talking about creativity, in an attempt to appear non-procrastinating
I’m fascinated by the creative process and how people approach it. Me, I’ve always visualized every project I’ve developed as a big, soft, block, ready to be carved down until I find my end result. Rarely do I imagine it as something I build, or add to. It’s in me, it’s already there — I just have to get to it.
And, of course, getting to it is the hard part. And that road is full of distractions and wrong turns.
The remarkable Merlin Mann talked about being creative (and just plain productive) on a Sound of Young America podcast. Totally worth listening to here. Here’s the line that made me cringe with recognition:
How many of you have thought a lot more about the kind of notebook you buy than what you’d like to write as a result of it?
— Merlin Mann on fixation on the process, rather than the result
There’s some good advice on getting motivated, too, although it’s ultimately of the “just do it” variety. Hard to do when my internal Cast of Thousands is urging me to snack, to play Farmville, to take a nice nap.
I love when creativity comes flowing and unbridled, and from a point of view. It’s not a secret that when one does improv with kids, they are the best a crafting a story, and knowing exactly what should come next. There’s no one on earth who are more intimately familiar with story arcs and narrative structure.
All that blather is just an excuse to present the cutest young thing ever, Miss Capuchine, and have her tell us an amazing story, totally made up on the spot:
And here’s a wonderful animation to remind me that collaboration is a great thing — that you can create things far more deep and fantastic than the mere sum total of your group:
One thing I do know for sure is that it’s important to support and be supported in my creative community. Go, go and support your friend’s screening, show, reading. At the very least, they’ll have cheese cubes there!
On that note, I present the link roll of my genius friends. If you’re not on there and should be (I’ve left a few off because I don’t know if you want me to release your address to the general public), let me know posthaste. Check them out! Comment — that’s the e-version of eating cheese cubes!
- cardiogirl
- cloudy: the sky is falling in
- dan wilson show
- danny plotnick
- david wahl
- evany, evany thomas!
- grace anderson
- kevin cunningham
- km soehnlein
- leanne waldal – pedestrian
- made by parker
- michael w dean
- moya watson
- paul tevis
- regina rivera
- spark and foam
- spudart – matt maldre
- tristy – create with spirit
- violet of the pacific
I’m lucky to have so many (so many!) inspiring creative people in my life!
That animation is so crazy cool, I almost died watching it. Your post is inspiring. I have had a post of my own bubbling, but have been feeling too defeated to write anything. Now I feel compelled to get to it. Thank you.
My favorite line was:
“…there was something going amiss.”
Damn! The drama. The hippo prefers to kill himself and then the lion kills the hippo. What kind of hippo does not want to be in heaven?
And then the chicken box plague struck. Yet redemption arrives in the form of an orange ring.
(Stands up and gives a one-woman standing O.) Well done little French girl. Although I desperately wanted to wipe the spit off of her mouth the entire time.
And thank you Hambox for the wonderful shout out! You’re much too kind. Merci!