I apologize for not posting recently, but I just haven’t been up to it.

December is a deep, dark well that I will only begin to climb out of after the season turns on Saturday and the daylight hours begin to slowly increase. And I won’t really feel like myself again until spring. December is always a triple whammy for me: the stress of the semester ending, the stress of Christmas preparations, and the gloom of the season’s creep toward the winter solstice. So what’s the result of all this holiday cheer? I no more feel like writing than I feel like rolling naked in the snow.

When I do force myself to write, it’s self-pitying journaling for the most part, but some of what I write is more introspective. Maybe I’m absorbing the reflectiveness that seems to be the topic of every blog I read lately, but I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about what I’m doing and what I want to be doing.

One of the things I’ve been musing on is what to do with Here to Create. When I began, I was modeling the blog off what I was reading at the time, blogs like Zen Habits and Scott H. Young. Most of the self-improvement and productivity blogs have an authoritative tone that inspires the trust of the reader. During the first few months of Here to Create I attempted to imitate that tone. Then in November, as I chronicled my experiences with National Novel Writing Month, I adopted a much more personal tone that felt more comfortable and genuine to me. But now that November is over and my novel is resting, I’ve been floundering on the blog, trying to decide what to write and how to write it.

As I figure out the direction I want to take with Here to Create, there may be some changes coming in how frequently I post and on what topics, but I’m not planning on giving up writing here. I’ve enjoyed myself too much to stop now.

Also, I want your input. What kinds of posts do you most enjoy? Are there any topics you’d like to see me explore? Let me know in the comments.

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Posted: December 18th, 2007 under Inspiration.
Comments: 6

What is a writer? Is it someone who makes a living writing? Is it someone who has been published? Or is it just someone who writes? And when I say “someone who writes,” I don’t mean that everyone who writes a grocery list should be accused of being a writer. I mean people who write purposefully, whether they have aspirations of publication or not.

I don’t tend to make these distinctions, but if asked, I say that I’m an amateur writer. I certainly don’t have the presumption to compare myself to famous writers of the past, or even to anyone who’s published, but I still think I’m a writer, albeit an amateur one.

I’ve been thinking about the meaning of being a writer today, because I’ve just been reading 101 Reasons to Stop Writing and trying to decide if I’m offended or not. I think Sean Lindsay has some good points. Far too many people think of the “wealth and fame” they’ll have when they’re published long before they even have a first draft. And there are probably far too many bad books published. But I couldn’t help but wonder: who’s tying this poor man down and making him buy and read all these terrible books? Publishing, like all businesses, is market driven. If there are bad books being published, it’s probably because there are people who will buy them.

Lindsay also criticizes NaNoWriMo pretty severely. Like many people who disparage NaNo, I think he’s trying too hard. Yes, judging by the NaNo forums, some participants think they will have a complete novel, ready to send to publishers, by the end of the month. But many serious writers also use the adrenaline from NaNo’s forced pace to increase the time they spend writing or to help them work toward a goal. And many participants just write because it’s fun, challenging, and an exercise in creativity. True, the emphasis on writing “crap” is perhaps overdone in the NaNo promotional literature, but the larger point is to overcome inhibitions and take creative risks. And most participants understand that what they have at the end of NaNo is an extremely rough draft.

So what does this have to do with the definition of “writer”? When I’m confronted with the idea that I should just stop writing if I’m not good enough to be a bestselling author, I feel the need to reinforce the validity of writing as an amateur, for fun. Why should anyone who enjoys writing stop? The idea seems comparable to saying that those who bicycle for fun should stop unless they’re good enough to compete in the Tour de France. Or that the people who play instruments in the community band should stop if they have no future as professional musicians. There’s no shame in pursuing an activity just for fun.

So although I agree with some of Lindsay’s reasons, he hasn’t convinced me to stop writing. What about you?

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Posted: December 4th, 2007 under Inspiration, Writing.
Comments: 4

This Friday, instead of offering one of my own photos, I want to recommend the digital artwork of Ryan Bliss, creator of Digital Blasphemy. There are hundreds of wallpapers available on the site for paid members, but Ryan also offers some fantastic selections in the free gallery. I regret to say I haven’t yet sprung for the paid membership, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time (and money, of course).

