A beautiful exploration of creativity from Elizabeth Gilbert. She states that:
“A creative life is an amplified life.”
and believes that key to this is:
“living a life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear.”
Category: Advice for writers
How to Become a Better Writer | Sarah Selecky
Great article. Sarah Selecky suggesting that close studying of the works and process of writers that you admire can perform the function of a virtual writing mentor and contribute to your development as a writer.
http://www.sarahselecky.com/2015/how-to-become-a-better-writer/
This is echoed by Lousie DeSalvo in her excellent book: The Art of Slow Writing, in which she examines the development process of a writer, suggesting that “It takes time to learn the language of our art, perfect our craft, harness our skills and develop our own particular form of expression.”
She recommends that writers create their own apprenticeship by studying the works and process of writers that they admire.
What has helped your development as a writer? Let me know in the comments.
Having fun improves your writing
Great article from Rachel Funk Heller on the excellent writer unboxed blog.
Rachel suggests that our writing can be improved if we are able to recreate the dreamlike state of mind more common in childhood play. She offers three strategies to facilitate this:
- Make time for a fun hobby
- Meditation
- Daydreaming
More details in the full article at writer unboxed. Click the link below:
Source: Creativity, Brain Waves, and Having More Fun
“Having fun improves your writing” – tweet that
I can relate to this article. My most sucessful writing comes about when I am able to enter a dreamlike state of mind where my writing seems to just happen.
Its not always possible but I’ve found that each of the following strategies can be helpful to enable this:
- A few moments of deep breathing
- 10 minutes of silence
- Visualisation – something calming
- Writing something simple – a list
- Writing how I feel. This can release some of the pre-writing anxiety I sometimes feel and calms me.
- Playing music, just before and during writing. Usually something without lyrics.
What have you found helpful as a preparation for writing? Share your ideas in the comments section
Ursula K Le Guin – on where ideas come from
Creative benefits of keeping a diary
The Emotions That Make Us More Creative
Enhance your creativity
“Steal Like An Artist to Get Some Better Ideas” @limitlessplash https://medium.com/the-limitless-mind/steal-like-an-artist-to-get-some-better-ideas-64c5348f02a9
Space for writing
“How to Get the Space You Need to Improve Your Writing Today” @BryanJCollins https://medium.com/become-a-writer-today/how-to-get-the-space-you-need-to-improve-your-writing-today-6c8f8a79e3e5
writeandthrive 