photo ©S.L.Reay          sign ©DebEwing

A Cow

Don Quixote Now

How to Write a Haiku

My Recipe
     You don't think recipes can be creative? Think again.

Plot Holes Meme

Procrastination Meme

Writing: Creation or Discovery?

Have you written a poem, song, or story about writing that you'd like to share?
Please contact Sandy.

Do you want to contribute or comment?
Please contact Sandy.

Sandy Reay Author #Creativity

Creativity

Creativity in one area can promote creativity in other areas. If you're having writer's block, you can still be creative. Think of it as priming a pump: it needs water to successfully pump water. What can you do?

• try something new: a recipe, a restaurant, a road to work, shows

• plant flowers in the garden, build a rock cairn

• do something new: make jewelry, learn to play an instrument, paint a wall, or throw a piece of pottery

• listen to new music, read a book in an unfamiliar genre, or watch a how-to video

• hang out with creative people

• rearrange the furniture in a room

• watch home remodeling shows or baking championships

• describe your dreams

• go for long drives on empty highways, take a shower, or do something repetitive that allows your mind to wander

• play with words or pretend you are an animal, a plant, an insect, a rock, or the river

• use all your senses: describe what you see, hear, taste, smell, what you touch, what touches you, how your inner body responds, what movements you make

A Cow

I gave away a signed photo of a McCavity, the Mystery Cat, which inspired me to tell the story of McCavity in multiple texts to the recipient of the photo. Of course, I had to write his story here.

As the song goes, "One thing leads to another." I needed photos of McCavity and dug out old photo albums, which reminded me of other anecdotes to add to his story.

I had planned to scan the significant photos and toss the rest someday. Apparently "someday" was yesterday. After I added photos to McCavity's page and did another edit pass on the text (Always do another edit pass!), I cleaned out photos in two albums. Now I have another partly-done time-consuming chore, an inch-high pile of photos to scan and sort into folders, and several more albums to clean out.

But I found a photo a friend sent me decades ago. On the back, she wrote a story to go with the photo.

"This is a picture of Mrs. Flebby Fanortney our next door neighbor and she needs a pen pal. She wanted to know if you knew anyone that might be interested. Her only hobby is collecting turtle turds and she is presently looking for a large Batman costume - to disguise herself so that her husband won't know that she's stepping out ..."
(pre-emoji smily face)

 

Thanks, Joanie, wherever you are.

Do you know creative people? If so, what do they say or do that is out of the ordinary?

Do you want to share those stories?
Please contact Sandy.

Don Quixote Now

What would happen if Don Quixote returned today?

Artist Lynn Kopelke, of Open Crown Productions, drew his idea.

What if your favorite historical person came back?
Please contact Sandy.

Writing: Creation or Discovery?

Another good day. Wrote 4 chapters for the book, finished a web site and had lunch with a friend. The story is following the idea I had, but it's going some places I didn't expect. It's as much fun as reading a new book, but it takes longer. It seems more like a process of discovery than creation. I want to write more so I can see how the story turns out.

Are you a pantser or a plotter? Do you write to find out what's going to happen next?
Please contact Sandy.

How to Write a Haiku

Lyrics shouldn't rhyme
And they should be sung like this:
Moonlight in Vermont

Check out Sandy's poem How to Write a Poem

Have you written a poem, song, or story about writing that you'd like to share?
Please contact Sandy.

Procrastination Meme

I believe I was put here for a reason, and I don't get to go home until I'm done. That's the best reason for procrastination I can invent. – SRA

What is your favorite life advice?
Please contact Sandy.

Plot Holes Meme

I used to work for the highway department; I can find plot holes. –SRA

Puns are fun. Do you like to play with words?
Please contact Sandy.