On her blog ‘handmade stories and seeds of inspiration’ the writer Sarah Salway recently posed the question – So what I want to ask you … is how important is play in your creative process? Do you make time to have fun? And if not, why not? And if you do, how does it help?
I decided to comment and then surprised myself by writing this brief resume of my writing year so far and realising just how much fun I’d had…
I’ve spent a lot of time playing this year and most of it at my writing desk, also at the table where I work on collage and printing inspired by the poetry I’m writing. In January, after a dismal 2011 with publishers who couldn’t seem to make their mind up about my latest novel I decided enough was enough and I gave myself permission to go Indie. The result has been that work has definitely become play. I write whatever I like, not worrying about the genre or what my agent thinks the market wants (I never got it right anyway!). I’ve started drawing and collaging again and am planning an exhibition with friends. I’ve had unexpected success with short stories which has thrilled me and given me lots of excuses to celebrate and have fun and celebratory drinks with friends. I’ve also loved writing my blog and making new connections with far-flung people. All of this has re-energised my work and helped me re-discover my love of writing. And writing, along with days out in London and hanging about in the garden with friends drinking wine and listening to music is absolutely my idea of fun.
In the main, this new found freedom has been my play. Where does play come into your creative process? Its a fascinating question – what’s your idea of play?
Dear Avril, at last I have come out of the stone age, and have the internet at home! Instead of snatching 10 minutes here and there and only skimming your website, I can now read it thoroughly and in my own time; usually with a glass of wine. You have achieved so much with the indie e-book review and the Bristol short story etc. I have yet to read Blood Tide, but I will because I read a lot of crime/thrillers so I am looking forward to it.
Your collage with pink and sepia script and colours is so beautiful – I love it. It seems that you are really enjoying the freedom writing has given you. You do what you want, write what you want and with the main priority, having an idea of play and fun. You are doing it for you and that’s so important I believe.
My idea of fun: having a glass of wine; getting into my big warm dressing gown; chatting to my daughters on skype; meals out; writing; cooking. If all these can be combined then that’s perfect!
Best wishes
Elaine x
Elaine- it’s wonderful to have you here at last! Thank you so much for all your emails over the past year or two and all your supportive comments.
I love your ideas on having fun – I definitely think daughters have to be part of fun and sons too in my case, there’s nothing like the family coming together whether in cyber space or at the dinner table or in the garden when it stops raining!. Now you have the internet at home perhaps you will think of starting up a blog to post your writing on – why not? (Its very easy to do at Blogger http://www.blogger.com )Love Avril x
I love your collage here which is playful and elegant. – the medium is certainly the message! Being a long term writer I still think writing is FUN. It is a the core of one’s creativity and if it becomes drudgery you stop your soul getting onto the page to join with the souls reading or appreciating it, whether it is in graphic or written form.
I have a surge of pleasure when I have an idea in my head and a blank page before me. I have a thrill of delight when I am re-reading my chapter and changing it here, adjusting it here. When I finally see my full manuscript – in what I call ‘in good heart’ – my surge of pleasure, fun delight, relish, merges and splurges nto some kind of orgasmic leap. How much fun is that?
I agree Wendy even the hard work which some complain about, like editing, has to be fun. And to me it is, because all the time we’re making something we’ve created, something of ourselves as good as it can possibly be.
A x
I agree, Avril, that writing is fun. We are too hard on ourselves and I think we should become childlike again for a while and just write for its own sake. Well done with the success of your short story ‘Meat’. You are a wonderful writer.