Monday, May 3, 2010

Creativity breeds ... more creativity!

I'm baaaaaaack! :)

I've been unplugged for the past couple o' weeks as you guys know, but now I'm back and (hopefully) better than ever. I missed you! How've you been?

While I was taking some leisure time, I actually discovered something interesting. I tried some other hobbies I've been wanting to experiment with for a while, and found that not only do I like other things besides writing... but that doing other things helps my writing!

I tried three things in past few weeks:

1) Growing a veggie garden

2) Acrylic painting

3) Making jewelry

I discovered that I really like putting my hands into a task and just going for it. Something strange happens when I'm stringing beads or up to my elbows in dirt--my mind is free to wander. My brain relaxes and goes to places it wouldn't if I were trying to force it by staring at a computer screen.

I think sometimes the best thing we can do for our writing is do something else.

Wash the dishes, make a spicerack, walk the dog! Let your brain wander while doing something else you enjoy, and your writing will benefit from it.

What do you guys think? Do you have any other hobbies or tasks that you enjoy that help your brain relax? What happens in those quiet moments?

5 comments:

Lydia Kang said...

This may sound stupid, but swinging on my kid's swing set helps reset my mind sometimes. Just doing something non-computer related is a great break!

Angela said...

I get ideas while working in my flower gardens, or doing housework...but usually (and unfortunately) most ideas come when I'm TRYING to go to sleep. My mind has a vendentta against my body sleeping, so that's when the most ideas pop into my head. It's up to me whether I get back up and write them down or forget them and get some sleep.

Cole Gibsen said...

I love sewing. There's something about the rhythmic bobbing on the presser foot that makes all my writerly tensions dissolve.

Tere Kirkland said...

Yup. I've been making jewelry and tshirt scarves a lot lately. It keeps my hands busy and my brain thinking outside the box.

Glad to see you back!

Christine Fonseca said...

Missed ya Becca! I get ideas while doing the dishes and cleaning the house!