Many of us believe that we’re either born with creativity or we’re not, and that this “gift” cannot be taught or fostered. This is quoted from an article I read about Tina Seelig, author of inGENIUS: A Crash Course on Creativity. She says this is wrong, that creativity can be easily taught and learned if you start by embracing challenges and creating new ideas.
Seelig suggests using metaphors and analogies to compare one thing with another to open up a world of new ideas and helps boost your imagination. I think I’ve been doing this unconsciously as I hike the trails of the San Francisco Bay Area. Hikers are happy people, being outdoors reconnecting with nature in a spiritual way. That’s me in the hat.
Give yourself creative space for your work. (I laugh here.) The bookshelves in my den are overflowing with wonderful books, but it’s the fun “knick knack” stuff that fronts those books that my family loves to show off to anyone they can drag in there (much to my dismay). There’s the “normal” stuff: prints from trips, a couple cat bobble heads, a few collectible David Winter cottages, a Crooked Vine wine glass, Amish little people, and so much more. Then there’s the abnormal stuff: skeleton on top of a brown wooden casket (lift the lid and painted eyeballs laugh), a box of rubber bullets, paint pellets, and spent Winchester casings that I gathered off the ground at the sheriff’s shooting range during training for the Citizens Police Academy. My reading material includes such books as Murder and Mayhem, Howdunit, Scene of Crime, the FBI, to name a few. Such is the flavor of “my space.”
A final note to help with your creativity is to work with a group. It will help you gain insight from others. My critique group of six is composed of individuals with different perspectives and who respect different writing styles. Seelig says, “Great teams have a healthy dose of playfulness.” And lots of chocolate!
Also meant to say my sister in law is Jo Schwan so you would know who I was talking about.
Hi Carole: My sister-in-law sent out an email today with the story of you and your book. She has the amazing yard and decorates to the max for every event and I guess you drive by there from time to time on your patrols and the two of you have spoken. I am an avid reader and loved the idea of reading a local author writing a book set in an area I know. I saw that it is available for pre-order on Amazon in hard back; will it also be available in a kindle version? Best of luck to you, sounds like you are thoroughly enjoying the entire writing experience. (went on your webpage and checked out some of your monthly blogs.)
I love the picture of you and Emily!!!
Mom LOVES the chocolates! Go into her freezer, move the frozen greens and there you may find a hidden Snickers bar! Not that much of a mystery to her family that loves her! Just DON’T try to snatch it…you may go a missin’ in the vineyards!
) Love, hugs and chocolate kisses!