, and are expressed through our hands--with a brush, pen or pencil, or even a twig.  There's something very honest and fresh when we write by hand.  I also think it's much easier and more comfortable than any other method.

8.  Print out every draft.  Edit and rewrite from a paper version of your manuscript, rather than relying on your computer screen to catch errors or ways to improve and polish your writing.  The difference between the two formats and what you can find "wrong" is astonishing.

9.  Collage your feelings, scenes, chapters, characters, and book covers, and keep them all together in your manuscript binder.  For more information on writing with magazine cut-outs, just click here.

10.  Write with a friend.  Create a writing group that's based on productivity rather than critique.  Have assignments and goals to accomplish between meetings.

11.  Always be aware of your genre and where you want your book to be in the bookstore--both online and bricks-and-mortar.  This is especially helpful for writing query letters and synopses, but it's also a good way to keep your writing on track.  Know your genre and how you fit into it, or how and why your manuscript is taking that genre in a new direction.

12.  Be playful.  Use as many prompts, tricks, what-ifs as you can throughout the writing process.  Be willing to change your story when it tells you to.  Be outrageous, be daring, "go for the jugular," as Natalie Goldberg always says, and do your best to enjoy the journey through all its many stages.

So there we are!  Happy Nanowrimo, everybody.  Now back to our writing.

Tip of the Day:  Let's make it a baker's dozen and throw in a 13th tip:  Don't be afraid of your creativity.  If you're fearful of "what will people think," use a pseudonym.  If you're afraid of failure, tell yourself it's all pretend, anyway, and much more fun than washing the floor.  Good luck!

Overtaken Update (and Another Blog Award--Yay!)

Wow--the last few weeks have been hectic, sending me far away from my blog, my usual social media sites, my life...  Proofing Overtaken has been intense to say the least.  Scary, nerve-racking, and insomnia-producing would be good descriptions of the process, too.

But during all this sturm und drung, there have also been some bright spots along the way, starting with The New Mexico Women Author's Book Festival in Santa Fe where I presented a workshop on making book trailers (yes, it will be a future blog post!) and where I signed copies of Better Than Perfect as well as The Essential Guide for New Writers. 

And,

I received another blog award--this time from the wonderful "writer of creative nonfiction, poetry, and musings" Chris Galvin Thank you, Chris!  I really appreciate you thinking of me.

This is the second time I've been given the Versatile Blogger Award, and it's an award I love.  Versatility is the soul of creativity and I'm grateful that my friends acknowledge how much I enjoy blogging and sharing new ideas with you.

The requirements that come with the award are that I share it with 15 other bloggers, notify them that they have received the award, and that I then list 7 things about myself. 

Because 15 is a rather hefty number, I'm going to break it down over the weeks so that I can include not only some of my favorite blogs, but new ones that I discover along the way.  This week I'm going to start with two:  

suzcatsilverdesigns

doseofcreativity

Congratulations to these lovely and multi-talented bloggers, people who truly epitomize what it means to be a  "versatile blogger." 

As for the "7 things about me," I thought for a change of pace I would list 7 things about Overtaken.  These are:

1. The story is set in London and a privately-owned Greek island.
2. My main character is named Sara Elliott and she is an artist.
3. I started writing the book as an exercise in a workshop at the International Women's Writing Guild summer conference in Saratoga Springs.  Pages 15-16 of the finished manuscript were first written in a morning workshop presented by poet and author of Gifted Grownups, Mary Lou Streznewski, and the last page was written in a class I took later that same afternoon, led by Emily Hanlon, author of Petersburg and The Art of Fiction Writing.  When I got home from the conference I was too busy with other projects to even look through my notebook.
4. But when I did start thinking about turning those exercises into a full draft, I entered the first 50 pages into the Gothic Romance Authors Haunted Hearts contest, the first contest I'd ever entered, and I won 3rd place!
5. Overtaken is the most unusual book I've ever written, a modern literary gothic, part fairy tale, part metaphysical search.
6. It was also the first book I'd ever used my "magazine cut-out" collaging techniques to help develop my plot, setting, and characters.
7. I wrote my entire first draft and all extra material long hand.  I then transcribed it onto paper using my trusty Panasonic KXE-700M typewriter, and then finally transcribed it again onto my computer.  Writing long hand and using my typewriter were definitely my two favorite stages.

So there we are!  Just a few more weeks and with any luck Overtaken will be published at the end of the month.  Whew.  Now back to my proofing.

Tip of the Day:  It was fun for me to make a list of "7 things about Overtaken," making me think it would be a good idea to do something similar for my other books, including those already published and those still in the WIP stage.  Not only is it a good jumpstart to future marketing, but it helped to clarify my thinking for those times when I'm asked, "Where do you get your ideas?" or "What is your book about?" 

In the meantime, do visit the blogs I've mentioned here and say "Hi!" to their writers.  You'll be glad you did.