Turn Up Your Creativity & Be All You Want to Be

Blocks in creativity affect not only the progress of your writing but also hamper your mood, your confidence, your ability to have fun with friends, family, and partners. Basically, getting stuck in your writing, your art, or your life sucks. And, take it from me, a few cocktails or a bottle of bourbon don't make those annoying dark clouds disappear either.

It's a sad story, really. The number of times I've fallen in that endless abyss when hours turn to days turn to weeks turn to months and I can't seem to unleash the motivation that had once kicked me into gear to get my writing done.

Rather, I'm very good at making excuses for pushing aside draft upon draft. Great at earning A+++ grades when it comes to dismissing myself from writing. In fact, any excuse will do. It only takes a few rings on my phone to jump at the opportunity of having dinner when a friend calls. Or, when a friend of a friend is hosting a party. Or, better yet, when a friend of a friend's family's friend invites me to the House of Blues where my favorite bands and cover bands keep me out until 2 a.m. the next day.

"Hey! That was a GREAT concert last night. Who's playing this weekend???"

Yep. It's easy to deny the big "L" on my forehead when concert tee-shirts pile high in my closet instead of the pages of my manuscript.

BUT ... and, LUCKILY, ... I'm a big time reader, and I managed to get hold of two very helpful books: Atomic Habits by James Clear, and Refuse to Be Done by Matt Bell.

Here's all you need to know about the two books and how they have positively affected my writing life:

1. Small, steady changes in my behavior have contributed to increasing my writing output. First thing in the morning---before my cup of coffee---I commit to writing for one hour or at least 500 words. Then, I reward myself with a hot & delicious vanilla macadamia nut Kauai-blend roast ... mmm, my mouth is watering right now for that cuppa Joe. A little self-reward is a great way to play the habit-forming game.

2. Thinking, thinking always about the words I'm writing. A technique that seems to work well for me is skimming my day's work right before going to bed and identifying one concrete area in the chapter that can be improved or fixed to drive the story forward. Then, in the morning, I hit that marked place, make the enhancement, and carry the story forward in the next chapter that I write. It's a springboard for me to keep moving ahead. And once I hit my daily goal, I start to feel it. "Yeah, this is gonna be another whoo-whoo day."

3. Feeding my imagination here, there, and everywhere. I listen, watch, and taste as much as possible outside of my comfort zone. I say hello to strangers---at the grocery store, while walking the pugs at the park, while standing in line to use the bathroom at a sporting event or restaurant---and engage those folks in conversation with the goal of making a new friend and learning more about their wonderful existence, their culture, their likes, dislikes, hopes, failures and successes. There are many, many opportunities to get inspired to write, to turn up your creativity, simply by immersing yourself in the environment around you. I'm a news podcast junkie, an art fan, a zine lover, a library and bookstore stalker, a regular at local breweries, a daily visitor of parks and open-air markets, and really, any place where people gather in the community. There's a unique story in all that we see, touch, hear. Keep your heart open, keep up being kind, and the world will thank you. So, too, will your spirit, body, and mind.

I think it's cool that as I write the chapters of my manuscript, I can always rely on many, many fantastic books----whether self-improvement, non-fiction, or fiction----to help me nourish and nurture myself to be everything I want to be. Creativity is an open door, and the light feels good. Come on in. I'm sure you'll love it.