My Creative Process
“I’m a test this out. Now keep in mind that I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my ( …) [stuff],” (Badu). Erykah Badu willing shared the sentiments that are felt by artists with the group of people she was singing her well-known song, “Tyrone” to and in doing so, shared a part of her heart and soul with them. The creative process is an amazing, but sensitive and scary thing. It begins with an idea and ends with a product, often raw in nature, but fulfilling to the artist. This process differs from person to person, but the beginning and ending tends to be the same, an idea, and then the work. In this paper, I will discuss my creative process.
My creative process begins with an idea. An inspiration hits me. It could be the name of a person, a picture of an item in a Bible story, a street name, or something else that inspires me. In his essay entitled “The Process of Inspiration,” Jean Cocteau writes, “I think it [inspiration] rather the result of a profound indolence and of our incapacity to put to work certain forces in ourselves. The unknown forces work deep within us, with the aid of the elements of daily life, its scenes and passions, and, when they burden us and oblige us to conquer the kind of somnolence in which we indulge ourselves like invalids who try to prolong dream and dread resuming contact with reality, in short when the work that makes itself in us from beyond and is offered us by the gods,” (Cocteau 79). Inspiration is a strange entity.
The idea floats in my head until I eventually write it down or dismiss it as an outlandish idea. There have been times when an outlandish idea refused to leave me alone and I ended up writing it down anyway. Cocteau writes, “For it is at this moment that consciousness must take precedence over the unconscious and that it becomes necessary to find the means which permit the unformed work to take form, to render it visible to all,” (79).
I used to use a notebook to keep all of my ideas in, but that presented a problem because I didn’t always have access to the notebook when I was inspired. Also, when I did have the notebook with me and I would write the idea down, people who were around me at the time would become suspicious of me writing, get nervous, and ask 50 million questions about what I was writing. Since my idea stage is a private one, I do not like to discuss my ideas. So, this caused even more problems. I decided not to write my ideas down in front of people anymore.
When getting the inspiration for a new idea it is imperative that I write it down after I have deemed it worthy to be listed in my idea reservoir. Waiting to write it down even as little as 15 minutes, leads to the idea being changed from what it originally was or to forgetting the idea all together. When I forget an idea, it usually comes back and haunts me until I write it down. Amy Lowell writes, “The subconscious is, however, a most temperamental ally,” (Lowell 111).
Technology is a beautiful thing. I am reminded of the number of commercials on television these days that show creative people using their laptop or two-in-one to produce a great creative work. A number of smart phone commercials show how one can use their smart phone to be creative as well. Thanks to any number of apps, I can immediately post my idea in my phone, which I always have with me, or post it in my I-Pad. The use of technology has led to my ideas being written down in a timely manner. There is a drawback to using technology in this manner. When an idea comes to me on the job and I reach for my technology, it can be perceived that I am texting or otherwise goofing off. This can led to a variety of problems. Despite the risks, using technology to keep track of my ideas has worked greatly for me.
Regardless of what method I use to keep track of my ideas, my creative process always begins with an idea. R. W. Gerard writes, “Imagination, creative imagination, is an action of the mind that produces a new idea or insight,” (Gerard 237). The idea is important. The next step of the process is contemplating the idea. There are times when it is necessary to come up with an idea specific to a task or assignment. Receiving an idea or even inspiration for the idea can be tedious because it seems forced, but the specific idea always manifests itself in a timely manner. I remember a number of my classmates this semester stating that they were struggling with coming up with an idea for the creative project. I understood how my fellow classmates were struggling for an idea. I did not have a specific idea in mind, but because I had my idea journal, it was easier for me to come up with an idea.
After choosing an idea to write about, I think about the idea. In his article, “Psychology and Literature,” Carl Jung writes, “In the case of the work of art we have to deal with a product of complicated psychic activities – but a product that is apparently intentional and consciously shaped,” (Jung 217). I write the story, essay, paper, or other form of writing repeatedly in my head for a number of days or weeks. The writing comes about in fragments that are in no particular order. This step gets jumbled because I have other ideas and daydreams playing in my head at the same time. I must focus to stay on task, concentrating on the idea that I must immediately write about.
