Category: Creativity

Creativity, writer burnout, Writing

Why Success Doesn’t Always Fuel Creativity

Mona Alvarado Frazier

Sometimes, it fuels a Netflix binge

July Substack Post:

Revisions and rewrites. I’m sick of it. I have a complete manuscript that I keep messing with after several rewrites and I’m stuck on how the first chapter reads. Do I start here or in chapter three? Maybe I’m listening too much to my critique partners, but what if I’m not listening enough to them? Could the current state of political affairs in the US have me discombobulated?

For two weeks, I have gone through the same thing. I light my candle each morning, sip strong coffee, and reread my opening pages. I make a few strikethroughs, make a few editions, delete, and redo. It’s like being on an exercise bike; I’m cycling and getting nowhere, not even expending calories. I’m stuck, which translates into closing out the manuscript file. Again.

That in-between state of ‘start here or there’ leaves me adrift, and I don’t like it. I wonder what other writers call this stage of floundering with their manuscripts—maybe floundering, :). The bottom line is that I do not like not writing and finishing a manuscript. I’m out of sorts.

I’ve consoled myself and been momentarily excited about other positive news in my writing life:

Read the rest here

Creativity, Inspiration, Nature, Self Care

A Surfer’s Haiku

Mona Alvarado Frazier

beach
My beach

The title’s a bit misleading. I’m neither a surfer nor did a surfer create this poem.

I am fortunate to live close to several beaches in Southern California. Most coastal Californian’s can tell you that the weather at the beach, especially in the last decade, is unpredictable.

Today, on a January afternoon, the temperature rose to 70 degrees with little wind. The sun shone hot on my patio when I stepped outside, geared up with my gloves and electrical hedger. Perspiration moistened the brim of my hat before I got started trimming. I hesitated.

Born and raised in this area, I can smell the sea air on most days. My thoughts turned to the ocean breeze a mere six miles away. I could cut the last three overgrown bushes, or I could go with the first impression of what I’d rather be doing. I followed my gut and grabbed a beach towel, my journal, and my water bottle shouting ‘back soon’ to my daughter.

Many more people had the same idea by the looks of the beach parking lot, but I found a large patch of cool sand on a knoll. The roar of the ocean waves, punctuated by kid’s delighted screams, were only outdone by equally excited dogs.

The mid-day sun glassed the ocean, making my eyes squint to watch intrepid sailboats and marvel at brave surfers.

surfers
surfing spot

Scientists say the negative ions of the ocean air calm the brain, and walking barefoot grounds us to the earth. This must be so.

Soon, creativity took over, and I thought of a haiku.

The beach beckons,

blazing blue,

oceans roar

an invitation to surf.

I’ll grant you this isn’t a ‘true’ haiku of 5/7/5 syllables per line, but it’s an example of nature inspiring creativity.

Scientists also say that getting outdoors and connecting with the earth will help your mental well-being.

I wrote a few pages in my journal, took a nap on the sand and listened. Nature nurtured me, and don’t we all need that from time to time?

Think about what nurtures you and go out and live it.

The hedges can wait.

Lazy afternoon at the beach