On Writing, Creative Process & Becoming Magic

BECOMING MAGIC. 11 x 14" on Canvas Panel. Original Available Here.
Prints available in my etsy shop.

"Poetry isn't a profession, it's a way of life. It's an empty basket; you put your life into it and make something out of that." -Mary Oliver 

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This is another piece I finished while teaching at the Sugar and Spice retreat. 

I have to say, I appreciate just how magically everything fell into place. I've been writing a lot these days, or rather trying to. And the switch from painting to novel-writing has been a tricky one.

When I finished my novel four years ago I had been writing non-stop, every day for more than two years. Of course I'm out of practice now. But I assumed I could jump right in and finish my rewrites. No problem.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that when I reread my novel in April, I realized I had cut out all of the most imaginative parts (including the Snooters I'd been so excited to reread about). 

Well, adding the Snooters back in has not been as easy as I thought. It seems to mean completely restructuring the entire novel, which feels like starting from scratch.

Photo by Kate Daniel

Photo by Kate Daniel

With my paintings, I have learned to cover things up. No problem. 

Now I'm learning to do this with my writing as well. But the process of knowing what to add back in feels staggering. 

So I'm taking things I know about my creative process for art and applying them to my writing process. Things like: 

*realizing there is always an ugly stage where nothing seems to fit together 

*knowing I need to let go and be bold to make it all fit together 

*and being gentle with myself so that I continue to have fun creating (and keep creating).

BECOMING MAGIC. 11 x 14" on Canvas Panel. Original Available Here.
Prints available in my etsy shop.

So, for now, I am taking my rewrites slowly. I'm reading a lot of good books to remember how to structure a good story (I'll post a few of my favorite reads here soon). 

And I'm forgetting about the end product. Instead, I'm focused on having fun with the process and letting the story I have in me come out.

xoxo,

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ps. I'm excited to now be able to offer access to my online classes for a year (no matter when you register).

Find all of the details and register here.