While thinking about the specific idea of the moment, I can tend to stress about the idea. Thomas Wolfe also stressed about his writing. He writes, “It was a progress that began in a whirling vortex and a creative chaos and that proceeded slowly at the expense of infinite confusion, toil, and error toward clarification and the articulation of an ordered and formal structure,” (Wolfe 193). I do not stress about the idea itself, but about how I will present the idea, how it will be received, and if I can write what I have created in my head. The work that is in my head is far greater and better than anything I can write down. R. G. Collingwood suggests that the artist first creates their work in their minds. He calls this creation an “imaginary thing.” He believes that this is the true version of the artist’s work. He writes, “A work of art may be completely created when it has been created as a thing whose only place is in the artist’s mind,” (Collingwood 3). Once I convince myself that I can write my idea down effectively and it will be well received by others, I can continue to the next step of the process, outlining the work.
I enjoy the outlining step. It is a good way to see the skeleton of your work. This step helps motivate me to write. It also helps me keep my thoughts and details in order. Outlining is very beneficial. Outlining makes writing my work easier. In her article entitled “TOP 10 Reason (plus 1) Why an Outline is Important When Writing a Book, Lynn Serafinn writes, “When you sit down to work, you know exactly what parts of your book need to get done,” (Serafinn). Outlining also helps me to be meticulous. “If you have an outline, you won’t accidentally omit something vital to your message or story line… An outline can help you see the continuity of your book before writing it,” (Serafinn). This step gets me organized and excited about writing. “When you have an outline, you see yourself making progress and ticking off the “boxes”, so to speak. This helps keep you motivated as you move closer and closer to your goal of finishing you book,” (Serafinn). Serafinn recounts a time when she did not use an outline in her article. She writes, “I kept moving things around and couldn’t see where I was going. I found myself saying the same thing over and over without realising it, and there was no real over-arching point or direction for what I was writing,” (Serafinn). Outlining is an important step in the process.
The method of outlining does not matter. I have used elaborate computerized outline software that contained multileveled steps as well as simply writing down the topics or points I wanted to discuss. I have been successful using both. I find that using outlines that are more elaborate makes the writing more structured and does not lend itself to creative tangents or moments. The simple outlines makes for some great occasions in my writing that have been popular points of interest in my writing. Some of my best writings are creative tangents or moments. Outlining is an important step in my creative process because it leads to the best part of the process; getting the work from my head to the paper. Jean Cocteau writes, “To write, to conquer ink and paper, accumulate letters and paragraphs divide them with periods and commas, is a different matter from carrying around the dream of a play or of a book,” (Cocteau 79-80).
The next step of the process depends on the time constraints I have to complete the work. I like to handwrite the first draft of my work. Putting the first draft on a piece of paper gives me a clarity and freedom to write that typing it on a computer does not. The words seem to flow from my brain down my arm and out through my pen. My brain and my pen seem to be one, united in the endeavor. I can also write and not worry about self-editing as I write with pen and paper.
I have a weird writing habit. I must use college ruled paper, preferably a spiral, and the color of the lines on the page must be a certain shade of dark blue. When I try to use paper with the wrong shade of blue, I get writer’s block. Nothing comes out and my mind goes blank. I used to think I was nuts, but after reading Stephen Spender’s essay entitled “Making of A Poem,” I discovered that I am not the only person who has this issue. Spender writes, “Coffee is my own addiction, besides smoking a great deal, which I hardly ever do when I am writing. I noticed also that as I attain a greater concentration, this tends to make me forget the taste of the cigarette in my mouth, then I have a desire to smoke two or even three cigarettes at a time, in order that the sensation from the outside may penetrate through the walls of concentration which I have built around me,” (Spender 114). Spender writes about another writer. “Schiller liked to have a smell of rotten apples, concealed beneath the lid of his desk, under his nose when he was composing poetry,” (114). Spender does suggest that the body tends to sabotage the attention of the writer’s mind by providing some form of distraction. Whatever the reason we artists have strange tendencies when we write.
There are times when handwriting my work is not possible. This is when I type it on a computer. Typing the first draft of a work is not as enjoyable as handwriting it. I have to constantly fight with my inner editor, the grammar checker of the word processing software, and the word count feature of the software. These three things hamper my creativity. Limiting my self-editing has become easier as I have grown as a writer. I remember that many of my classmates in my novel writing class struggled with self-editing. They often posted about how hard it was to stop self-editing.
