Navigating Road Blocks - I Need Your Help!

Here it is, my turn again to write for the Muffin. These Muffin days are seriously my favorite days of the month. I hope you look forward to them as much as I do. The best part is the feedback and conversation from each of you - the readers! Since Easter is right around the corner, I was hoping to come up with something profound that might tie in with an Easter theme. Then I reminded myself not everyone celebrates Easter. I talked myself into a spring theme and talked myself right out of that one too…I think the snow outside was the determining factor in throwing that idea in the trash. It’s April in Wisconsin and I’m still sending children off to school with snow pants, hats, and mittens…I’d tell you what I think of that but the expletives are inappropriate.

Organization? Motivation? Determination? Time Management? My mind has been reeling about what to write. Another book review? Author interview? I talked myself in and out of so many titles and topics it is ridiculous. Truth be told, I do this to myself every time I sit down to write. I have an internal conversation about whether I should write a post for my blog, work on my book, read a book, review the work of others for my writing club, and the list goes on and on. Most days I talk myself out of writing and I scrub the floor, wash diapers, or fold laundry. The more I thought about this I realized I had found my topic. Unfortunately, my topic isn’t really profound at all, but hopefully will inspire some great conversation from you – my friends! (I'm sure you've noticed many of my road blocks in the two paragraphs you've already read...)

Here goes the great big question: WHAT IS STANDING IN YOUR WAY?

If you’re anything like me, YOU are standing in your way. That little voice in your head is telling you:
• That idea isn’t good enough
• No one is going to read that
• Don’t you have better things to do
• Your effort could be spent better elsewhere

Those are my road blocks, but I’ve heard some others as well:
• I want to go over this one more time before I send a query
• My book hasn’t been well received, I’ll ditch the idea
• I can’t stand one more rejection

And the follow up question: HOW DO YOU GET AROUND THOSE ROAD BLOCKS?

Here’s where I want to hear from you...
• Do you have an accountability partner helping you stay focused?
• Do you have a cheerleader reminding you about your goal?
• How do you get around your road blocks?

Crystal is a mother, church musician, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, three young children (Carmen 7, Andre 5, Breccan 6 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, and over 200 Holsteins. You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books and all sorts of other stuff at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

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11 comments being positive, motivation for writers, positive attitude, positive psychology, positive self talk, staying creative, staying focused

Rekindling the Creative Spark, Part 2

Last Saturday on The Muffin, I talked about rekindling the spark when you think your creative flow has slowed...or even stopped. I shared eleven tips to rejuvenate your writing (and your mind).

Did you implement any of these ideas this past week? How successful were you at jumpstarting your creativity?

Today, I'll share another eleven tips to spark your imagination. Ready? Go.

1. Rest. Some of us are early birds, others night owls; but, if you aren't rested, your creative levels dip. Take it from someone who thinks she can survive on five hours of sleep (and really can't), a good night's rest - even a power nap mid-afternoon - boosts my ability to think clearly and accomplish goals.
2. Be appreciative. Sometimes, take a step back and be thankful for the blessings you have in life. That sense of calm that washes over you when you take stock of what you have provides even more incentive.
3. Watch a movie. It works for me! Sure, viewing a movie for fun is, well, fun, but if I tune in to the intricacies of the movie - the plot, the relationships between characters, the pacing - I come up with ideas I can put into practice in my own writing. Try it!
4. Travel to a new place. Now, don't use this as an excuse to hop on a plane and jet to some exotic locale. Or do use it! Just remember: Travel doesn't mean you have to go far from home. Is there a new coffee shop in town you've been wanting to visit? Go. Did a new art exhibit open at the hip gallery in the historic district? Check it out.
5. Make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Letting go of the perfectionist title is tough, I know, but you'll stress less if you relax and realize imperfection is a valuable teaching tool.
6. Practice. I like this tip. If you give up, how will you reach your goal? Practice, practice, practice, then, practice more. 
7. Don't give up. Write yourself into a corner? Happens to the best of us. Maybe that plot line you've outlined isn't headed where you expected. Maybe a character acts out of character. Maybe an interview subject won't take your lead and expand his or her responses for an article. Don't give up. Keep tweaking your work and you'll reach the finish line.
8. Collaborate. This can be tough for writers since a lot of times, we tend to work independently. Forming a partnership offers multiple benefits. Maybe you've just found a sounding board for ideas. Maybe you've discovered a critique group. Maybe you've found an editing partner. Hearing and seeing new ideas implemented boost creativity and critical thought.
9. Seek feedback. Feedback may be the single most important element in the writing/creative process. Without it, writing can become stale and one-dimensional.
10. Find creative types. And I'm not talking about fonts, folks. Attend a conference. Go to a  reading or open mic. Listen to live music or watch a theater production. A certain energy exists at these events and swirls around those associated with the creative arts. Let the magic capture you!
11. Be open...to new ideas, to constructive criticism, to new life experiences. Creativity is a never-ending process that requires the ability to adapt to change; otherwise, creativity becomes stagnant.

