Creativity and a Lack of Time
My husband and I were recently talking about creativity.
He tried to tell me in the kindest way possible that writing is just not my thing. He didn’t need to be gentle. I agreed with him right away. Whenever I sit down to write a novel I can’t ever seem to get the words to flow. When I do write, it’s generally flat and stilted. I do pretty good with non-fiction, but writing “literature” just does not seem to be my thing. I did complete NaNoWriMo last year, but the novel was horrible. Probably the worst thing I’ve ever written. Plot holes, one dimensional characters with multiple personalities (as in they changed their one-dimension qualities throughout the novel), etc.
However, I still have a very strong urge to tell stories, and I don’t think that will ever stop. We figured out that since I am such a visual person, I probably need to use a visual format, like a graphic novel or a screenplay, instead of a novel.
If you remember, I started a screenplay when Script Frenzy was going on. I was very happy with what I wrote in that case because it was a good way to translate what I see in my head onto paper. I just haven’t done much with it since then. I think I’ll dig it back out to see what I can do with it.
I think the idea of creating a graphic novel is a wonderful idea too, since I used to love to draw and paint. I just don’t see any of my current ideas fitting into that format. My husband, however, has written two stories that I would love to turn into graphic novels. One is about zombies and the other is a children’s story.
The only problem I see with getting back into writing/drawing is that I’ve not done either for at least a few months and I’ve started projects or developed interests in the mean time that already have me stretched a bit thin. I just have too many interests! 
I also agreed to edit my husband’s 2007 NaNoWriMo novel for him, so I just don’t know how much more I’ll take on at the moment.
I’ll get the stuff out, but probably wont do much on any of it for another month, when I’m no longer consumed with my genealogy book or busy editing my husband’s novel.
I want what I do to be fun and not feel like something else I have to do.
I wondered if you ever considered oral storytelling?
[reply to this comment]
Amanda reply on July 5, 2008:
That style just wouldn’t work for me. Correct me if I’m wrong, because I don’t listen to them, but an audio book is just listening to a book being read, so I don’t see how oral storytelling would be any different in the creation process than writing a novel. And, as I said, I’m a very visual person. I actually see a movie unfolding in my head, with pans, and cuts, etc. I’ve just not been able to translate these things into words. I don’t even know if they can be. Maybe a better writer could make it work, but I’m not so sure. And in my opinion I don’t think these elements can just be ignored. It would lose the whole quality I am trying for. And I think this is why my written stories fall flat. They’re lacking what I REALLY want to say, or rather, show.
[reply to this comment]
A Note reply on July 5, 2008:
Forgive me, I’m not trying to say you should try oral storytelling!
I just wondered if you had ever looked into it.
Many oral storytellers tell stories from the images they see in their mind’s eye - actually a very visual process. For some tellers there is a connection between the picture they see and the words they say (and then perhaps write).
An oral storyteller is not a book reader (as in an audio book) - not that book reader’s can’t be entertaining! The oral storyteller tells stories without memorization (generally) and without relying on the written word. In any case it can be a very freeing creative experience and sometimes flows over into other creative areas for the teller.
I appreciate your thoughts and wish you well, it sounds like your urge to tell stories is strong!
[reply to this comment]
Amanda reply on July 5, 2008:
No problem.
Yes. I have heard of the traditional practice of oral storytelling. Before a certain point in time, almost all stories were passed down from one generation to the next by this method because the only people who could write were clergy. But you probably knew this since you were the one who brought it up.
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August 25th, 2008 at 11:00 am