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 As writers we don’t toil
physically in our work, but a toll is taken. And to maintain
creativity, a writer needs to stay refreshed by nurturing good
physical, spiritual, and emotional health.
According to dictionary.com,
creativity is the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules and
patterns, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, and
interpretations. Writing a book is hard work, and if you’re running on
empty, creativity is a tall order to fill.
As believers we get to hang on
to these glorious truths: “In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth” (Gen. 1:1), and “So God created human beings in his own
image” (Gen. 1:27a NLT).
God is the ultimate Creator, and
He fashioned us in His image. When you look at it that way, our
creativity is an extension of our relationship with God and a component
of our personalities. We’re creative because God created us that way.
To best access your creativity,
take good care of yourself:
• Get eight hours of sleep.
• Take time out of your weekly schedule to rest and recharge.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Connect with friends and loved ones.
• Exercise regularly. Go for a walk, hop onto a treadmill—just get
moving. Your imagination won’t work at maximum capacity if your brain
is sluggish.
• Practice deep-breathing exercises a few times daily to reduce stress,
release endorphins, and clear and focus the mind. If done at night,
deep breathing helps to relax your body and promote restful sleep. In
the morning it helps to energize you. Do it again mid-day for a boost.
• For a full minute, breath in through your nose for a count of ten,
hold lungs full for a count of five, breath out through your mouth for
a count of ten, hold lungs empty for a count of five.
In
addition to taking care of your physical health, you can use several
methods to maintain and refresh your creativity:
1. Pray
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Keep yourself spiritually charged. Remember Who your writing partner
is. We are called by God, and He is faithful to us.
• Journal spiritual thoughts about your writing life, story idea, etc.
• Write a prayer.
2.
Keep a writer’s journal.
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A journal may include memories, jokes, story ideas, writing tricks,
dreams, and descriptions of people, places, or situations.
• A writer’s journal may be as simple as a little notebook you carry in
your purse or it could be a Word document on your computer.
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Train yourself to be alert for fresh ideas when they occur, and write
them down.
3.
Read a great book.
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Sometimes reading great writing gives you the itch to write yourself.
4. Try freewriting.
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Give yourself a time limit (ten to fifteen minutes) and let your
fingers fly over the keyboard. Even if you’re writing crazy nonsense,
you may spark a thought or idea that will be a springboard to a new
project.
5. Take a creative field trip.
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Visit a museum, listen to soul-stirring music, go to the movies.
• Sometimes spending time in other creative environments spurs the
desire to be creative in your own work.
6. Take some photographs.
•
Grab your camera and take a field trip to a local park, busy shopping
area, or town square. Let yourself focus on whatever catches your
fancy. You may look back at your images and see a spark of an idea in a
situation, location, or a face. (Just don’t appear to be a stalker.)
7. Try to write in a different
place and with different tools.
•
Sometimes a small change of scenery can help creativity. I’ve written
in doctors’ offices, auto mechanics’ waiting rooms, and even in a
parking lot waiting for friends to meet.
• Leave your laptop at home and write with a pen and notebook.
God blessed us and entrusted us
with a talent and a desire to create fiction. He gave us this gift for
a reason, and it’s our responsibility to nurture our talent and be
faithful to our calling. To do that, we need to care for
ourselves—physically, spiritually, and mentally.
Megan DiMaria is an author and
speaker who enjoys cheering on other writers in their pursuits and
encouraging women to embrace life’s demands and delights. She is an
active member of several writers groups and is the author of two
women’s fiction novels, Searching for Spice and Out of Her Hands. Visit
Megan online at her Website, blog, and Facebook Readers’ Club page.
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