The grammar-checking feature of the word processing program can be turned off, but it still seems to haunt me. It seems to be saying, “You may not see me, but I can still see the mistakes you are making.” After a while, I can successfully ignore the annoying feature. The word processing feature that I struggle with quite a bit is the word counting and page-numbering feature. I recently found out that this feature could be turned off in MS Word 2010. Before discovering this, the word count and page numbers would constantly remind me that I had a goal to reach and that I would probably never reach it because I spent so much time focusing on those numbers on the status bar instead of writing. It was a vicious cycle. I do not like writing the first draft of a work on a computer. If I am able to handwrite it, the next step is to type it on the computer.
Typing the first draft of my work on the computer is often bittersweet for me. It is proof that I have done a great work in getting my idea from my head to the paper, but at the same time, it is a moment to stress over the quality of the work, the lunacy of some of the things I wrote, and the need for my work to make sense to the reader. At this step, I try not edit or revise the work, but there are times when it is necessary to correct spelling, grammar, or to change something that is eligible because of my handwriting. There are moments of inspiration during this step that leads to creative tangents and moments, but they happen sparingly. Typing my work on a computer gives me the satisfaction of a job well done. I can also tell myself that I have accomplished a monumental task. Eric Maisel writes, “A creative work is completed many times over. It is completed each time the creator comes to a subjective sense of completion (even if that sense lasts only for an instant) and each time the work reaches an objective stage of completion… All these subjective and objective completions count,” (Maisel 165).
An important step in my creative process is leaving the work alone. Do not look at it, do not think about it, bury it under a few books or binders so that I cannot even see it. The optimal “leave it alone time” that I prefer is two weeks. This amount of time gives me an opportunity to get the project out of my system; therefore, when I return to it, I will be able to look at it with refreshed and rejuvenated eyes. If two weeks is not possible, I prefer to leave it alone for 36 to 48 hours. This time frame motivates me to focus on something else to give my mind a chance to become a little clear of the project. My eyes are not as rejuvenated as I would like them to be, but I have had time to let the project roll off my back. After I leave the project alone, I revise it.
The revision phase is very important. Melissa Donovan writes, “Revision is all about change. More specifically, it’s about making changes that improve our work. Rewriting, proofreading, and editing are all revision methods. Each has a specific function,” (Donovan). This is where I perfect my work. I am an editor. I have edited a number of books published by my father as well as some books published by his friends. I feel comfortable editing my work. I edit my work as meticulously as I would a work that is not mine. Donovan writes, “Editing may deal loosely with context but its true focus is on readability… the primary purpose of editing is [to] make the work ready for a readership,” (Donovan). Donovan suggests that rewriting is making meaningful and appropriate changes to the work. She states that proofreading is checking for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. These three steps happen simultaneously for me.
Revising my work can be overwhelming because there is a chance for being overly critical of the work. Maisel has a five-step process to affirm the revision process. First, one must calm their mind and inspect the work. Secondly, the writer must decide on the specific changes to make. Thirdly, the artist must plan to revise the work. Fourthly, the artist must revise the work. “Affirm your willingness to work by saying out loud “I am ready to revise,” (Maisel 189). Lastly, completely revise the work.
The revision step has not tripped me up because I remind myself that the work is finished and it just needs to be refined. When I say refined, I mean that the rough edges need to be smooth out, the dust needs to be wiped off, and a shine needs to be put on the finished product. I do not allow myself to add any more words unless it is necessary. The revision step of my creative process can be long and tedious, but it is rewarding. I know that I have refined my work and that the next step of the process is the best part of the process. I must submit my work to be viewed or read.
Submitting my work to be viewed or read is a nerve-racking step that takes courage. My theory is, why write, or produce a work if you do not plan to share it with someone. I am selective with whom I share my work, but I try to share all of my completed works. Allowing someone to read my work is the highest form of love and vulnerability. Even in a classroom setting, where I am a student, it is still an endeavor of love and vulnerability to share my work. In his book entitled, The Courage to Create, Rollo May writes, “It is [social courage] the courage to relate to other human beings, the capacity to risk one’s self in the hope of achieving meaningful intimacy,” (May 17). I have to be brave enough to put myself out there in an intimate way. “Intimacy requires courage because risk is inescapable,” (17). I believe that the more you share your work, the more you will want to share your work. Also, sharing your work allows you to develop a thick skin to withstand the criticism you may receive about your work.
