30 Day Journal Affirmation Challenge (Day 1) Response
Reposted from My College Writings (c) 2014.
“I’m a test this out. Now keep in mind that I’m an artist and I’m sensitive
about my ( …) [stuff],” (Badu). Erykah Badu
willing shared the sentiments that are felt by artists with the group of people
she was singing her well-known song, “Tyrone” to and in doing so, shared a part
of her heart and soul with them. The creative
process is an amazing, but sensitive and scary thing. It begins with an idea and ends with a product,
often raw in nature, but fulfilling to the artist. This process differs from person to person, but
the beginning and ending tends to be the same, an idea, and then the work. In this paper, I will discuss my creative process.
My creative process begins with an idea. An inspiration hits me. It could be the name of a person, a picture of
an item in a Bible story, a street name, or something else that inspires me. In his essay entitled “The Process of Inspiration,”
Jean Cocteau writes, “I think it [inspiration] rather the result of a profound indolence
and of our incapacity to put to work certain forces in ourselves. The unknown forces work deep within us, with the
aid of the elements of daily life, its scenes and passions, and, when they burden
us and oblige us to conquer the kind of somnolence in which we indulge ourselves
like invalids who try to prolong dream and dread resuming contact with reality,
in short when the work that makes itself in us from beyond and is offered us by
the gods,” (Cocteau 79). Inspiration is
a strange entity.
The idea floats in my head until I eventually
write it down or dismiss it as an outlandish idea. There have been times when an outlandish idea
refused to leave me alone and I ended up writing it down anyway. Cocteau writes, “For it is at this moment that
consciousness must take precedence over the unconscious and that it becomes necessary
to find the means which permit the unformed work to take form, to render it visible
to all,” (79).
I used to use a notebook to keep all
of my ideas in, but that presented a problem because I didn’t always have access
to the notebook when I was inspired. Also,
when I did have the notebook with me and I would write the idea down, people who
were around me at the time would become suspicious of me writing, get nervous, and
ask 50 million questions about what I was writing. Since my idea stage is a private one, I do not
like to discuss my ideas. So, this caused
even more problems. I decided not to write
my ideas down in front of people anymore.
When getting the inspiration for a new
idea it is imperative that I write it down after I have deemed it worthy to be listed
in my idea reservoir. Waiting to write it
down even as little as 15 minutes, leads to the idea being changed from what it
originally was or to forgetting the idea all together. When I forget an idea, it usually comes back and
haunts me until I write it down. Amy Lowell
writes, “The subconscious is, however, a most temperamental ally,” (Lowell 111).
Technology is a beautiful thing. I am reminded of the number of commercials on
television these days that show creative people using their laptop or two-in-one
to produce a great creative work. A number
of smart phone commercials show how one can use their smart phone to be creative
as well. Thanks to any number of apps, I
can immediately post my idea in my phone, which I always have with me, or post
it in my I-Pad. The use of technology has
led to my ideas being written down in a timely manner. There is a drawback to using technology in this
manner. When an idea comes to me on the job
and I reach for my technology, it can be perceived that I am texting or otherwise
goofing off. This can led to a variety of
problems. Despite the risks, using technology
to keep track of my ideas has worked greatly for me.
Regardless of what method I use to keep
track of my ideas, my creative process always begins with an idea. R. W. Gerard writes, “Imagination, creative imagination,
is an action of the mind that produces a new idea or insight,” (Gerard 237). The idea is important. The next step of the process is contemplating
the idea. There are times when it is necessary
to come up with an idea specific to a task or assignment. Receiving an idea or even inspiration for the
idea can be tedious because it seems forced, but the specific idea always manifests
itself in a timely manner. I remember a number
of my classmates this semester stating that they were struggling with coming up
with an idea for the creative project. I
understood how my fellow classmates were struggling for an idea. I did not have a specific idea in mind, but because
I had my idea journal, it was easier for me to come up with an idea.
