Friday, June 09, 2006

Creativity on Demand

I will not write tonight.
My brain cannot pull together another coherent thought that is lovely, that would bring joy or offer peace to a soul wandering in the darkness.

Writing has stretched my mind, pulled it out, pushed it on, worked it like a trudging plowhorse.

Tonight I will look at the stars.
They will wear my thoughts for me.
−me strauss Letting me be

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

The stars are eloquent tonight as always. Sometimes silence speaks oceans of beautiful things.

Rest your weary mind and soak them in. I know what you are speaking of. Sometimes the words flow, and others they just won't come to the surface. Its at those times we need to rejuvenate ourselves.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi mama mouse,
Thank you for sharing the stars with me. I can make myself write, but it's not fair to those who read me. I want to write of joy and delightful things too sometimes. :)

Anonymous said...

My mind got its rest and now is ready to go pull, stretch and be pushed :D

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Jennifer,
Your lovely mind! I'm so glad it got some rest. It's got a lot to do always. Yea for you.

What's cooking these days?

Anonymous said...

You said you could not pull together another coherent thought that is lovely - yet it seems to me you managed to do just that...

My creativity runs in cycles, don't know why, don't understand the process all that well, but I assume it's that way for most -

E

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Creativity in cycles. Ahhhhh. I wish. I wish. One cannot wait for cycles when the creativity pays the bills.

Great book title: Taming Creativity. Maybe I'll write when I have the time and creativity to do so . . . left over after I eat and sleep. BIG GRINS

Anonymous said...

>"One cannot wait for cycles when the creativity pays the bills."

Ahhhhh - I think one of the 'big mistakes' is to assume that we can be creative on demand.

When the muse decides to take a nap then maybe it's wise to just do the same.

E

Anonymous said...

You're right. Better not write tonight. And it's a good thing you stand by it too ;)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

There is no muse, there is no such thing as writer's block. there is only hard work and thinking.

When the writing can't be don't there is other work that's waiting . The naps get their turn at their regular time. :)

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Melly,
How are you! August is coming very fast!

I love your practical advice. You're such a writer. I see you standing right beside me. Ah! Where are those wine glasses?

Anonymous said...

I think I do have a muse. If I think about a subject too hard when she isn't present, what results is stilted or just plain boring.

When I write my best things, I haven't hardly thought about them. The subject just 'pops' into my head and the words flow ... and I don't know where they come from.

There are excellent and inspired writers that think about what they are writing and make it beautiful. If I think ... it becomes ugly. I used to call my muse my 'ghost writer'!

There is plenty of room for both kinds. I say that whatever works for you is the BEST way to write for you ... 'cause you write beautiful thoughts!

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Mama,
Your muse sounds wonderful. I'm joyful for all who have a muse. But muses are unreliable when you go to work they stay home. So you learn to write without one. I have no muse, but I do have mus-ic

Anonymous said...

What's cookin? School!! My first residency is in two weeks. Lots to read and do before I head down to PA for a week. SO SO SO SO excited!

And then I've gotta start putting together lesson plans! How cool does that sound. Miss Jennifer is going to teach young (well all aged really :D) minds and hopefully not corrupt them!

I think I'll make a good teacher. My mom always said she thought I'd end up teaching. She just might be right after all.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Well,
Congratulations, Ms Jennifer. You get those kids blogging and I'll be a blogging guest for you. Wow. You'll be a fabulous teacher. Let me know if you need teacher ideas. lizsun2@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Thankfully I don't have to write to earn a living or even mad money! If I HAD to write, I couldn't write a paragraph!

To be a disciplined writer, to still enjoy it ... and to do great justice to your words ... is TRULY a gift! I just happen to have a 'ghost writer' that likes to communicate with the living world once in awhile through me! I can't depend on my muse ... you can depend on your ability to work through dead spots and write when needed!

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

AH,Mouse!
Maybe YOU are my muse! :)

Anonymous said...

Writing is tough...tougher than many would believe. I have those days as well when everything I write seems forced and trite. I like to think that with perseverance the words will somehow magically transform themselves. But they never do.
The night sky is a much better bet.
(unless you live here in the NE where 32 of the last 36 days have been cloudy and rainy...yuk. I feel like I'm in Seattle)

~m

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

That comment, Michael, was one great piece of writing. It made think and it made me laugh. I do so like when you have time to stop by. I do so wish I had more to do the same.