Receiving critique and criticism about my work is important. It helps me become a better writer and reminds me that I am a good writer. Yes, I get upset when someone says something negative about my work, but I have to remember that they are only one person and I can choose whether to take what they say to heart. I also take the opportunity to remind myself that not everyone will like, read, or enjoy my work. As long as I am true to myself and write what I feel, someone will like, read, and enjoy my work. After submitting my work, I must enjoy the journey, work, and process.
Often in life, we forget to enjoy the successes we have. We complete one task, only to rush into the next task without reviewing and acknowledging what was successful in the previous task, the last step in my creative process is to enjoy the work. Maisel emphasizes the importance of celebrating success. He writes, “Have a small but really festive party. Congratulate yourself. Toast the work. And don’t forget to take some pictures,” (Maisel 194).
I must be honest and admit that I do not always acknowledge my successes immediately. I have waited weeks and months before acknowledging a writing journey and success. I am still learning and developing this step of my creative process. To recognize my writing successes, I usually revisit the process, which includes looking in my idea journal and remembering the idea I wrote about, then looking at the outline, notes, or prewriting I did on the work. I usually try to keep all of the work from these steps in a spiral or computer file. This reminds me that there is a process and it works. The next step is to read the completed work for enjoyment purposes. I read it as if I am the consumer and not the author. This step is amazing. It brings me great joy. The last thing I do in this step is to tell myself, “You are a write and you are a great writer. Keep writing; people enjoy your work.” This affirmation is important because it keeps me encouraged and it keeps me writing. Maisel promotes self-affirmation at each step of writing. Encouraging yourself is important as you write.
My creative process is long and probably overwhelming to everyone else, but for me, it is a process that I have developed for over 30 years. My process works for me. I know this because of the methods I use have and are used by other writers, some of who were famous writers. My process has helped me become a great writer as well as a published author. One day, this process will allow me to become a paid published author, a day I am expectantly looking forward to seeing happen. If I keep writing using the creative process described in this paper, I have no doubt that it will happen.
Works Cited
Badu, Erykah. Tyrone. Erykah Badu. Erykah Badu, Norman "Keys" Hurt, 1997. CD.
Cocteau, Jean. "The Process of Inspiration." Ed. Brewster Ghiselin. The Creative Process: A Symposium. Berkeley: U of California, 1985. 79-80. Print.
Collingwood, Robin G. "Chap. 7." The Principles of Art. Oxford: Claredon, 1938. 125-52. Print.
Donovan, Melissa. "Creative Writing and Revising: Rewriting, Editing, and Proofreading." Writing Forward: Write On, Shine On. Writing Forward, 2012. Web. 08 Aug. 2014.
Gerard, R.W. "The Biological Basis of Imagination." Ed. Brewster Ghiselin. The Creative Process: A Symposium. Berkeley: U of California, 1985. 236-259. Print.
Jung, Carl Gustav. "Psychology and Literature." Ed. Brewster Ghiselin. The Creative Process: A Symposium. Berkeley: U of California, 1985. 217-232. Print.
Lowell, Amy. "The Process of Making Poetry." Ed. Brewster Ghiselin. The Creative Process: A Symposium. Berkeley: U of California, 1985. 110-12. Print.
Masiel, Eric. Fearless Creating. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc. 1995. Print.
May, Rollo. The Courage to Create. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 1975. Print.
Serafinn, Lynn. "TOP 10 Reasons (plus 1) Why an Outline Is Important When Writing a Book." Spirit Authors: Business Building, Coaching and Community for Mind-Body-Spirit Writers. Spirit Authors, 20 Sept. 2012. Web. 08 Aug. 2014.
Spender, Stephen. "The Making of a Poem." Ed. Brewster Ghiselin. The Creative Process: A Symposium. Berkeley: U of California, 1985. 113-26. Print.
Wolfe, Thomas. "The Story of a Novel." Ed. Brewster Ghiselin. The Creative Process: A Symposium. Berkeley: U of California, 1985. 192-205. Print.