After choosing an idea to write about,
I think about the idea. In his article, “Psychology
and Literature,” Carl Jung writes, “In the case of the work of art we have to deal
with a product of complicated psychic activities – but a product that is apparently
intentional and consciously shaped,” (Jung 217). I write the story, essay, paper, or other form
of writing repeatedly in my head for a number of days or weeks. The writing comes about in fragments that are
in no particular order. This step gets jumbled
because I have other ideas and daydreams playing in my head at the same time. I must focus to stay on task, concentrating on
the idea that I must immediately write about.
While thinking about the specific idea
of the moment, I can tend to stress about the idea. Thomas Wolfe also stressed about his writing. He writes, “It was a progress that began in a
whirling vortex and a creative chaos and that proceeded slowly at the expense of
infinite confusion, toil, and error toward clarification and the articulation of
an ordered and formal structure,” (Wolfe 193).
I do not stress about the idea itself, but about how I will present the idea,
how it will be received, and if I can write what I have created in my head. The work that is in my head is far greater and
better than anything I can write down. R.
G. Collingwood suggests that the artist first creates their work in their minds. He calls this creation an “imaginary thing.” He believes that this is the true version of the
artist’s work. He writes, “A work of art
may be completely created when it has been created as a thing whose only place is
in the artist’s mind,” (Collingwood 3). Once
I convince myself that I can write my idea down effectively and it will be well
received by others, I can continue to the next step of the process, outlining the
work.
I enjoy the outlining step. It is a good way to see the skeleton of your work. This step helps motivate me to write. It also helps me keep my thoughts and details
in order. Outlining is very beneficial. Outlining makes writing my work easier. In her article entitled “TOP 10 Reason (plus 1)
Why an Outline is Important When Writing a Book, Lynn Serafinn writes, “When you
sit down to work, you know exactly what parts of your book need to get done,” (Serafinn). Outlining also helps me to be meticulous. “If you have an outline, you won’t accidentally
omit something vital to your message or story line… An outline can help you see the continuity of
your book before writing it,” (Serafinn).
This step gets me organized and excited about writing. “When you have an outline, you see yourself making progress and ticking
off the “boxes”, so to speak. This helps
keep you motivated as you move closer and closer to your goal of finishing you book,”
(Serafinn). Serafinn recounts a time when
she did not use an outline in her article.
She writes, “I kept moving things around and couldn’t see where I was going. I found myself saying the same thing over and
over without realising it, and there was no real over-arching point or direction
for what I was writing,” (Serafinn). Outlining
is an important step in the process.
The method of outlining does not matter. I have used elaborate computerized outline software
that contained multileveled steps as well as simply writing down the topics or points
I wanted to discuss. I have been successful
using both. I find that using outlines that
are more elaborate makes the writing more structured and does not lend itself to
creative tangents or moments. The simple
outlines makes for some great occasions in my writing that have been popular points
of interest in my writing. Some of my best
writings are creative tangents or moments.
Outlining is an important step in my creative process because it leads to
the best part of the process; getting the work from my head to the paper. Jean Cocteau writes, “To write, to conquer ink
and paper, accumulate letters and paragraphs divide them with periods and commas,
is a different matter from carrying around the dream of a play or of a book,” (Cocteau
79-80).
The next step of the process depends
on the time constraints I have to complete the work. I like to handwrite the first draft of my work. Putting the first draft on a piece of paper gives
me a clarity and freedom to write that typing it on a computer does not. The words seem to flow from my brain down my arm
and out through my pen. My brain and my pen
seem to be one, united in the endeavor. I
can also write and not worry about self-editing as I write with pen and paper.
