Ginger Garrett's Blog, page 6

Prescription for a Tired Muse

I promised a post on why I must brew a pot of tea before I write. But first, I want to backtrack and explain how I revived an exhausted muse last year. I just got some fabulous news this week: my middle grade novel is going to be represented by a seriously wonderful agent. I can’t wait to make the formal announcement! So I am explaining how exactly I got here, and why you might be able to use this same principle the next time you feel creatively stuck.

Three years ago, I was at the end of a multi-book contract in the inspirational market. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write next.  I only knew I wanted to write for kids. That’s what I had always wanted, and I’d be so blessed to have multiple contracts in the adult inspirational market while I learned my craft. But after refusing another contract, and with no particular story burning inside, I didn’t feel lost; I just felt blank. My muse was tired and restless. If I wasn’t going to write another book immediately, I needed a plan.

My dear friend, author and radio host Michelle Phillips, says: “When you don’t know what to do, go serve someone else.” I took her advice, and decided to serve young adults who dreamed of becoming working writers. Working with a public middle school in Atlanta, I founded a Young Authors program. My goal was to teach them everything I knew about writing. (After that first class, I’d have to wing it.)

Walking into middle school for our first meeting, I felt slightly nauseated. Middle school was not a season of my life I wanted to revisit. Yet here I was, about to enter that world again. I feared I still wouldn’t be cool. I feared the kids would dismiss everything I said. Or worse, that I wouldn’t say the right thing at all.

Within five minutes, I realized that they were far less interested in what I had to say, than in my willingness to listen. I ditched my lesson plan and followed their lead.

Now, every week, I listen to their stories. I listen to their dreams and nightmares. I get to be the adult who says, “There is beauty and power and truth in your story. No one can tell it but you. Ignore the critics. Ignore the bullies. Tell the world what you see.” What an incredible privilege. And my muse? She’s never happier than when a kid dares to read a deeply personal tale. Witnessing an act of courage is powerful stuff.

I don’t worry about whether any of these kids will go on to write professionally. I am sinking an anchor deep into their souls, so that when life’s storms hit, and they are pushed off course, something deep within will draw them home. They will remember who they are, and they will remember that truth is a powerful ally. Most of all, they will remember that their stories and their dreams, they matter.

To all of us.

Why Exercise is an Artist’s Best Friend

Every morning, before I write, I do two things: I get a good workout in, then make a pot of tea.

I’ll explain the tea next week.

Let’s talk exercise now.

I’ve seen a lot of scientific studies that link exercise to enhanced creativity. Indeed, one of the most prolific, and successful, authors I know routinely runs 6 miles every morning before sitting down to write.

Oh, yeah, and he’s well past seventy years old.

We can do this, people.

Studies confirm two important reasons why exercise matters to an artist. The first study I ever found said that after thirty minutes of aerobic exercise, the areas of the brain thought to influence creativity are lit up like a Christmas tree for the next four hours.  Rice University tested this same theory, and found that aerobic exercise enhances creativity for two hours.

Let’s split the difference.

Get a workout in before you write, and you will experience much greater creativity for the next three hours.

A daily routine of exercise will impact your creative powers as well.  Daily exercise conditions the brain as well as the body:  “Cognitive psychologist Professor Lorenza Colzato of Leiden University in The Netherlands, found that those who exercised for four times a week were able to think more creatively than those with a more sedentary lifestyle.”

See the full article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10491702/Lacking-inspiration-Exercise-found-to-boost-creativity.html

So get moving, and then get to creating. Exercise is one habit that pays unexpected dividends to an artist.

Next week: the pot of tea. Why. How. What.

You might be surprised…

The Art of Helping Others

Want to know what fuels the creative fire of one of the most gifted visual artists I know? Read on…

I’ve been reading an advance copy of THE ART OF HELPING OTHERS by Douglas C. Man, IVP Press, and it’s powerfully good. Mr. Mann believes that art can be a form of social justice, and both can be powerful expressions of faith.

I’ve known Doug for several years, and his art is thought-provoking and stunning…so I was excited to read this “behind the scenes” work on how he creates, and why. He views art as a form of incitement:

“The world is not clean, nice and orderly, tailor made for our own creative expression. It is in a perpetual state of formidable disarray. Yet many of us imagine it to be well and good and fit to suit. And then we wonder why life doesn’t work out, why we suffer. It takes creative people to see the world for what it is, to discern the human condition. To practice creativity is to be more keenly aware of the complexity of the world, to recognize its fragile, fractured soul. It takes creative people to awaken that awareness in others. Creativity can beget creativity.”

