Remain Open to Change - Dwell in Possibility

Short post on one of the most important elements of the creative process: remaining open to change.

Example: I began writing my current novel last month. I had the title first, which for me, is how I roll. I'm not prepared to spill the beans on the title yet, but I will say it's similar to THE SECRET KEEPER in that the title tells the power of the main character. However, last week as I was writing, I was trying to find another character who could also have a power, since that's what I thought "should" happen. When I couldn't come up with someone else having a power, I thought, maybe none of them should, and the book should be straight YA rather than YA Fantasy. So... I took the power away from the mc.

And then today happened.

As I was writing, the mc stole my pen (i.e., keyboard) and began telling about her power and how it works and how it doesn't work and I realized maybe this is the way the book is supposed to be after all! How confusing this writing game can be. And how beautiful the notion of creating something from nothing.

Have you had similar experiences with your writing - when you thought something was "supposed" to go a certain way only to find you were terrifically wrong? I'd love to hear about it. ;-)

I feel I'm in "change" mode. I'm looking for a new background for my blog (don't be surprised if I have a new look the next time you stop by), I've moved the furniture around in my bedroom, and I have that anxious-butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling that something's coming, I don't know what it is, but it is gonna be great... Life. Possibility. Exciting.

As Emily Dickinson says, "Dwell in Possibility."

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Creating Something from Nothing or Stepping on a Cloud & Hoping I Won't Fall Through

I'm a quarter into my latest novel, MURDER ON SONGBIRD LANE. Each day when I open my computer, I feel as if I'm stepping on a cloud and hoping not to fall through. That's the kind of faith it takes to create something from nothing. That's the kind of faith it takes to be an artist.

Like Elizabeth Gilbert, the brilliant writer of one of my favorite books Eat Pray Love, said in her uber-awesome speech on creativity, you must have faith in The Muse or God or Your Inspiration or whatever you choose to call it. You need to show up every day for your part of the job and have faith that she - your muse - will, too.

Here are lyrics to a song I wrote many moons ago. (Seriously, I was 20.) It's called VOICES IN THE WIND and it's about exactly that - listening for the magical voices and capturing them while you can:

VOICES IN THE WIND
Songs from within the wind
Rap upon their doors
Currents whisper to lookers who will hear
Camouflaged dancers all waiting for a show
Waiting for their show
To talk and laugh and sing

Magical murmurs are asking to be caged
So they may open up and speak their minds on stage
Absent are heartbeats, still they're living for word
Living to be heard
To talk and laugh and sing

To talk and laugh and sing
A message each does bring
To have the chance to say...

THE MYSTERIOUS CREATIVE PROCESS
We artists sometimes feel afraid to do the work we were put on this earth to do. Why? Because being a creative person is both a gift and a curse. A gift because artists see the world differently and are able to communicate our communal experiences better or more clearly or more powerfully than non-artists. A curse because being an artist is often a scary unacknowledged thing that can - if we let it - haunt our very souls.

So, here's to you, my writer friends. Here's to your courage, your commitment, your artistry, and your willingness to bare your souls in the face of what may be joyous glory or dark lonely despair. Why do we do it? Because we are artists and it is our joy, our challenge, and our calling to create.

SHOW UP FOR WORK!
So, for today, I'm showing up for my part of the job. I'm committed, as always, to creating something from nothing - and to stepping out onto that cloud feeling fully supported and free.

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