I have a weird writing habit. I must use college ruled paper, preferably a spiral,
and the color of the lines on the page must be a certain shade of dark blue. When I try to use paper with the wrong shade of
blue, I get writer’s block. Nothing comes
out and my mind goes blank. I used to think
I was nuts, but after reading Stephen Spender’s essay entitled “Making of A Poem,”
I discovered that I am not the only person who has this issue. Spender writes, “Coffee is my own addiction, besides
smoking a great deal, which I hardly ever do when I am writing. I noticed also that as I attain a greater concentration,
this tends to make me forget the taste of the cigarette in my mouth, then I have
a desire to smoke two or even three cigarettes at a time, in order that the sensation
from the outside may penetrate through the walls of concentration which I have built
around me,” (Spender 114). Spender writes
about another writer. “Schiller liked to
have a smell of rotten apples, concealed beneath the lid of his desk, under his
nose when he was composing poetry,” (114).
Spender does suggest that the body tends to sabotage the attention of the
writer’s mind by providing some form of distraction. Whatever the reason we artists have strange tendencies
when we write.
There are times when handwriting my
work is not possible. This is when I type
it on a computer. Typing the first draft
of a work is not as enjoyable as handwriting it. I have to constantly fight with my inner editor,
the grammar checker of the word processing software, and the word count feature
of the software. These three things hamper
my creativity. Limiting my self-editing has
become easier as I have grown as a writer.
I remember that many of my classmates in my novel writing class struggled
with self-editing. They often posted about
how hard it was to stop self-editing.
The grammar-checking feature of the
word processing program can be turned off, but it still seems to haunt me. It seems to be saying, “You may not see me, but
I can still see the mistakes you are making.”
After a while, I can successfully ignore the annoying feature. The word processing feature that I struggle with
quite a bit is the word counting and page-numbering feature. I recently found out that this feature could be
turned off in MS Word 2010. Before discovering
this, the word count and page numbers would constantly remind me that I had a goal
to reach and that I would probably never reach it because I spent so much time focusing
on those numbers on the status bar instead of writing. It was a vicious cycle. I do not like writing the first draft of a work
on a computer. If I am able to handwrite
it, the next step is to type it on the computer.
Typing the first draft of my work on
the computer is often bittersweet for me.
It is proof that I have done a great work in getting my idea from my head
to the paper, but at the same time, it is a moment to stress over the quality of
the work, the lunacy of some of the things I wrote, and the need for my work to
make sense to the reader. At this step, I
try not edit or revise the work, but there are times when it is necessary to correct
spelling, grammar, or to change something that is eligible because of my handwriting. There are moments of inspiration during this step
that leads to creative tangents and moments, but they happen sparingly. Typing my work on a computer gives me the satisfaction
of a job well done. I can also tell myself
that I have accomplished a monumental task.
Eric Maisel writes, “A creative work is completed many times over. It is completed
each time the creator comes to a subjective sense of completion (even if that sense
lasts only for an instant) and each time the work reaches an objective stage of
completion… All these subjective and objective
completions count,” (Maisel 165).
An important step in my creative process
is leaving the work alone. Do not look at
it, do not think about it, bury it under a few books or binders so that I cannot
even see it. The optimal “leave it alone
time” that I prefer is two weeks. This amount
of time gives me an opportunity to get the project out of my system; therefore,
when I return to it, I will be able to look at it with refreshed and rejuvenated
eyes. If two weeks is not possible, I prefer
to leave it alone for 36 to 48 hours. This
time frame motivates me to focus on something else to give my mind a chance to become
a little clear of the project. My eyes are
not as rejuvenated as I would like them to be, but I have had time to let the project
roll off my back. After I leave the project
alone, I revise it.
The revision phase is very important. Melissa Donovan writes, “Revision is all about
change. More specifically, it’s about making
changes that improve our work. Rewriting,
proofreading, and editing are all revision methods. Each has a specific function,” (Donovan). This is where I perfect my work. I am an editor. I have edited a number of books published by my
father as well as some books published by his friends. I feel comfortable editing my work. I edit my work as meticulously as I would a work
that is not mine. Donovan writes, “Editing
may deal loosely with context but its true focus is on readability… the primary
purpose of editing is [to] make the work ready for a readership,” (Donovan). Donovan suggests that rewriting is making meaningful
and appropriate changes to the work. She
states that proofreading is checking for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. These three steps happen simultaneously for me.