I love that idea; that we must keep our creative fires going, in part, because we keep the world’s creative fires alive. Wanting to know more about how Doug creates, I asked Doug what his one tip was for operating at peak creativity. Here’s what he answered:

“I believe it’s pushing myself to move into others lives, even those that aren’t so lovable in order that they enter into the discovery process of my faith.  It’s the art of conversation, the art of helping others, which leads to the art of story. As a writer, it’s also equally important for me to have time to allow for alone time – to dive deep like a swimmer diving down to retrieve a pearl from the ocean floor, and eventually resurfacing with something to say.”

Loving the unlovable leads to the art of story. Wow; as a writer, he’s onto something here. I am loving the book and I recommend you get your own copy here:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Helping-Others-Artists/dp/0830837507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390944323&sr=8-1&keywords=art+of+helping+others

Habits of the Highly Creative: Clarity

Everyone wants to identify their special talents and abilities and discover how to best use these gifts. But often, a Highly Creative person will have multiple gifts. You must then choose which of these gifts will become the focus of your life’s work. Clarity about your primary focus is essential because you must know where to direct your resources. But clarity is not, necessarily, a judgment of worth between your talents.

Let’s start by defining our terms.

When we speak of choosing a life’s pursuit, we often refer to it as a “calling.” If you are especially talented in one area, is that gift the same thing as your calling?

Maybe. Maybe not.

How can a Highly Creative know the difference between a gift and a calling?

First, please remember that when I speak of your calling, I’m referring to your work, not your identity. Your work simply expresses the truth of who you are.

But to discern a gift from a calling, there are three important clues to look for. The first is passion. Perhaps you enjoy teaching, but the work doesn’t keep you awake at night, your mind racing with new ideas. You are even content to set it aside during busy seasons of life. A calling, however, comes with a greater degree of passion. The task is always on your mind and heart.

Our passion for the work is one clue.  The second is our choice of activities when we just need to relax. A gift is what we often turn to when we need temporary relief from pressure. We find solace when we bake, or paint, or write, but we don’t feel angst over our lack of mastery. If we enjoy an activity, and have no obsessive, burning need to learn and improve, we’ve probably uncovered a talent, not a calling.

We will have pleasure as we pursue our calling, of course, but much is demanded from us. We often experience enormous pressure. The work will seem too great for us many days, and yet we will be compelled to keep going. We will be forced to confront our limitations, and push on.

This, then, is the third clue to know the difference between a gift and a calling: look for a change in character. For example, let’s pretend you enjoy baking as a hobby, and you’re quite good at it.  After you’ve passed around the platter and cleaned the kitchen, is there much difference in your character? Have you struggled to rise above your limitations? Or did it all come easily? Being gifted can hinder the humility necessary for deep artistic growth. A true calling commands complete humility.

There are important reasons for needing this humility. The process of following our calling will always reveal our character flaws. First, we will recognize that our natural bias is often an enemy to our greatest work. A calling may also involve tasks we don’t especially enjoy. We will procrastinate, grumble, and blame….until we resolve to push past the resistance and do the work.

The process is not pretty. And only a true, deep calling can push us to do it.

A final word: although a calling seems to be greater than a gift, we cannot judge between them. We want clarity between our gifts and calling so we can best use our time and resources. But we cannot know the impact any little fleeting choice will have on the world.

It’s not always great art that strengthens us at our weakest moment…it is the kindness of others, expressed through their own gifts and callings.

So, an important habit of a Highly Creative is this: seek clarity for yourself, but know that any of your gifts can impact the world. Whether it is a gift or a calling, it all matters. Every gift, every talent, every moment….

and every one of us.

Habits of the Highly Creative: Gifts Vs. Callings

Everyone wants to identify their special talents and abilities and discover how to best use these gifts. But often, a Highly Creative person will have multiple gifts. You must choose which of these gifts will become the focus of your life’s work. When we speak of choosing a life’s pursuit, we often refer to it as a “calling.” If you are especially talented in one area, is that gift your calling?

Maybe. Maybe not.

How can a Highly Creative know the difference between a gift and a calling?

