WRITING OR GROUP THERAPY?

The Yellow Rose RWA Chapter, of which I am a member, hosts an annual members-only retreat the second weekend of each October. In the past, we stayed at a lovely little cottage in Glen Rose that seemed to have a haunted fireplace. ☺ For several years we held the retreat at the lake house of a member on Lake Granbury until they sold the property and moved to Dallas. For a couple of years, the retreat was simply an all-day workshop at our regular meeting site. This year, the retreat is at a home on the shores of a lake near Fort Worth, Texas. The home has six bedrooms and four baths, so the 14 of us who plan to attend should fit nicely.

The photo above is from the website through which we rented the home.

And above is the view from back patio.

Writers are people who hear voices in our heads. We aren’t crazy (well, most of us aren’t), and we love to meet with other writers who understand our need to write down what these people in our head are saying and record their stories. Certainly, not everyone understands that aspect of writers. Fortunately for me, Hero  understand and is supportive. Not all writers are so fortunate. Many spouses actually try to prevent his/her spouse writing.

Gretchen Craig

Author Gretchen Craig will present a workshop. Other time will be spent brainstorming writing problems and, let’s face it, discussing anything that pops into our heads. Those of us attending are mega-excited. After I’ve attended one of these retreats, I’m physically exhausted for a few days, but mentally energized. Fresh ideas pop into my head for treatment of plots I’d already conceived. New plots follow, too.

Psychologists say that endorphins produced in settings like this are akin to a jolt-sized antidepressant that lasts for three to five days. A retreat like this one is shaping up to be could have me flying high for weeks.

What do you do to recharge your creative energy?

Thanks for stopping by!

Courting You Muse

Gene Fowler said, "Writing is easy. All you have to do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead."

What activates your muse? Do you have to court it? Darling Daughter 1 gave me a magic wand to help with my writing. Some days it works; some days it's broken. Okay, maybe I don't really believe the want is magic, but it is pretty.  I keep it by my monitor. After all, it couldn't hurt a person, could it? Each of us needs a little magic in our writing, right? Maybe a fairy would shower that extra sparkle into our work?

Many writers use music to set the mood for their particular work in progress. One friend downloads songs that she feels set the mood for her day's writing.  I find that anything with lyrics detracts from my concentration. Classical music, especially Mozart, sets a nice rhythm for my keystrokes. In fact, I am a fan of Don Campbell's book, MOZART EFFECT, and have the accompanying Cd's. I also listen to chakra aligning CD's, again strictly instrumental. By the time I finish a day's writing, my chakras should be a hundred percent on target.

Experts have stated that music imparts a rhythm to our text that communicates to the reader. Who knows? Each individual responds differently. Pachelbel's "Canon" soothes me. My favorite copy is on a two-CD set entitled "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in The Universe." Isn't that a lofty claim? The Cd's are so enjoyable, however, I have a spare set for the time when these Cd's expire from overuse.  After all, I can't risk displeasing my muse.

Getting away from the computer for a couple of hours might revitalize your creativity. Or do you need a few days away to contemplate? Stress can suffocate our muse. A little R and R never hurts, does it?

Reading also stimulates my muse and gets her contemplating new possibilities. Now, I do NOT mean that I am copying anyone! In fact, when working on a project, I read the opposite type of literature so even my subconscious can't plagiarize. Rather reading relaxes me by taking me away so my creativity surfaces. If a book is particularly well-written and captivating, I read it a second time to analyze the craft techniques.

A muse is not just for writers. No matter what the artistic endeavor, a muse is needed for inspiration. Each of us has a method for courting our muse. What works for you?
  

Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

Writer John Griffith, writing as Jack London, once said, "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."

Non-writers frequently ask writers where we get our ideas. I can only speak for myself, but I get them everywhere. Not a good answer, you say? Okay, I'll elaborate a bit. For one story, I based the heroine on an anecdote my grandmother once mentioned when I was a child. A snatch of conversation overheard in a restaurant or other public place might spark a plot or a secondary character. Newspapers are filled with food for stories and filling in plots, especially for mystery or romantic suspense writers.

An editor's request for a certain type of story inspired my next release, OUT OF THE BLUE, from The Wild Rose Press on June 4th. This editor said she was tired of the same old time travels with a modern heroine or hero traveling back in time. She thought it might be refreshing to have a heroine from the past come forward.

Acting on her general request, my critique and writer friend Sandy Crowley helped me plot the story of Deirdre Dougherty. Deirdre began life in one of my favorite places, Ireland. She's a clairvoyant herbal healer treated with suspicion by her neighbors in a remote village near the seaside cliffs of the Connemara area. When the potato crops fail, villagers don't realize a nationwide blight is the cause and some believe Deirdre put a curse on them. They chase her into the current time. You'll have to read the book to learn more. (My plan is to entice you to buy the book. Is it working?)

Publishing is a rapidly changing industry. By the time I finished OUT OF THE BLUE, the editor who requested this type story had left the line and the line folded. Luckily for me, The Wild Rose Press accepted the novel. But creativity doesn't limit itself to writing. Painting, sewing, baking, sculpting, and gardening are only a few of the creative outlets we need to express ourselves.

Where do you get ideas for your creative side?