If you feel a lull of imagination, use one of these tried-and-true techniques. Your creative mind will thank you, and that's a great payoff.

How do you rejuvenate your creative mind?


Photo and post by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of her work at her website. 

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4 comments Creativity, LuAnn Schindler, rekindling creativity, staying creative, tips for staying creative

Need to Rekindle the Spark? Tips for Staying Creative

Yesterday, as I perused a few education sites for writing tips to implement in my classroom, I stumbled upon a great list offering ways to stay creative. (Unfortunately, I don't remember which site I was on and I forgot to bookmark it. Don't you dislike when that happens? But, I did print the PDF file offering the tips.)


At some point, we all need a creative boost. We slide into a routine, thinking the work we produce is good enough, and then BAM! The creative brain waves halt. Know the feeling? C'mon, raise your hands, because it's happened to you, too.

The good news is simple: rekindling the creativity spark can be as simple as taking a common object with you wherever you go or working with other creative types.

While these are geared to high school students, the ideas perfectly fit writers of all ages. Let's see how they apply to a writer's life.

1.  Become a risk taker. Remember that routine I talked about earlier? Don't fall into that trap. Take a chance instead. Want to publish in a NYT? You won't ever see it in print UNLESS you submit. Have an idea for a breakout book series? Until you put the words on the page, it won't happen. So, take a risk. What are you waiting for?
2. . Break rules. Sure, it's a bit of a conundrum - the whole "rules are meant to be broken/follow the rules" debate. When I started freelancing, I broke one publication's "don't call the editor" rule. Guess what. I landed five additional assignments.
3. Do more of what makes you happy. For me, that's cooking and writing. I do a lot of both.
4. Don't force it. So true! I worked on a chapter of a YA novel for a month, trying to get it to flow. I took a two -week break from it and when I returned to it, clarity. It's amazing how that happens.
5. Read a page of the dictionary. I find this happens quite a bit...although not on purpose. I'll be checking out a word in Flip Dictionary and I'll realize I've been perusing page upon page. The best part, I'll find a word, key in on it, and begin word association. It's amazing how one word can spark an entire page of writing!
6. Build a framework. Can you work without one?
7. Stop trying to be someone else's perfect. Enough said.
8. Write down ideas. You never know when - or where - inspiration will hit, but I've had brilliant ideas surface, only to forget all facets of the idea later.Take it from someone who learned the hard way: Write it down. Now.
9. Clean your workspace. Agreed. If I would clean my office more often, I do think I'd be more productive. While the organized chaos theory works for me most of the time, sometimes, it becomes an obstruction to accomplishing a goal.
10. Have fun. Laugh. Live. Enjoy yourself. Then, return to your writing. You'll sense a new attitude.
11. Finish something. Nothing spurs creativity than finishing one project so you can begin brainstorming for another.

The next time you feel the spark burn out, try one of these surefire tips to rekindle the flame and renew your writer's spirit.

How do you rekindle your creativity?

Post and photo by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of her work at her website.

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1 comment Creativity, LuAnn Schindler, rekindling creativity, staying creative, tips for staying creative