Fall is at our doorstep, my kids are back in school, and I just completed a huge project unrelated to writing. My new routine affords me more writing time, and I aim to use it as wisely as possible.
In other words, the writer is back IN with two projects in the works!
What about you? Do you have more undivided time on your hands? Or did life just get even busier? Either way, it's important to set aside time for creative pursuits. With that in mind, here are seven essentials authors and creatives need to thrive.
1) A space.
Every author needs a space. One that’s comfortable, conducive to creativity, and uniquely yours. Preferably one with your photos and knick-knacks around. (Bonus points if you can see the hummingbird feeder outside my window.)
Though I do enjoy my space, I’m still working on an upgrade. I’ve got a nice corner spot in my bedroom, but I’d love more than anything to have an office. Bob and I have discussed the idea of fixing up a shed in the backyard. Wouldn’t that be something? But space is limited in the yard, too.
Reserving an office at my local library is always an option, and I need to keep this in mind; I’ve always been productive there.
For now, I’ll make use of the writing spaces available to me, which are adequate.
(Side note: I found this heart-shaped rock last time I went to the beach with my family. I've always wanted to find one! So I tucked it into the mini-Colosseum on my desk.)
2) Uninterrupted time.
Uninterrupted time is crucial for me to get into the creative zone. An hour minimum is required, but more is better. If I’m writing while the kids are at home, I’ll need to have an arrangement worked out with Bob to handle their requests. For more casual projects, like blogging, I can work with an open door, but for novel writing I need zero distractions.
Also, if I do have longer writing stretches, taking breaks every hour is beneficial. I try to give laser-like focus to those one-hour sprints but then give myself a break. I’ll take my pup outside or I’ll eat a snack, which feeds nicely into my next point.
3) Brain snacks.
I don’t know about you, but I get ravenous when I write. It’s important to keep brain snacks handy. Did you know certain foods can boost your creativity? I can’t do without them. At the moment, here are my top 3:
a) Chobani Flips yogurt
b) Celery and cheese
c) Almonds and dark chocolate M&Ms
What are your favorite brain snacks?
4) Inspiration.
Inspiration so often comes from other artforms: books, poetry, paintings, movies, music, TV shows, and life itself. (More on that in a moment.) You never know where the ideas will spring from, so you fill up on material in your down-time, so you can make the most of your up-time.
Stephen King says in his book, On Writing, "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." I do my best to keep my tools sharp.
I've got the audiobook and paperback versions of the book Braiding Sweetgrass, and right now I'm switching between them. The poetic language is so inspiring that there is bound to be a positive effect on my own writing.
The author, Robin Wall Kimmerer, is a member of the Citizen Potawatami Nation, and gives lyrical insights about plants and nature, the power of gratitude, and the interconnectedness of all beings.
Definitely worth a read or a listen!
5) A notebook.
Every writer needs a notebook (or several in my case) for when you’re not writing. There’s nothing so maddening as chasing down a genius idea that’s just escaped you.
Writer, Anne Lamott, uses index cards to nab these elusive ideas. In her excellent book Bird by Bird, she says in her tongue-in-cheek manner,
“My index-card life is not efficient or well organized. Hostile, aggressive students insist on asking what I do with all my index cards. All I can say is that I have them, I took notes on them, and the act of having written something down gives me a fifty-fifty shot at having filed it away in my memory.”
I keep several notebooks in different places to capture epiphanies when they arise. You can use index cards, a notebook, phone notes—even scraps of paper. Just don’t leave it to memory alone!
6) Support.
Support to a writer is like gold. A past co-worker of mine used to say, “Will work for praise,” and I happily endorse this idea. I have loads of great supporters and it fills me with gratitude.
Speaking of support, pictured here is my cousin, Peggy, and her husband, Marc. (Along with Bob and my boys.) Marc served as one of my horse experts during the research phase and imparted so much valuable wisdom. They drove quite a distance to see us and to pick up 12 copies of Heart of Grit. I wrapped them as best I could and stamped them with my Pony Express stamp.
My sister, Karen, recently purchased a large number as well and gave them to her book club. On that subject, I’ve been invited to another one. That will make three this year. These things, and so many more, make my author heart happy!
7) Life Experience.
In the 15 years I spent writing, researching, and editing my book, I would sometimes become resentful of all the demands on my time. “Why can’t I spend more time writing?” I'd lament.
Then I listened to a speech at a writers conference. Sadly, I’ve forgotten the author’s name. She said in those moments when she wished she could lock herself away and write, undeterred, she remembered that writing real life stories can only come from living a real life. If we tuck ourselves away long-term, our stories will suffer. Genuine dialog, interactions, and circumstances come from those moments when we’re hit with real-life situations.
We are not merely writers; we are experts in immersion. As artists, we create what we see—what we experience. If we want the kind of epiphanies worthy of jotting down in our notebooks, we need to be out doing the stuff of life.
"The only source of knowledge is experience." -Albert Einstein
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