Creativity: Getting Out of Your Own Way
As a writer, don’t you think about creativity a lot? What is it, what enhances it? And, most importantly, HOW DO I TURN THIS @#!*$% INTERNAL EDITOR OFF INSIDE MY OWN HEAD??
This weekend I heard a really interesting piece on NPR on creativity from the show Studio 360. You can listen to all the segments at
http://www.studio360.org/2012/nov/23/
In the segment “The Neuroscience of Jazz,” Dr. Charles Limb, professor of Otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins, studied functional MRI studies of muscians’ brains as they they played piano. During a very creative task (jazz improvisation), certain areas of the prefrontal cortex lit up red–hot spots–and others lit up blue–cold spots. The self expressive areas were “hot” (areas of active blood flow) and the deactiviated areas–areas of conscious self-monitoring–had less blood flow.
Basically, the areas of self expression were full of activity, while the other areas were actually “turned off” areas.
This might be the neural signature of creativity–the self-expressive areas are turned up, and the inhibitory areas are turned down–so this might be you getting out of your own way.
In other words, creativity occurs WHEN YOU GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY.
So how do we accomplish this difficult feat? Everyone has different ways of helping themselves get “in the zone” so we can create those stories, build those worlds, experience our characters practically as real people. Coffee, music, or just writing as fast as you can so the editor can’t catch up to you are a few ways.
Another segment of this program called “Enhancing Creativity” talked about when we get good at things, we do multiple tasks at once. In writing, this can be getting the creative ideas down, as well as putting them down in a grammatically and structurally correct way. With practice, practice, practice, creative tasks can get easier.
Are children more creative? Does creativity get whipped out of us as we age and go through the drudgery of school? It is true that 5 year olds are less inhibited and explore ideas more–but they often don’t have the skill set to bring their ideas to frution.
So, what ways do you use to get your muse up and running and that nasty internal editor to stop talking? How do you get out of your own way?
Water Texture at FreeFoto.com http://www.freefoto.com/imagelink/?ffid=33-04-3&s=s
Top 3 Harlequin STYYCW Finalists Announced
Despite lots of mischief from Sandy, the Harlequin editors have named the top three finalists in the Harlequin So You Think You Can Write competition. Congrats to:
Jennifer Drogell The Divorce Party
Mel Sterling Grand Theft, Auto
Amber Whitford In Defense of the Past
You can read their fabulous first chapters here
Public voting begins again from November 16-27 to choose the ovrall winner.
This has been a really fun competition. I read all 28 of the finalists’ entries. So many different and creative ideas! It’s also been great fun chatting and getting to know the other finalists.
It’s not too late to read the chapters, join in on the fun, and chat with the community on Twitter @sytycwglobal, #sytycw2012.
And if you are targeting Harlequin, there are many learning opportunities here to learn how to hone your ms!
Cheers!
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Bride for the Bachelor: I finaled in Harlequin’s SYTYCW Contest!
I have a huge confession: I am a closet contemporary writer! And a few days ago, I learned I was one of 28 finalists in Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write Competition. There were around 700 entries! 25 were chosen based on popular vote and 3 were chosen by editors as “wild card” entries.
What is my story about, you may ask? It’s not dashing dukes or macho marquesses or sizzling spies, my usual fare. My story, Bride for the Bachelor, is about a frazzled NYC editor who inherits a baby and the hunky reality star bachelor next door, who just so happens to be her old high school sweetheart.
So now another confession…my secret shame is watching every episode of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette with my daughters and their friends. I guess it got me wondering…what if a reality star had to choose between 25 gorgeous knock-out contestants…and his one true love, the girl from his past he never stopped loving?
Next step is to sit back, relax, and enjoy reading all the first chapters posted on the SYTYCW site (here). Editors are choosing the top three, and public voting to choose the winner begins in mid-November.
How fun is that?