First, please remember that when I speak of your calling, I’m referring to your work, not your identity. Your work simply expresses the truth of who you are.

But to discern a gift from a calling, there are three important clues to look for. The first is passion. Perhaps you enjoy teaching, but the work doesn’t keep you awake at night, your mind racing with new ideas. You are even content to set it aside during busy seasons of life. A calling, however, comes with a greater degree of passion. The task is always on your mind and heart.

Our passion for the work is one clue.  The second is our choice of activities when we just need to relax. A gift is what we often turn to when we need temporary relief from pressure. We find solace when we bake, or paint, or write, but we don’t feel angst over our lack of mastery. If we enjoy an activity, and have no obsessive, burning need to learn and improve, we’ve probably uncovered a talent, not a calling.

We will have pleasure as we pursue our calling, of course, but much is demanded from us. We often experience enormous pressure. The work will seem too great for us many days, and yet we will be compelled to keep going. We will be forced to confront our limitations, and push on.

This, then, is the third clue to know the difference between a gift and a calling: look for a change in character. For example, let’s pretend you enjoy baking as a hobby, and you’re quite good at it.  After you’ve passed around the platter and cleaned the kitchen, is there much difference in your character? Have you struggled to rise above your limitations? Or did it all come easily? Being gifted can hinder the humility necessary for deep artistic growth. A true calling commands complete humility.

There are important reasons for needing this humility. The process of following our calling will always reveal our character flaws. First, we will recognize that our natural bias is often an enemy to our greatest work. A calling may also involve tasks we don’t especially enjoy. We will procrastinate, grumble, and blame….until we resolve to push past the resistance and do the work.

The process is not pretty.

A final word: although a calling seems to be greater than a gift, we cannot judge between them. We want clarity between our gifts and calling so we can best use our time and resources. But we cannot know the impact any little fleeting choice will have on the world.

It’s not always great art that strengthens us at our weakest moment…it is the kindness of others, expressed through their own gifts and calling.

So, an important habit of a Highly Creative is this: use it all to bless others. Whether it is a gift or a calling, it all matters. Every gift, every talent, every moment.

Habits of the Highly Creative: No. 7

I’ll be posting a new series starting this Friday: Habits of the Highly Creative. Being a wife, mom and writer, I am always searching for tips and techniques that can increase my creativity, while helping me find peace in the midst of pressure. Below is my first habit.

HABITS OF THE HIGHLY CREATIVE:

Speak about art in a way that invites discussion, not defense.

I refuse to criticize another writer’s work. I may question a choice, wonder about the meaning or intention, but I speak in a way that the artist, if she or he were present, would be invited into the discussion. If I speak about the work in such a way that the writer would be forced into a defensive mode, then I am in serious danger of spoiling my own work. Here’s why:

It’s a fear-based decision to disparage other writer’s works. It’s easier and safer than creating our own. Cruelty feels like an indulgent release for our frustrated artistic energies and agonies.

But cruelty has its price, and it’s more than any artist should pay.

As we persist in the habit of hostility, we condition ourselves to think of art as an activity that must be defended. When we want to create, our energy is bled dry by the ever-present inner critic. We’ve made that inner voice stronger and more compelling than the spirit of creation. We’ve invited fear into the process as a valid participant and welcome guest.

And then when we try to create, we wonder why we’re blocked. Why we’re fearful. Why we fall so far short of our own “standards.”

Our words have far more creative power than we realize. Neuroplasticity, or the science of how the brain responds to stimuli, has shown that our brains are structurally affected by our words. So every time we disparage a piece of art, we wire fear and art together in our brains.

So, if I close a novel and throw it in the trash, you won’t hear me crowing about it. I’ve already moved on to something that engages me more fully. I will celebrate that next novel. I’ll tell others about it. I’ll sing it praises. And I’ll enjoy more creative power later, because I’ve connected art with the joyful pursuit of beauty and meaning. I’ve learned that my days are far too short to waste time. I invest my time in art, not fear.

I hope you join me. Try this habit for thirty days, and see if your own creative power increases.

Check back next Friday for more Habits of the Highly Creative!

Ask It…Two Ways

Happy New Year and let’s get going!

