A few years back, I wrote a book about creative writing. It’s still selling on Amazon. But I never promote it. I want to tweak it. And it needs a new cover…
Because.
Shit.
I know more now!
I’ve got more to say.
More to share.
Maybe I’ll just write a whole new book.
Want to know about my new eCourse? Scroll to the bottom! Or CLICK HERE!
Anyway, here’s the tweaked bit. And then some…
Here’s the excerpt. And then some…
It’s everywhere—the nuts and bolts of how to write picture books. The dos and the don’ts.
The lengthy explanations of rhyme, rhythm, repetition, word counts. All you have to do is hit up Aunty Google and you’ve got it.
This goes for all kinds of books, too. Not just PBs.
But what’s always overlooked in creative writing classes is the role intuition plays in storytelling.
The best writers and artists rely HEAVILY on intuition to pull them through!
I’m constantly urging (pleading with) aspiring authors to hone their intuition by immersing themselves CONSTANTLY in words and pictures.
Don’t overlook the opportunities you have every single day to drink in stories and images and expand your imagination.
• Coffee table books
• Magazines (Holy Flow and Womankind, haven’t they lifted their game?)
• Movies
• Picture books (naturally)
• Pinterest (make some pretty boards even if they’re private!)
• Youtube (Last night, while I was sitting on the couch, I learned how to draw bunting. It took ELEVEN minutes.)
• Online courses (Course junkie, here!)
• Online freebies such as e-books, writing prompts, pdfs.
• I give away heaps of knowledge, inspiration and encouragement! So do thousands of other creatives! Google around!
All these gifts fuel our imagination, strengthen our visual literacy and help develop our storytelling intuition.
If we let them.
On this day, today, what are you doing to feed your inner artist, strengthen your imagination, engage with the beauty around you?
Don’t just stop to smell the roses.
Draw the friggin’ roses!
It doesn’t have to be ‘good’.
Stuff that!
It doesn’t have to be accurate.
You just have to do it.
That’s how you wake up your imagination.
That’s how you nurture your creativity.
Let it know you LOVE it and want to hang out with it. All. The. Time.
Hey! Why not stop, grab a pen (right now) and scribble ten lines about a rose?
Feeling stuck? Here’s a line to kick you off. Add to it. (Don’t resist, okay? Just do it and see what happens.)
BE CURIOUS.
The crow flew toward the cottage, the red rose dangling from her beak. She could smell…
Do stuff like this every day.
Let spirit flow through you.
Let spirit create through you.
Make creativity as central to your life as running errands, shopping and, well, whinging that you have no time.
Get to it, sunshine!
I totally believe in you!
Immerse yourself in the creative flow.
It’s waiting there just for YOU!
Jen xo
Want to do this course with me? There’s still time! Course starts Monday Nov 25. Cart closes Friday Nov 22!