Last night I went to the San Francisco Poetry Slam that was held over at Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory. I’d never been to this poetry slam before … in fact, I don’t think I’ve been to any poetry events in the Bay Area even though this used to be the way that I got my literary event craving satisfied when I lived in Arizona. I’m not sure how it is that I never ended up finding one of these events here but I’ve found it now and completely remember why I love open mic poetry and poetry slam events.
The great thing about this event is that it was both - there was an open mic period as well as the slam - so you got the fun of people reading just to get a response and then you also got the competition of people reading for a chance to win $100. The two halves of the one poetry event complimented each other well, reminding me of why it is that I do really love writing.
I love writing because it lets you be passionate, it lets you share that passion and it lets you express your own unique vision of the world around you in a way that lets the rest of the world connect to you. I love writing as a profession and as a hobby and as a way to pass the time. And sometimes, while writing for pay or for my own eyes alone, I forget how much I love writing because it becomes just what I do.
Poetry slams take the poignancy of the pen and put them out there in a performance piece that demands the attention of others in the room. Whether about the personal, the political or the personal as political, poems insist that you pay attention to what is being succinctly said. The diverse crowd of a San Francisco poetry slam and the energetic addition of DJ sounds only further the intensity of a setting that is already wrought with feeling.
Being in the midst of the active art of live poetry makes it impossible for me not to remember what I love about writing words.
I’d like to share a guest post with you that has some great tips on getting around Writer’s Block. We all experience writer’s block now and then so we all need to consider the ways that there are to get around (or through!) this problem. This article can help with that!
There’s both an upside and a downside to being in the creative field – on the one hand, you’re dependant only on yourself to give your best, but on the other, there are days when writer’s block gets to you and you’re unable to find a way out, no matter how hard you try. And that’s when you wish your job was mundane enough that you didn’t have to constantly come up with your creative best. But I speak from experience when I say that writer’s block or whatever else you call the drying up of words has a way of disappearing when you least expect it to. So if you’ve ever found yourself with absolutely no words to pen, here’s what you must do to get back into your flow:
- Take a break: You may feel yourself unable to write like you normally do when you’re stressed due to working too hard and long, when you’ve not had enough sleep, or when you’re worried or anxious about something. In that case, it’s best to take a break from writing for a while – it may be for an hour, a day, a week or even a month. But shut down your computer, and don’t turn it back again until you have words jostling in your head and clamoring to be penned down and given form. Sometimes trying too hard has the exact opposite effect of what you’re trying to achieve, so let go of your work, and watch it work wonders for you.
- Do something you really love: When you take time off to refresh and relax yourself by doing something you really love, you find your creative juices flowing again. And that’s because you’re happy when you’re engaging in a pastime that you love – be it going to the movies or playing the fool with your kids. A relaxed mind is the best way to unlock those creative instincts and let the words flow.
- Seek inspiration from other sources: There are times when reading other people’s work ignites the spark of your own creativity. Put your work aside for a while and read a book or articles that interest you. You’ll find the idea for an article of your own creeping slowly into your mind.
- Keep a journal: A diary of random thoughts and events is a must for any writer worth their salt. Whenever you find yourself with an idea, pen it down before it leaves your mind. And then when you find yourself with a lack of ideas, turn the pages of your journal to seek inspiration.
- Believe in yourself: Writer’s block sometimes overtakes you because of a negative experience or comment that makes you feel a failure. You’re made to think that you’re not a good writer, and this depression blocks the words from flowing freely. Turn to a good friend or close family member for comfort, someone who can boost your confidence and make you feel at ease once again. Alternatively, you could read what you’ve written earlier, work that has gained positive and glowing reviews, to get back the feeling of self-worth.
Remember, writer’s block is in your mind; it’s psychological, not physical, which means that all you need to get over it is think positively.
This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of online colleges. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24@gmail.com.
Aren’t Kelly’s tips great? Several of them seem to relate back to “filling the creative well“, a concept that encourages writers to make time to take in inspiration by doing the things that they love and enjoying the playfulness of life. Your additional tips on getting over writer’s block are welcome in the comments!
Everyone knows that writing and emotions go hand-in-hand. What I’m trying to figure out these days is exactly what the relationship is for me between writing and emotions when the emotions of my life are intense and almost feel out of control.
People who know me well know that I’ve been going through some really rough transitions in my life and in my work. And people who know me at all know that I deal with things in large part through writing about them.
What’s difficult for me is the whole idea of pouring your emotions into your art. Because the reality is that what I’m writing right now is not anything creative. I’m not taking the pain of life and pouring it into a novel. I’m not exploring the depth of my emotions through intense poetry or attempts at writing sad song lyrics.
What I am doing is writing in my journal a lot. Every day. Sometimes several times a day. Writing mostly mundane things that couldn’t ever be read and appreciated by someone else because the writing isn’t good - it’s just raw and ridiculous and honest in that complex way that emotions are.
I’ve also been writing letters, mostly unsent letters, because sometimes the only way to get a handle on the emotions that involve other people is to sit down and write them out as if you were saying everything you wanted to say to those people, regardless of whether or not they’re around to read what you’ve written.
What I wish life and writing could be like is that the pure raw painful emotions of life could be immediately transmuted into great literary art. I wish that I could say, “I’m going to write through this awful time to get the depth of my emotions down on paper”.
What I think it’s like instead is that I’ll sit and write those journals and letters and rambling emails and occasional blog posts because that’s what I need to do to understand myself better right now. And that writing itself will never become art. But what I hope it does is get me to a place where I can know what’s going on with me and my emotions and therefore have the potential to write creatively in the future when I am in a better place.
What do you think - how do your emotions and writing go hand in hand?
Just a quick note to share this amazing gallery of books-as-art (located at Fresh Pics but found via a post over at SFist). Altered book art of all kinds is something that I really adore and want to get more into myself. Some of these creations are just absolutely astounding in their creativity as well as in their execution. Absolutely inspiring!
