Creative Refueling
Tuesday has become my favorite day of the week. It starts like every other day with marketing or writing as soon as I wake up. Then, I drink a cuppa and keep writing until noon when hubby encourages me to stop and take a break with him. But instead of returning to work after lunch, on Tuesdays, I get dressed up and we head out. Is it a date? Absolutely! But it’s also my chance to refill my creative tank.
You see, Tuesday is discount day at most theaters. If I worked it just right, I could see multiple movies with various family members. Kid movie with my grandchild, an action-adventure or comedy with my husband, a science fiction film with my daughter-in-law, or a horror film with my son. I haven’t gotten all four in one day, but give me time. I’ll figure it out.
Our favorite local theater requires a ride “into the stars” on an escalator.
Once I step onto those moving steps, I start buzzing with excitement. I know I’m about to experience a fully-creative project featuring everything I enjoy — a well-written story creatively presented with talented actors and a perfectly timed musical score.
And popcorn. Can’t forget that.
My husband often remarks that I can usually find something in a movie to like — even if I don’t enjoy the overall project. It’s true. There have been very few movies where I’ve been so frustrated with the elements’ lack of cohesion that I’ve left the theater angry at the director and producers — especially if I’m familiar with the source material and can pinpoint where the screenwriter or director has done away with the basic themes so carefully crafted by the original writer and instead added nonsensical scenes that do nothing to push the story forward.
That frustration is rare, however.
I don’t look for absolute perfection in my movies. I recently watched one with my son where the acting, makeup, and music were all effective, but I felt the story had some significant holes. His response? It’s a horror movie. The story doesn’t need to make sense. When I disagreed, he suggested that the plot holes would be fixed in the sequel. I ended up thinking about the film for the next few days — not the gore and fright, but the plot. That movie, as imperfect as it was, sparked my creativity by compelling me to think through the storyline and the possible solutions to the problems I saw.
A week later, I watched a film with my husband where the main character routinely broke the fourth wall. My husband muttered, “Ugh, I hate when movies do this.” I was surprised by that since it’s such a great vehicle for storytelling. I tried not to let his obvious frustration with the film’s first half distract me. I was enjoying the movie. My husband was not. He later told me he took issue with the subject matter (alcoholism) and how lightly it was being handled. And then, halfway through, the whole tone of the movie began to change. He got into it. Afterward, we talked about the unreliable narrator, the use of the fourth wall break to tell a story, and how addiction is viewed by the addicted versus how it is seen from the outside. We agreed that the movie was a good one. It took us on a journey, bringing us into the experiences of the lead character, and prompting me to think about my own imaginary friends and how they view themselves.
Last week, I wrote a chapter of my WIP, then had to step away for a few minutes. I went back to the book and wrote for another hour before I had to stop again. My alarm went off, prompting me that it was time to post SOMETHING on social media, but I had nothing.
And then I remembered. Today is Tuesday. It’s movie day. That empty well of my creativity is ready to be filled by an imaginative and enjoyable theater experience. Tomorrow, I’ll return to my keyboard, ready to tackle the next few chapters of the novel — inspired by the creativity on screen.
You know what? It worked. Over the next several days, I wrote original chapters, solidified a character’s motivations, and researched an autoimmune disease. The story leaped forward.
The subject matter of my novels can get heavy, so taking time off to replenish my creativity works wonders.
You should try it.
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