Stimulation: Creative Friend or Foe?
Our senses not only collect what is around us in the environment, but also demand things from us as we attempt to do our art. Some writers prefer to create in the same place, with a familiar chair, their favorite drink, perhaps some classical music on in the background, or complete silence. Do we notice the sounds of trash trucks, traffic, power lawn equipment, and sirens? Of neighborhood children playing in the street? Birds chirping in the early morning or rain against the windows? Maybe we’re immune to auditory distractions.
Besides sounds, how distracted are we visually? Perhaps we don’t venture afar to create because we will be too absorbed by what we see. What about touch? Do we prefer certain clothes, a particular temperature, a soft chair? Would we rather be alone or with others when we write, draw, paint, dance, or compose? Does the smell of pizza or the stench of garbage have a tendency to momentarily pull us from our creative project?
Allowing ourselves the time and effort to discover what nuances our senses prefer when we create, and which ones interfere, can increase our productivity or stop it altogether. Whether we’re happy with how things are going or feel like we’re stuck in a rut, we can check out different venues for our creativity. Take a sketch pad and walk the docks, a park, a store, or have a seat in a darkened theater in the middle of the day. Is it too much stimulation? If so, write or sketch what is distracting. Try a few places, wear a different pair of shoes, listen to Disturbed instead of Vivaldi (or vice versa), eat popcorn or ice cream, and just notice. Is it more or less effort to create?
The results are many fold. We could narrow down what interrupts the flow or our concentration. These places or noises or smells could be used to bring us out of a ‘creator’s block’. The discovery of a place or taste or sight that fuels the juices that flow through us, seeking a way to escape, could be a delight. Or we could turn it into a training session. Can we stay tapped in despite the bombardment of sensual input? Can we check in with the surrounding environment, then lock it all out, and dive back into the story, the dialogue? Play with it. After all, that’s what so much of this is about. Play. Joy. Discovery.
Michele Venne published her first novel in 2008, which was followed by another five novels and two collections of poetry. All of her books include an introductory “Dear Reader” letter and concludes with “Questions to Ponder”, as she encourages readers to contemplate their opinions and beliefs of societal ills. Michele lives near Cave Creek, Arizona, and devotes herself to the joys of riding her horses, tutoring, writing, and yoga. http://www.myjoyenterprises.com
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