Something about Digital Blasphemy wallpapers always spark my imagination. The details are so rich and complex, the images often provide the perfect backdrop to writing and other creative efforts. If you’re looking for a little visual inspiration, check out Digital Blasphemy.

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Posted: November 30th, 2007 under Inspiration.
Comments: none

Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Like many other bloggers, I encourage everyone to take a few moments and consider what you’re grateful for. But I also urge you to take that feeling one step further.

As you’re thinking about the joys in your life, think too about how you can give someone else happiness. I think gratitude should not just be an emotion—it should be an action. Following are a few suggestions for ways to spread a little joy around the world.

• Read the Happiness Project blog and share it with anyone you know who could use a little more joy.
• Improve your vocabulary and donate Free Rice to hungry people around the world.
• Donate to One Laptop Per Child and also purchase an inexpensive laptop for a child you know through November 26.
• Practice Creative Ways to Help the Environment and encourage others to do the same.
• Find a new charity through Give.org.
• Stop your junkmail and save a tree.
• Donate to Doctors Without Borders, a group that provides medical care to people in third-world countries.
• Thank others for their impact on your life.
• Donate books or money to your local library.
• Start an appreciation journal. It will improve your outlook and let you spread your joy that much easier.

Gratitude is a flower. Pluck the petals and scatter them on the wind.

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Posted: November 22nd, 2007 under Inspiration.
Comments: 1

I’ve been so obsessed with writing recently that I’m completely neglecting my other creative interests. While I’m waiting for my Dragon NaturallySpeaking software to arrive so I can continue working on my novel for National Novel Writing Month, I’m going to try to reconnect with some of my other creative interests. To get inspired, I read a few articles about creativity. See if any of these get your creative juices flowing.

• 7 Habits of Highly Innovative People
  “Have you ever looked at super creative or innovative people, and felt they are special beings blessed with gifts? Have you felt that you are not as fortunate? I used to feel this way. I have since learned that creativity is more about psychology than intellect, and there are no secrets to being creative.”
  
• Do You Recognize These 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking?
  “So, rather than looking for ways to inspire creativity, you should just realize the truth. You’re already capable of creative thinking at all times, but you have to strip away the imaginary mental blocks (or boxes) that you’ve picked up along the way to wherever you are today.”
• How to be Creative
  “Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with books on algebra etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the creative bug is just a wee voice telling you, ‘I’d like my crayons back, please.’”
• 110+ Resources For Creative Minds.
  “Tips, tutorials, exercises and inspiration from the fields of visual art, writing, photography, blogging, design and invention. Next time you’re stuck for ideas or inspiration I hope you’ll find something here to get your right brain firing.”
• Creative Thinking Hacks
  “The word creativity is frequently inflated by association, frequently appearing with overused, hype-laden words such as genius, brilliance, revolution and innovation. Hype mongers and creative intimidators throw those labels around like candy, scaring most people out of their own natural creative instincts.”
• Are you interested in reading about creativity?
  “I find people’s descriptions of their own creative processes more useful than books that suggest creativity exercises, so that’s the kind of book that dominates on my list.”
• 20 Sure-Fire Ways to Come Up With Great Ideas
  “Always be on the lookout for great new ideas, and they will come to you.”
• How to Become a Creative Genius
  “When we measure the creativity of young children, virtually all of them will record as being ‘highly creative’. However, only a small percentage of adults register as being ‘highly creative’. What happened?”
• And finally, 9 Tips to be More Creative from Here to Create
  “Many people think creativity is about having artistic skills. They say, “I can’t write, I can’t paint, and every time I take a photo I put my finger over the lens. I’m just not creative.” I say, “You can be a creative person. You are a creative person already, you just don’t know it.” Creativity is about using your imagination in every endeavor. It’s not just for artists.”

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” Scott Adams

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Posted: November 15th, 2007 under Creativity, Inspiration.
Comments: none