​

Happy spring, Reader!
​
How's it looking where you are?
​
As the crocuses shimmy out of the soil here in Maine, I can't help but draw parallels between this season of renewal and our creativity. We're firmly planted in mud season, but some days I see sunshine, blue skies, and fluffy clouds. And that's a start.
​
You see, my family is full of gardeners (not me — I've been convicted of plantslaughter). As a teen, I skulked away to avoid yard work. That's when I perfected the Irish Goodbye. Plants were so...boring? And, in my (rolling) eyes, flowers weren't anything to make a fuss over. They were simply background noise.
​
​What does this have to do with creativity, Jana?

Hang tight. I'm getting to it.

My mom's mood shifted into girlishness every spring as she ooohed and awwed over her gardens. But now, I get it. To an adult, the world is a monotonous dumpster fire, and it's all we can do to keep up with responsibilities. By the end of the winter (even if you love it), everything feels bleak. Who has time to address the creative funk?
​
Then, spring comes along. Each budding flower is a testament to the creativity that we're all trying to reconnect with. There's potential and hope. The world is alive again. If bursts of color can bloom from a barren landscape, unexpected things can spring from our creative doldrums. Good things are coming. As Oscar Wilde says, “A flower blossoms for its own joy.” So can we.

​

Update: After writing this yesterday, it snowed last night. Do with that what you will.

Alison Ward vs Creative Block

Alison Ward, of The Editing Ward, is a nonfiction freelance editor and proofreader with over 20 years of experience and clientele all over the world. She was kind enough to answer four questions about how she conquers creative block:

Why/how are you busy?

I'm about to celebrate my 12th anniversary in business, and grateful to report that most of my contracts are either a referral from a happy client, or a referral from a colleague.

What’s a favorite quick tip/activity for a creative burst?

Get away from the screen and do something completely different that occupies your hands and brain. If I can't get outdoors for exercise, I keep a jigsaw puzzle in my office for when I need to take a breather from something complex. It allows me to reset.

Would you please tell the folks about a time you were creatively stuck and how you pushed through to get your creativity pumping again?

I often help distill complex data and make it relatable to a reader. More than once, it has felt like I've overloaded my brain to the point where I shut down. Each time, I turned off the computer and went for a long run. Didn't allow myself back on my laptop until the following day.

Allowing myself to acknowledge I've hit a wall, intensive exercise, and a good night's sleep work every time.

What do you do for fun that helps keep you going (especially things outside the norm)? Why?

Anything outdoors, really. I love to go hiking. I also (at the risk of setting feminism back 40 years) love to be in the kitchen and cook and bake as much as I can from scratch; I enjoy the challenge. I'm learning a new language (French) and revisiting one I used to be fluent in (Spanish). I devour books. Last year, I pushed myself way outside of my comfort zone, and I've been learning to salsa dance. Proud to say I no longer look like I'm having a medical episode when I do it!

My “why” for most of my hobbies is the same for why I love my job: I love to learn new things. There’s so much out there to learn, see, and do!

Want to hear more from Alison? Connect with her over at LinkedIn.

A few bits from me:

Creative quick tip: Alison and I were chatting about our favorite words. Did you know her favorite is cacophony? ​ I keep a list of my favorite words, names, and phrases in my notes app. It's fun to listen to songs, books, and podcasts and pause the audio to enter a word (or have someone else do it if you're driving). ​ Then, you can refer to your list later for some creative inspiration. ​

Fun find: This week, I'm listening to the audiobook of Ann Patchett's "Tom Lake," narrated by the Meryl Streep. So far, I'm enjoying the meandering story and Streep's soothing narration. As usual, Patchett's words are simple and beautiful. ​ Do you have the Libby app? With it, you can download books, magazines, and audiobooks for free. See if it's available through your library, and enter your library card number. ​

My creative work: Not much creativity has been accomplished lately. The most I managed was a sculpting competition using sturdy homemade slime. My kiddo challenged me to make a snake, but my husband challenged me to make the Smithsonian. ​ Do you know how difficult it is to mold the Smithsonian with slime (when the tactile feeling of slime makes you want to gag)? ​ I created a lump with spires. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

This spring, I hope you find inspiration in what's creatively possible for you — your explosion of wildflowers. Try new things and see what blooms. Alison learns languages and salsas in her kitchen. My goal is to join a writing group at a local indie bookstore. What new outlets for creativity do you want to try? Please hit reply, and I'll write back. ​ All the best, ​ Jana Was this forwarded to you? Get your subscription here.

P.S. Want to support creative research and this newsletter? ​ I've crafted blog posts, case studies, and email sequences for LEGO Education, GaggleAMP, Veeqo, Omniscient Digital, Hopin, OpenPhone, and Sprout Social. ​ How can I lighten the load for you and your team? Hit reply or contact me here.

​

​