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| Gorgeous fall day in Northern Ohio–today! |
Learn to Pitch Better by Watching Lisa Kleypas Chat About Rainshadow Road
Is pitching your worst nightmare? Do you quake in your shoes just thinking about it? Are you a fearful public speaker who would rather have all your teeth pulled (at once) than have to sit across from an agent or editor and pitch? If you are, read on!
I adore Lisa Kleypas. Not only is she a hugely talented author, she’s a savvy businesswoman, too. Lisa is far beyond the pitching stage of selling books. But the following is a YouTube video I found on her Facebook author page that she did to promote the release earlier this year of her book Rainshadow Road. I think it’s very instructional for those of us who are in the process of pitching their manuscripts to editors and agents.
I studied it carefully before I pitched my manuscript this past weekend at the fabulous New Jersey Put Your Heart in a Book Conference.
Watch the video and see how she does it.
What I learned from watching this:
–Lisa speaks in a very conversational style, i.e., she’s not looking clutching an index card with white knuckles and reading her pitch. She’s informally telling you about her book, as if you were sitting across the table from her (yet it is carefully worded and the information is carefully planned).
–You leave excited about her book. Why? Because she’s excited about it!
–She speaks about her characters like they are real people.
–She is confident in the story. She’s not cringing or embarassed or chuckling nervously. She believes in her story–she’s proud of it!
–She uses her hands for expression.
–She smiles and looks directly at the camera.
–She keeps it short.
–Now look at your pitch. Have you spent so much time getting it to be under 50 words or to 3 sentences that you’ve neglected to check for how conversational it sounds? Try reading it out loud, then changing the verbs to sound more like conversation–more informal.
–My worst fear in the world is fear of blanking out when I pitch (well, okay, maybe not my worst fear but it seems like it at the time!). I am an index-card clutcher and I suffer greatly. But this fear can be overcome. I know because I did it!
–The key for me was practice. Even if you have to write out a conversational-sounding pitch and memorize it by saying it over and over–DO IT. Make yourself practice in front of someone who loves you. FORCE YOURSELF. When I pitched to an editor and an agent this weekend, I was able for the first time to do it without index cards (although I did bring them with me just in case). But it took a ton of practice. Some people may not have to deal with this kind of stress but those of you who do…you know who you are! And if I can do it, you can too!
–Remember, most editors/agents you pitch to will request pages from you. And guess what I heard at the conference from Bob Mayer? 90% of people who are asked for submissions at pitch sessions don’t even send them? So don’t be in that majority!
–A pitch is a marketing tool. It’s the first impression the agent or editor gets–of you and your book. Work hard to make it a good one. If all else fails, remember, it’s only eight minutes. Anyone can survive that! If I did, you can too!
Love’s Secret Fire: Debut by Rena Koontz
Check out the debut romantic suspense by Crimson Romance author (and my fellow chaptermate) Rena Koontz!
Undercover agent Adam Michaels (a.k.a. Mitchell) has been sent to a fire station to out a firebug. Who is targeting news reporter and radio personality Valerie Daniels with frightening emails. And Valerie’s beloved twin brother is a rookie fireman who just happens to be in all the right places at the right times to make him a prime suspect.
Sparks immediately fly between Adam and Valerie that have nothing to do with the scary fires being set.
But this book is more than just suspenseful. It subtly explores the strong bonds between brother and sister and between friends. The forbidden romance that blooms between Adam and Valerie is strong and full of feeling. Their country western date night was so satisfying and emotional it actually had me in tears. You can feel them falling in love and it’s a wonderful ride.
From the first page where Valerie forms the peas on her plate into the letter “D” to describe the dull date she has, the language in this book caught me. And this sentence describes perfectly the chemistry between Valerie and Adam: “‘Mitchell,’” Adam’s deep voice oozed through the phone, sending a wave of heat through her like hot chocolate at a Friday night football game.” Love it!
Rena Koontz’s reporting background is evident in this suspenseful, well- researched book with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. There is a believability to the fire station protocol, intense relationships between the fire fighters, and the realistic crime details.
For more about Rena, check out her website here