The Creative Process

Welcome to the final week of the month-long Carnival of Creative Mothers to celebrate the launch of The Rainbow Way: Cultivating Creativity in the Midst of Motherhood by Lucy H. Pearce which has been Amazon.co.uk’s Hottest New Release in Motherhood for the past week!

Today’s topic is The Creative Process. Do read to the end of this post for a full list of carnival participants. 

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The Creative Process

Inspiration often comes unbidden, sometimes when on the verge of sleep, sometimes in the midst of play or when doing household chores. Sometimes it can be called upon when I have a rare moment of quiet to myself, children either asleep or out with a relative.

For those times when inspiration finds me unprepared I try to memorize the words or images and get them down on paper as soon as I can. Nighttimes are difficult though, with one child on either side of me, no bedside table and no easy way to get to pen and paper! I trust to my memory then and hope I’ll be able to recall the words the next day.

Some evenings I sit in front of the computer, the blank page before me and wonder if I can fill it with words. Usually, though, a day spent with my children affords me valuable ‘writing-thinking’ time and the chance to plot out stories and flesh out characters in my head. So when I come to the computer it’s often a case of typing out almost fully-formed sentences.

There is often though ‘the deep breath beforehand’ when I’m not sure I can communicate my vision through words or images. I’m not sure I have the skill, I’m not sure I can do it. Yet I leap anyway, for it is exhilarating — this journey into the unknown, into worlds I’ve created in my head. When I’m in this ‘otherland’ I am consumed by the feelings that wash over me and through me. I am both re-vitalized – energized with creativity – and also, interestingly, at peace. Time runs out though and reality intrudes; often in the form of a child asking for something, a pan of water boiling over, the phone ringing…

The transition from fantasy to reality is often difficult. I am in-between worlds then, my body going through its motions, on automatic, but my mind is still miles away. I know it will pass though, and I now accept that the journey back holds a certain amount of tension.

I promise myself I’ll go back as soon as I can…

The desire to create is frequent yet there are often fallow times when it seems as though I’ve created very little. Yet there must be peaks and troughs, rather like the ‘life, death, life’ nature of the Wild Woman. The Muse, akin to the rhythms of our bodies, and of nature, must rest and re-group from time to time so that she can be re-born and renewed with fresh vigour. I now understand the value of the quiet times — for important, underground soul-work is being done then — though I may not be able to see or sense it.

My ego cares more about the end result of my creativity rather than the process of creativity itself. Its voice is strengthened by plenty of voices in society wondering aloud if the work is worthwhile, if a price can be put to it… if it is good?

It does not matter. Really, it does not, because the work is now finished and it has begun its own journey, over which the creator has no control. The important thing is to create, for the creative process itself enriches the soul and causes it to fly…

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Or order from your local bookshop.

• Carnival host and author of The Rainbow Way, Lucy at Dreaming Aloud looks at the common lies we tell ourselves about creativity in The Eternal Summer of the Creative Mind.
• Caitriona at Wholesome Ireland – from start to new beginnings.
• Hannah M. Davis writes about Unleashing Your Authentic Voice. So many of us would love to write a life-changing book. How do you get over the blocks and barriers that hold you back? 
• Sylda from Mind the Baby compares her creative process to a maelstrom of weather warnings.
• In “As an Artist”, Lucy Pierce at Soulskin Musings offers a poem about how the creative process beckons her through many of the archetypes of womanhood.
• Jackie Stewart at Flowerspirit.co.uk talks about how creativity is opening up a space for the unknown to reveal itself to you in ‘Creativity Flourishes in the Sacred Unknown’.
• Alex at Art of Birth shares some practical tips on how you can unlock your creative goddess within!
• Nicki at justlikeplay shares a love letter to her muse.
• Marija Smits has a conversation with her muse and reflects on the difficulties of catching and creating from the Goddess of Inspiration.
• Zoie at TouchstoneZ reflects on her creative process.
• Licia Berry, Illumined Arts “Creativity and Healing are Ideal Partners”. The creation of visual, musical, or expressive arts is the quickest, most effective and painless way to heal.
• Kirstin at Listening to the Squeak – My creative process and how to break creative blocks.
• Ali Baker talks about connecting
  with the call of the wolf when she cries to us to do so means giving
  our time and permission to honour the creative process within all of us.
• Mary at The Turquoise Paintbrush reflects on her creative process.
• KatyStuff thinks that projects need time to mature, that is why she is a fabric and craft hoarder. 
• Aimée at Creativeflutters goes into her creative process and looks at what makes things tick or flop in “Spontaneous She – How to Keep Your Muse at Work”.
• Kae at The Wilde Womb muses about her common creative blocks as a parent and how she systematically breaks through them.
• Angela at Peach Coglo tries to get comfortable with her own creative process. 
• Biromums write about their creative processes.
• Dawn at The Barefoot Home believes the creative process can’t be taught it has to come organically and at its own pace.
• Tara at Aquamarine Art began uncovering her lost inner artist over 5 years ago and shares her experiences and inspirations in “From Spark to Bonfire: The Evolution of A Creative Process.”
• Darcel at The Mahogany Way examines her own creative process.
• Sharron at Adventures on the mindful path writes and creates in between (and sometimes while) chasing two little boys and a puppy.  
• Laura at Authentic Parenting reflects on her creative process.
• Georgie at Visual Toast explores what the creative process looks like for her.