Elevate Creativity

How can you improve your creative endeavors?

One thing that is beneficial to gaining skill in your art is studying those who excel in doing it. Also, those who are less apt can teach much.

Reading voraciously and a wide variety of forms, genres, and styles will lead you to handle language with more facility when you write. It will improve your editing ability as well. There are a plethora of writing craft books that can provide instruction, especially if you do the recommended exercises. Writing every day is a practice any serious writer does well to engage. If the current creative project is stuck writing something else, even a journal entry will keep the imagination working.

Artists and photographers can learn much by observing the work of others and others at work. We live in a magic time when we can watch videos of many things which may be instructive.

Daily practice in a sketchbook or taking photos can significantly improve the craft. Books and manuals are also instructive.

A website or blog used for exposure and to challenge one to work regularly is an ideal practice. All creative endeavors require daily work and devotion—acting, musical instruments, singing, well, really almost anything.

As you will find elsewhere on Haphazard Creative, I do not constrain creativity to the liberal arts. I have a strong and unshakeable belief that every person has creative skills. If we, as created in the Creator’s image, genuinely resemble Him, we have creative abilities. So, even if one is not into liberal arts, cooking, organizing, parenting, homemaking, mechanical skill, and all else requires creativity.

Feed your creativity with things that bring you joy and nourish your soul. Music, long drives, dancing, swimming, hiking, telling jokes, the things you consider guilty pleasures all fill the well. If you keep the well full, you will find yourself in the flow when you attempt to create.

I hope this inspires you. I do believe creativity is a working of love, and our world needs love tremendously. Be well, and take care of the spark that ignites creation in you.

I finished my journal today and had the pleasure of choosing a new one.
Volume Eight of However, Whatever, Whenever, Wherever, Why? I believe I began using that title in mid-2017. With a title like that it is inspiring just to open it. I need all the help I can obtain.

Late Entry

Adventures with my fountain pen continue. It came apart again, and I could not get the nib out of the lid. I got some help, and it now works for the time being—what an experience.

Do you use tools that complicate creative endeavors? Do you have a story?

Haiku, anyone? Write some. Here are two of mine.

Dreams begging to come
True, all depend on you, me,
To make them our own.

What we most desire
Is never beyond our reach
If we chase it down.

I have a few prompts that maybe will get you primed for creation:

If you were warned about 2020 in 2019 or before, what would you have done differently?

If fire threatens your home, which ten items would you most want to take with you, your family, and pets? Someone I asked said ten rooms, which is extremely clever. I meant items.

If you are in the US, what is your plan if those you wish to win the election do win? If not?

I am trying to focus on creativity a bit more; I hope that it is attractive and encourages you to work.

Conjoined Tanka (Two)

With my someone, but
He is not mine; it takes time
To grieve deepest loss,
But we were friends, and remain
Inspiration to go on.
I did not quite grasp
How much being apart was
Costing my mental
Peace until we hugged and talked
And again, I felt comfort.

********

We never know who
We are until we reach out
For someone else who
Becomes no longer other
But reveals the inner us.
Love gives us ourselves,
In Technicolor blended
Until we are clear,
Reflections combined, then,
Rendered in reality.

As a prompt, create something that shows a strong emotion in you are experiencing in your life.

Creativity on the Loose

A couple of exercises for us all:
Our eyes tell us the outlines of the world, and our minds supply the stories. Look around you, wherever you are. Pay close attention. What abstracts and descriptors appear within sight? Maybe there are poems, novels, and short stories to be written, or your vision calls you to art.

Secondly, I realize this year has been challenging, but think about your favorite part thus far. Create something that celebrates it. As a bonus, make a plan stating how you can bring about such pleasure again. Try to facilitate what lights up your soul.

Most of my day so far was spent copy editing, but I finished.

If you look around Haphazard Creative, you may notice I made some changes. I tried to streamline the widgets, and I updated the About page.

I put Halloween decor out on September 1 – but decided to bring some here today. I like all the smiles of Halloween; maybe you do too.