Revising my work can be overwhelming
because there is a chance for being overly critical of the work. Maisel has a five-step process to affirm the revision
process. First, one must calm their mind
and inspect the work. Secondly, the writer
must decide on the specific changes to make.
Thirdly, the artist must plan to revise the work. Fourthly, the artist must revise the work. “Affirm your willingness to work by saying out
loud “I am ready to revise,” (Maisel 189).
Lastly, completely revise the work.
The revision step has not tripped me
up because I remind myself that the work is finished and it just needs to be refined. When I say refined, I mean that the rough edges
need to be smooth out, the dust needs to be wiped off, and a shine needs to be put
on the finished product. I do not allow myself
to add any more words unless it is necessary.
The revision step of my creative process can be long and tedious, but it
is rewarding. I know that I have refined
my work and that the next step of the process is the best part of the process. I must submit my work to be viewed or read.
Submitting my work to be viewed or read
is a nerve-racking step that takes courage.
My theory is, why write, or produce a work if you do not plan to share it
with someone. I am selective with whom I
share my work, but I try to share all of my completed works. Allowing someone to read my work is the highest
form of love and vulnerability. Even in a
classroom setting, where I am a student, it is still an endeavor of love and vulnerability
to share my work. In his book entitled, The Courage to Create, Rollo May writes,
“It is [social courage] the courage to relate to other human beings, the capacity
to risk one’s self in the hope of achieving meaningful intimacy,” (May 17). I have to be brave enough to put myself out there
in an intimate way. “Intimacy requires courage
because risk is inescapable,” (17). I believe
that the more you share your work, the more you will want to share your work. Also, sharing your work allows you to develop
a thick skin to withstand the criticism you may receive about your work.
Receiving critique and criticism about
my work is important. It helps me become
a better writer and reminds me that I am a good writer. Yes, I get upset when someone says something negative
about my work, but I have to remember that they are only one person and I can choose
whether to take what they say to heart. I
also take the opportunity to remind myself that not everyone will like, read, or
enjoy my work. As long as I am true to myself
and write what I feel, someone will like, read, and enjoy my work. After submitting my work, I must enjoy the journey,
work, and process.
Often in life, we forget to enjoy the
successes we have. We complete one task,
only to rush into the next task without reviewing and acknowledging what was successful
in the previous task, the last step in my creative process is to enjoy the work. Maisel emphasizes the importance of celebrating
success. He writes, “Have a small but really
festive party. Congratulate yourself. Toast the work. And don’t forget to take some pictures,” (Maisel
194).
I must be honest and admit that I do
not always acknowledge my successes immediately. I have waited weeks and months before acknowledging
a writing journey and success. I am still
learning and developing this step of my creative process. To recognize my writing successes, I usually revisit
the process, which includes looking in my idea journal and remembering the idea
I wrote about, then looking at the outline, notes, or prewriting I did on the work. I usually try to keep all of the work from these
steps in a spiral or computer file. This
reminds me that there is a process and it works. The next step is to read the completed work for
enjoyment purposes. I read it as if I am
the consumer and not the author. This step
is amazing. It brings me great joy. The last thing I do in this step is to tell myself,
“You are a write and you are a great writer.
Keep writing; people enjoy your work.”
This affirmation is important because it keeps me encouraged and it keeps
me writing. Maisel promotes self-affirmation
at each step of writing. Encouraging yourself
is important as you write.
My creative process is long and probably
overwhelming to everyone else, but for me, it is a process that I have developed
for over 30 years. My process works for me. I know this because of the methods I use have
and are used by other writers, some of who were famous writers. My process has helped me become a great writer
as well as a published author. One day,
this process will allow me to become a paid published author, a day I am
expectantly looking forward to seeing happen.
If I keep writing using the creative process described in this paper, I
have no doubt that it will happen.
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Tyrone. Erykah Badu. Erykah Badu, Norman "Keys" Hurt, 1997. CD.
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