Embrace change

Disney-Pixar's Up

Hang on! You never know where the winds of change will take you.

Before I entered the world of copywriting, I was an IT manager. As you can imagine, information technology changes so fast that some departments are often scrambling to keep up. During one particularly volatile year, the director of our department left, my boss was promoted to take his place, and several other organizational adjustments took place. It was like musical chairs, but without the music.

During it all, my boss (now the director) had one mantra: “Embrace change.”

To be honest, it annoyed me. It seemed like every time we questioned a shift in policy or protocol we were told to accept it and move on. “Embrace change” became synonymous with “do what I said.” I started to hate the concept of change.

Now, a decade later, I’m beginning to understand the wisdom of her thinking. Change comes whether we want it to or not. Sure, we can strive to make changes. We can improve ourselves, our situations, and our goals. But even if we had no interest in change, change will still come.

This year, 2012, is going to be a big one for our family. I can’t discuss all the details yet, but it’s going to be a year of change. Instead of fearing the change, however, I am finally embracing it.

Change is essential to creativity. Without it, we become stagnant in our thinking and our ability to create. If I’ve learned anything from my time in IT, it’s that innovation sparks innovation. Change brings creativity which brings more change. It’s a cycle.

And change will come here too. I’ve been trying to blog more often, and (as you’ve undoubtedly noticed) I’m also blogging over at the Confabulator Cafe.

Don’t worry, The Creativity Well isn’t going anywhere.

But things may change. Embrace it.

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Come over to the Cafe…

Confabulator CafeJust a reminder that today I have a new blog post up at the Confabulator Cafe, as I will every Tuesday.

Today’s post, “People From the Future are Waiting in the Bathroom,” is my personal take on that timeless question about where writers get their ideas.

Come on over and read it. Then check out all the great posts from other writers.

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Happy New Year!

Creativity takes courage

George Takei posted this on Facebook, and it was too good not to share. I’ll be adding this to our quotes page. Here’s hoping you have a creativity-filled year. May 2012 be your best year yet!

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Where everybody knows your name

Confabulator CafeWriting is a solitary sport. At least, that’s what I used to think.

In years past, I would lock myself in a room and spend hours writing, unwilling to let anyone even look at me while I tried to weave strange stories and create compelling characters. But a career as a copywriter changed that. I quickly learned to write advertising in a crowd surrounded by other writers, art designers, and creative directors.

Then, last year, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Suddenly I was thrust into a room with total strangers who — like me — wanted to write creatively. We were creating worlds and telling stories. We killed characters and mourned their loss. And it was more than a solitary endeavor. It was a team effort, with everyone offering encouragement.

Now we’re taking things to the next level. Several of the NaNoWriMo veterans from our region have banded together to create the Confabulator Cafe (www.confabulatorcafe.com). Officially launching after the first of the year, the Cafe will be a place where we can discuss the writing process, talk about our favorite works, and get at the heart of what it means to be a writer.

We’ll continue to encourage one another all year long. And along the way, we hope we can encourage you as well.

I’ll be adding my two cents every Tuesday, starting January 3rd. I hope you’ll drop by, and make us a regular part of your writing regimen. I promise we’ll have some wonderful insights to share, and we hope you’ll add your own thoughts as well.

See you at the Cafe. I’ll save you a seat by the fire.

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The Christmas Creativity

Sam the Snowman

May your holiday season be filled with great stories.

It’s three days before Christmas, and I need to write a post. I want to write about the holiday, but I’m trying hard to avoid the clichés of this time of year. I want something that doesn’t rely on:

  • Revising “The Night Before Christmas” to be humorous or trendy
  • Assembling a top 10 list of favorite Christmas traditions… movies… recipes…
  • Discussing the best/worst anything for the year
  • Writing a heartfelt message about “What the season means to me”

That doesn’t leave a lot.

I could discuss the fact that I run into the same problem this time every year, in that I never remember how to spell Hanukkah. (Hint: I looked up the answer in the AP Stylebook when writing this post.)

Or I could talk about how my novel is coming along post-NaNoWriMo. (Don’t ask.)

I might even take a moment to discuss my upcoming collaboration with… (Nah, that would be telling. Check back next week.)

Even though this is The Creativity Well, right now I’m having trouble finding the time and the spirit (no, not those kind of spirits) to be truly creative.

Don’t kid yourself, though. Creativity — like the magic of the season — is all around us.

This is the gift I give to you this holiday season: The knowledge that despite whatever stress you are feeling about your writing, you can do it. It’s the same kind magic that makes friends of enemies, brings families together, and turns cold-hearted misers into generous philanthropists.

So, enjoy the holidays. But take some time to read and write. You owe it to yourself. And you owe it to the readers who are waiting for you to finish your novel.

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Monkey Day 2011

It’s that time of year again. It’s Monkey Day, when we celebrate the simians in the world (collectively referred to colloquially as “monkeys”).

Chimpanzee with laptop

Sometimes I work hard. Sometimes I play hard.

Last year, I celebrated this very important day by writing about Unleashing my inner monkey. Now it’s a year later, and I find myself pontificating once more on all things primate. Have I come in contact with my inner monkey? Do I understand the nature of my monkeyness? Was Rise of the Planet of the Apes really a good example of primate politics, or was it a cautionary tale about the corruption of human influence?

I hear you starting to grumble. What does this have to do with writing? With creativity? Am I going to ramble on nonsensically for 500 words just to put out a new blog post?

What if I am? The truth is that I sometimes think there is far too much structure in the world. At times, I prefer to go off on a tangent. I like to color outside the lines on occasion. I want to drive down the side streets rather than take the highway. That’s part of being a writer.

Some people look at me and think I must have attention deficit disorder. I struggle to concentrate on anything long enough to accomplish a task — unless there’s a deadline. The truth, however, is that I find wonder in so many things. My attention is drawn to snippets of conversation in the workplace, the newest blog post in my reader, or any object with a shiny factor of +1.

I enjoy these interludes to my routine, and I miss them when I have to spend all my time rushing, rushing, rushing through the crazy world we call “civilization.”

When I think of monkeys (large and small) I always find myself at peace. These fuzzy people (to me, they are people) seem to give importance to things we humans often take for granted: family, food, and fun. You will never see a chimpanzee bemoaning the fact that he can’t afford an iPhone. You’ll never see a golden lion tamarin wondering whether she’ll get her crops harvested on Farmville. And you’ll never see a gorilla taking antacids because he has too much stress. Monkeys understand the secret to happiness.

Today, of all days, it’s important to remember the simple pleasures of life. So spend some time with your family. Eat a good meal. And have some fun. Your inner monkey demands it.

Jane Goodall Institute

Jane Goodall Institute adIf you love monkeys (and really, who doesn’t?) please consider donating to the Jane Goodall Institute. Specifically, they seek to:

  • Improve global understanding and treatment of great apes through research, public education and advocacy
  • Contribute to the preservation of great apes and their habitats by combining conservation with education and promotion of sustainable livelihoods in local communities
  • Create a worldwide network of young people who have learned to care deeply for their human community, for all animals and for the environment, and who will take responsible action to care for them
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