(This post has been updated from it’s original publishing date.)
Bloom
by Debra VanDeventer
A Mariposa Lily
emerges from a crack in a granite rock
and bursts into bloom.
It ignored the voice that said
lilies aren’t supposed to do that.
The piece of goldenrod linen had been in my fabric stash for months. Today I got it out and spread it on the cutting table. I decided it would make a nice pair of wide leg pants from the Emerson pattern I have on hand. The fabric is perfect for spring and summer. But before I make the first cut, I hesitate. The voice in my head challenges me. Fear says:
The piece of goldenrod linen had been in my fabric stash for months. Today I got it out and spread it on the cutting table. I decided it would make a nice pair of wide leg pants from the Emerson pattern I have on hand. The fabric is perfect for spring and summer. But before I make the first cut, I hesitate. The voice in my head challenges me. Fear says:
That’s what a friend and a valued member of my critique group said to me last week. The chapter that had just been critiqued was “entertaining and well written,” my friend remarked, yet something was missing. “It needs more of you,” he’d said. “Write it real.”
This is exactly what you want from a critique group. Honest feedback that will help you bring your writing to the next level. Yet hearing these words is especially painful for a memoirist like myself, because really…it’s all about me. (that’s what the genre implies) I think my friend was saying my work needed less fluff… more emotion, more authenticity. In my heart of hearts, I knew he was right. But no matter what your genre, how does one go about “writing it real?”
Hi friends! If you’ve been following Seams Like a Story, you know I often turn to sewing when I need a creative break from writing. https://seamslikeastory.com/writing-and-sewing/ Today I’m getting inspiration from my closet, and a fun, no-sew project.
It’s that in-between season. I’m ready to shed my heavy winter clothes but not quite ready for summer styles. Today I raided my closet and found an old pair of capri jeans and a tee shirt, ususally an outfit reserved for stay-at-home days. The jeans are pull on “jeggings” that I’m pretty sure are out of style. They’re comfortable, but I feel kind of dumpy in them.
Before tossing them in the donate pile, I did some research on Pinterest and found that with a no-sew, simple modification I could easily update them. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/485896247291178984/
Does an idea descend from the cloudy sky that is our brain and burst forth as a golden ray of artistic expression?
Finding inspiration for creative work…For the purpose of this blog post, I define an artist as a person who ‘ practices any of the various creative arts.’ Painter, sculptor, dancer, sewist, photographer, chef, architect, designer writer…
Though the process may vary depending on the individual and their medium of expression, every creative work begins with an idea. But, where do ideas come from?
Does an idea descend from the cloudy sky that is our brain and burst forth as a golden ray of artistic expression?
Well, actually…. that’s literally what happened to me as I sat down to write about inspiration this morning. I was looking out of the window in my writing/sewing studio and the sun broke through the clouds. Knowing that the moment was fleeting, I ran outside to snap a photo with my phone. That photo was the catalyst, the inspiration for this post. Of course, this doesn’t always happen and to me. I wanted to explore this topic more. Through my reading, I came across some thoughts about how other creatives find inspiration for their work.Read on to discover how some famously creative people find inspiration:
I like to create my own photos in my blog. What did this former teacher have on hand? Crayons of course! (and a potted plant)
Why blog?
Why should writers blog? Blog…blog..blog. It’s a funny word (short for web log). What does that mean anway? A blog is a regularly updated website or webpage usded by individulas or businesses to reach a broader audience, connect with people, enlighten, entertain or inform. Think James T. Kirk’s Captain’s log in Star Trek, but down to Earth.
So why do writers blog?
To answer this question I turned to my writing friend, fellow author, and colleague from the Oro Valley Writer’s Forum, Diana Kinared. Here’s what she has to say:
