[Writer Post] Jennifer Blanchard’s Recharging Your Creativity Challenge

EDIT: I’m a fact-checking moron…It’s Jennifer BLANCHARD, not Pelland (though Jennifer Pelland has come up with good advice in the past, too). I’m making these changes.

So…writing post. This one is actually going to be easier than Monday’s completely brain dead rerun of a pen blog. Nothing newly earth-shattering is taking up my news feeds in the publishing world, so what’s new?

I’m actually subscribing and catching up on Jennifer Blanchard’s “Recharge Your Creative Batteries in 31 Days” Challenge. Since I found out about this through Booklife (I think), I’m a few days behind–so I’m doing two-a-days until I catch up. And so far, it’s pretty interesting. I agree with some of it, other parts…meh, but on the whole, it’s something really to check out. Especially if you’re doing the “I can’t” mantra. Because, yeah, you can–and there is some really good stuff in here.

BUT, as with all writing advice, you don’t have to follow 100% of it. Are you shocked? Have you been programmed to try to follow EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE. OF. WISDOM? Because, honestly, you can’t. WHY? 1) A lot of it is absolute crap–especially if it starts with “You MUST” or some other “set in stone” kind of phrasing, and 2)what works for Person A may not work for Person B. And that’s one of the “Get it” things in Blanchard’s challenge – she offers options to customize the experience to YOU.

And that’s the thing…you have to find what works for you. I have writers gasp in HORROR, absolutely HORROR I tell you, when I say I like to write LONGHAND for my zero draft. Yes, pen and ink. Handwriting. I may whine and moan about “Chore typing” (and if I could teach my dogs to type, I would do it in a heartbeat), but it’s my first editing process. It. Works. For. Me.

Darlene Bolensky threw off the best line about writing advice I’ve ever heard (works for books, challenges, and writers’ groups)…”Take what rings true to YOU and discard the rest”. Though 99% of the world says “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You MUST EAT BREAKFAST.” I’m not that person. I understand the rationale and science and such, I do, but I’ve never been a breakfast eater. NEVER, and you can’t make me. So I blow that part off. But the parts that advocate exercise and/or activity in your day to boost energy? I’m all over that (though I whine and complain about my Nemesis–the treadmill).

These things affect your writing. They affect your creativity. I’m trying to discipline myself into doing a set amount of “typing” time a day so I don’t have this overwhelming pile of typing to do that I don’ t wanna. That way when I’m “off line” for big chunks of the evening and writing in my comfy chair–or whatever time of day my writing wants/needs to be done. It’s a win/win.

Of course, deadlines mean everything is out the window. So seriously, if you’re struggling with being “stuck” or your creativity is on the blink (it happens), check this challenge out. It’s worth looking into.

Tags: Advice, creativity, Jennifer Blanchard, Jennifer Pelland, Writing