Finding the Next Project - All About Creativity

How do we find our next project? What sparks it off, gets us going, inspires us? I hear so many people talking about losing their way in lockdown with creative projects, stopping writing or doing art. People with a good track record and a desire to write or paint.

What's with the painting in a writing blog? 

I attended an all day art workshop recently. The tea and chocolate biscuits were excellent. So was the tutor. He gave us permission to be wrong, to mess up, to make terrible pictures, in other words, to experiment and find out. Quick pictures in mixed media, mixing wet eg water colour, and dry, eg charcoal. Sometimes - much of the time - nothing worked. But it stimulated my brain to let go and try anything, in any order. Finally, in the afternoon, after a morning of about a dozen quick sketches, I slowed down and picked two I enjoyed putting together, ink drawing and watercolour. Bravo. Result.

What happened to produce that picture, one I was actually pleased with? Encouragement, support, the odd word from the tutor (try slowing down!). Most of all, having had playtime. And out of the detritus and wreckage came a desire to make something more, to make those elements I liked come alive.  Taking a fabulous photo of five italian men, two arguing over money, two commenting and one watching, the ink pen captured movement and the water colour gave clarity. I chased the energy, John Cage style. 

It's the same with writing, productive creativity comes from following what interests you. Energy appears when we do what we enjoy. 

And the actual project? I am drawn to (excuse the pun) mixing my writing media combining two projects in two different genre both dear to my heart. Unique I hope. Recent years have seen me write fiction, non fiction, short stories, flash fiction, poetry and radio plays. Mainly. I've been experimenting, doing what I enjoy writing. The new project feels a fulfilling and expansive project and is one which has bubbled up over time. It may or may not work. I'll let you know how I get on.