The Creative Environment

I have not been very diligent about publishing these days, as you may have noticed. After deciding it was clearly time to get back into the groove and opening my WordPress page a headliner cleverly caught my eye. The title suggested something about finding the right "environment for writing", which has recently been a factor in my slacking productivity. Closer inspection reveled not a post about the physical or even emotional environment for writing, but instead some updates about recent changes in the blog formats.  Fine, okay, but not the serendipitous moment I had hoped for.

Environment and comfort have a substantial influence on both my desire and my ability to write.  If I'm at a computer, I'm much more productive using my laptop where I can move about, sit on my bed or slouch back in a recliner. I can even go sit on the porch and listen to the sounds of the neighborhood for inspiration. Sitting at a desk is not only physically uncomfortable, but feels  formal and constrained;  it feels like work.

Sometimes, the keyboard itself takes on a sense of sterility, a sanitized expression of the thoughts and feelings that demand a natural flow. I find this keyboard frigidity to be more common in my generation than in younger writers. People of my age group remember the pre-computer days when typing meant typing...on a typewriter; slow, laborious, prone to error, fading ribbon and sticking keys. Making corrections involved slapping a glob of noxious white-out on the misspelled word or slipping a small piece of correction paper in the carriage and typing over the error. By the time this process was complete, the creative train had left the station. There was also a good possibility the writer would be left with a somewhat disorienting buzz resulting from the inhalation of white out vapors.

Since my laptop has been in the "shop" undergoing repair, I have found myself spending more time writing by hand. I do journal by hand on an almost daily basis, my personal thoughts, dreams and out-of-the-blue moments of inspiration. Journaling in this way is a pleasant, almost meditative process. It is also somewhat liberating. Within the protected space of my own personal journal, filled with my sketches and doodles and random ideas, my thoughts flow freely and the words play on the page like happy children. Even my handwriting is reflective of my current mood, sometimes loose and flowing, sometimes small and cramped with frustration and uncertainty. Either way the process encourages an unrestrained pattern of ideas that easily takes on a life of its own.

A while back I was graced with the opportunity to be interviewed by Janet Riehl, poet, musician, storyteller and founder of  Riehl Life: Village Wisdom for the 21st Century http://www.riehlife.com/. In this interview I discussed my practice of  "word doodling" as I call it as a bit of fun which can alleviate the pressure of taking ones self and one's writing too seriously, therefore freeing the creative process.

I'm hopeful that having had a solid week of play, no pressure to produce blog posts or submit to some judgmental, finger shaking, inner critic I will return to a steady pattern of committed writing (and posting) with a fresh breath of inspiration.

What are other people's means of stimulating creativity and putting the fun back into your work?

Copyright 2011, Jennifer Hazard/Nanakoosa
Image courtesy of Relics and Collectibles http://s399.photobucket.com/home/relicsandcollectables/index




© 2010-2011 Nanakoosa’s Place, authored by Jennifer Hazard

Memoirs

In the past year as I have begun blogging and writing on my own I have become aware of the recent trend in memoir writing. Perhaps it is the lack of continuity of the oral histories that were passed down through generations during times when families were more intact and the world was smaller. The stories of our ancestors were our family legacy and there was the knowledge that one day our own stories would become a part of the thread that binds the generations. There is comfort in both belonging to a History and in knowing one’s life will not fade into the mists of time.
In modern terms there have been many autobiographies written by celebrities; some tell tale Hollywood gossip and some authentic tales of the challenges and struggles of everyday life. Either way people love these, they reassure us that celebrities are human just like us and that they face many of the same obstacles, joys, heartbreaks and just plain mundane details of daily life that we all experience. Perhaps it was this trend that got people thinking, well if s/he can do it I can. Face it, these people are celebrities and although some have a talent for the written word, others not so much but they get published based on their public image and having the right connections. For the rest of us getting published requires considerably more talent and hard work. Again the internet has been a great resource for those interested in Memoir Writing, and like any other internet resource the quality and intention of these groups or individuals vary. There are the kinds of groups I mentioned earlier where writers are free to showcase their work and receive feedback, a rather open forum. Many of these are great fun with word games and writing prompts and a sense of community. Others, designed perhaps for more professional published writers are more selective in their membership and expect to see a regular level of contribution. Then there are those who have “programs” which of course cost money and ask you to purchase books cd’s and other “helpful” items. Let me be clear that I am not against charging money, being a writing coach is a career and one should be compensated appropriately. My word of warning is to make certain this person isn’t simply in it for the money. Do they show samples on their website? Do they offer free tips and prompts? Do they maintain a regular blog that is open to feedback and interaction? One final word of caution, be careful who you submit your work with. Plagiarism has been rampant lately and because the laws of intellectual property rights, copyrights and trade marking on the internet are relatively new and continuously being refined, it can be challenging to protect one’s work.
One issue I see repeatedly fretted over is where to draw the line in self disclosure. How much do we risk revealing about our family? Do we ask for permission ahead of time? “Hey Dad I’m writing a book can I tell about the time you took me along on a date while you were cheating on Mom?” It’s no secret that many of those who have written tell all family histories have suffered the consequences of the family wrath. Another option some writers opt for is to write “fiction” borrowing events from their own experiences but attributing them to fictional characters often creating composite characters of influential people in their lives. The problem is at least for people, who know the writer, it the veil of “fiction” can be pretty thin.
I believe it is possible to write one’s memoirs without alienating your friends and family, at least not entirely. It requires a certain amount of subtlety, discretion and common sense, but I believe it can be done. And if you’re writing about someone who really hurt you in some way, do you really want to cover for them? My goal as a writer is to shine the light into the darker corners of life, and tell the tales of how we made it into the light.







© 2011 Nanakoosa’s Place, authored by Jennifer Hazard

Internalizing our healing

In our healing process we hear lots of beautiful, positive self affirming messages. "You deserve to be happy" or "It wasn't your fault" and the list goes on. I can't tell you many times I've heard women in their healing process say..."I get the concept intellectually, but I don't really believe it in my heart". Believe me I have struggled with this myself! Over the years of participating in my own healing process and those of others I've come to this conclusion: none of this will really "sink in" to our hearts until we form a loving, respectful and healthy relationship with ourselves. Now we are told, and know intellectually at least, that to form healthy loving relationships with others, we must take time to get to really know them. Well guess what? The same is true for ourselves. How many of us truly know and appreciate who we are? Especially after years of co-dependence, addiction, being who someone else wanted us to be so they wouldn't hurt us. These roles, forged in desperation and need for survival are deeply embedded in our psyche. It wasn't until years after being freed from my abuser and free of alcohol that I found myself "stuck", wondering why I still wasn't happy. With the help of my wonderful therapist I realized that I didn't know how to be happy because I didn't know what I needed to be happy....because I didn't really know ME. So how do we get to know ourselves? Here are a few tips that have worked for myself and my clients: Think back to when you were little. What did you want to be when you grew up? What books or movies did you like? What games did you play? What music moved you? Now go ahead and find a copy of that book (mine was Little House on the Prairie) read it. Remember how it made you feel? What about the book inspired you? You will be surprised at what you find, I promise. Draw pictures, make art without judging the content. A wise man once said "everyone can draw, we all have our own style" don't try to copy someones style, just be YOU. Keep a journal. This is one the most helpful tools I know of. If you've kept journals over the years look back at them. Maybe it was the one place you felt safe enough to be authentic. When you go shopping look at those items you always wanted. but "couldn't afford" or didn't feel you deserved. Make a point of treating yourself to one of these items. If it is out of your budget range ask for someone to buy it for your birthday or mother's day. Also resale shops can have some great bargains on items that you may want. Go ahead and make a "wish list" this step alone validates your desires, your style, your unique taste in clothing, furniture, whatever. Pay attention to your dreams as you embark on this process of self discovery. Dreams hold many answers if we pay attention. It helps to keep a dream journal because oftentimes the messages don't immediately make sense, but become startlingly clear at a later time. Finally, I know this sounds cheesy and may feel uncomfortable at first, but go ahead and tell yourself "I love you...." Be sure you say your name. You can add other affirmations as well. (More on affirmations coming soon!) If you try these steps you will find that there is an authentic YOU inside and you will begin to know, enjoy and who knows, maybe even fall in love!