I love vacuuming up the last of the glitter and confetti. December was great but I’m ready for the New Year. Two sets of questions have been buzzing through my brain this week, and I suspect they may change my life. The first set of questions came from Gretchen Rubin, author of HAPPIER AT HOME. She suggests that when we need to make a decision, we ask these five questions:

1. Will this strengthen my relationships?

2. Will it provide challenge and novelty?

3. What is the opportunity cost?

4. Will this decision help me stay true to myself?

5. When I consider this action, how do I feel?

And, lastly:

6. Will this option help me to “choose the bigger life?”

Those questions quickly ferret out the stupid from the sublime. And just when I felt absolutely prepared to tackle challenges of the new year, speaker Andy Stanley posted an entirely new set of questions in a video called “Question Everything.” You can watch it here:

http://northpoint.org/messages/ask-it/question-everything/

Brilliant. And somewhat painful. And brilliant.

While I wrestle with all the implications, I’ll tell you the three delicious novels I just finished: THE HUSBAND’S SECRET from Liane Moriarty, THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M.L. Stedman, and John Le Carre’s THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD. I had never read Le Carre, but his work was on a list of the top 100 modern novels, so I decided to try one. Wow. What a master of his world. And THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS was a great tale well told. Perfect for a blustery winter day.

But, if you haven’t read THE HUSBAND’S SECRET, oh. My. Buy it today. I never thought I would find another writer who could write women’s contemporary as wonderfully as Maeve Binchy. Sniff sniff. I never knew I could love again….until this novel.

Happy new year. Question everything. And buy those three books.

Christmas peace

Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. Luke 10:40

Martha and I have a lot in common right now! Christmas is not only the busiest month of the year for many of us, it can also be intensely emotional. At Christmas, we get sandwiched in between a huge to-do list, and the coming of a new year.

It’s hard to process that a whole year has passed, and we must now begin to think about the new one head. We might need to take time out to grieve a loss, or acknowledge that some dreams have yet to come to pass. We need to replenish our strength, but that’s hard to do when there is so much work to be done.

Christmas can be bittersweet sometimes, but this year, I want more sweet than bitter.

Which is why Jesus’ words in Luke 19 have had such a profound impact on me lately: “If you… had only known on this day, what would bring you peace.” Every day this month, we’ll all face an endless to-do list. Often, our expectations for ourselves exceed our abilities. So I pray Jesus’ words daily: help me know what will bring me peace today.

Peace is the foundation for joy. We want to feel the joy of Christmas this year, don’t we? Peace is strength, too, and in December, we need our strength! The good news is, we don’t have to manufacture our good feelings. We don’t have to force a good mood or fake the holiday spirit. We don’t have to rely on our own, limited strength. We can pray to recognize what will lead to peace and then take action. The end result?

A slightly imperfect, but perfectly wonderful, Christmas season.

So I am praying for you, that you will choose the things that will bring you peace. And if you have a moment, drop me a line and tell me what those choices were for you. I’d love to know how you chose peace this month.

All His best to you,

Ginger

A Gift or a Calling?

Are you gifted as a writer? Do people comment on your way with words? That must mean you are called to be a writer. Yes?

Not necessarily. I believe we all have many gifts, but a calling is quite different. And since I like to look at life through a spiritual lens, I parsed this question in view of what a calling really costs. You can read more here:

http://www.intouch.org/magazine/content.aspx?topic=The_Giver_of_Many_Gifts#.UkWbDRCZjWg

Life is good…no, wait…it’s great!

I am THRILLED that this fall, I will be super busy ghostwriting for one of my favorite people on the entire planet. One of the greatest privileges I have as a writer is supporting people who have powerful stories to share. And this story might just change your life. More news will follow!

While I dig in to the work, my agent will be shopping a novel I finished over the summer. Aimed at middle school girls, it affirms the beauty of being different. In our digital age, we tend to insulate ourselves with people who are just like us. They visit the same sites, like the same people and watch the same shows. While there is comfort in sameness, we weren’t created to be interchangeable. We need the artists, the dreamers, and the odd-girl-outs…We need people who make us just a little uncomfortable.

We need to find people who aren’t like us…and then listen.

That’s one reason why I spend a lot of time volunteering as a creative writing mentor in the Atlanta area public school system. The kids keep me from petrifying in my long-held beliefs and opinions. They remind me that life is hard but the human spirit is fierce. And my job is to encourage them that they have a story, and that story is worth sharing.

So, life is great. Not because I have everything I want, but because I am surrounded by people I need.

And that is a blessing worth celebrating.

May grace and peace be yours,

Ginger