A New Way to Think About Creativity

[ratherastory]

So I've noticed that a LOT of people on my flist are freaking out in various ways, shapes and forms about their writing lately. A lot have writer's block, a lot are worried about summergen, a lot are simply concerned that their writing isn't any good anymore/ever.

One of my friends, an actual professional, published author, pointed me to this video of Elizabeth Gilbert, and it changed the way I though about my writing.

She makes a very compelling case for the "butt in chair" approach to writing/creating anything, and I love the way she puts it.

It's a longish video (19 minutes), but it is WORTH watching. Especially if you're a writer, especially if you're having trouble with your writing. Take the time to watch it. :)

So show up for your writing. Put your butt in your chair and your fingers on your keyboard (or your pen to paper). Even if you get only one sentence written, you will know that you upheld your end of the bargain.

Comments

[seramercury.livejournal.com]

I'll have to watch this when I get home. Thanks, bb! :)

[nyoka.livejournal.com]

Oh, sounds like something I need right now!

Thanks hon <3

[sinnerforhire.livejournal.com]

I will also be watching this when I get home from work. Thanks for the link!

Also, I really love the book The Courage to Write by Ralph Keyes. There's some good practical advice to deal with writer's block and writing anxiety, but what I really love are the quotes and anecdotes from famous authors who all thought *they* sucked too.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

Wow. Huh. Guess I needed to hear this because I ended up sobbing by the end.

Thanks so much for passing this along. I love this - just show up and do your job. :)

[pkwench.livejournal.com]

I am so watching this later because: I do think my writing is dull, I can't seem to reign in the chaos of ideas lately, and most of all? Holy God, I just can't get a time break lately. So, when I do have the time I quite literally can't think. So, perhaps this will be a good thing. At the moment, however ironically, I'm going to clear the destruction from the computer/computer desk construction and try to write in the heat because, hoobaby, there went the air conditioner with last night's storm. Yayzor. But, yes, I want to watch this!

[sagetan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for linking this! I'm not too in touch with my creative side, but this was a fascinating speech anyway. She speaks brilliantly, and makes a very good point.

[crayola-fics.livejournal.com]

That's what I need to do... just sit down and WRITE. Anything. But I end up sitting there and just brainstorming for hours and never actually get anywhere (although I usually come up with two new stories every time, haha).

I'm sitting here and staring at my H/C Bingo card like if I do, the stories will start writing themselves. Which is bad enough, because I'm at work.

[agent-jl36.livejournal.com]

First, I love the TED conference... so many amazing people from different walks of life with incredible visions. I'm going to remember this the next time I'm hired for a photography job. THANKS!

[bellatemple]

I completely love TED -- though this time I found myself kind of disagreeing. I'm all for concepts of being directed by a universal force . . . but perhaps I'm too narcissistic and cynical (I am a Leo raised in the 1990s, after all) for it. Or too humanistic. I like the idea that it springs from the human being, from every screwed up, imperfect aspect. And the imperfections and the ups and downs are all part of the beauty of life and mankind, anyway. You can gather hints and data from the world, from the universal force, from a divine being, whatever you please, but -- and well, now I've sort of talked myself around to partially agreeing with her -- you still have to do the work. You are still interpreting that data and those hints and the impressions and sensations and ideas and getting them out on paper. So, yes, you show up and you do the work to get it done. But . . . I dunno. I don't want to blame my less than magnificent works on a "lame genius". I'd rather just say it's, well, being human.

Yeah, I'm a giant freaking humanist. I feel like I should have a fist pumpy feel-the-power badge to that.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Mostly I agree with you.

The main thing I chose to take from this was the "sit your butt in your chair and write" part of the message. Some days it'll come, sometimes it won't, but your part of the bargain, as writer, is to be present and working. :)

[bellatemple]

See, and as I said, that's the bit I can get behind.

Man, I went into a bit of a rant there, didn't I?

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Just a bit, but I love you for it. :D