Cleanliness Is Next to Creativity -- Misha Herwin

 

Cleanliness is next to Creativity

For the whole of the past week I’ve been suffering from blog block. It’s a phenomenon which causes a complete inability to begin writing a blog. It’s not that I don’t have any ideas. I do, I have lots to say about the intended topic, but what I can’t manage is to construct the opening sentence and without it the words don’t flow.

I have tried just writing, something, anything, but what I’ve achieved is so clunky that I can’t get any further.

When that happens, one of my go to remedies is to take a walk. The rhythm of taking one step after another often frees my brain. Mostly. This week the blockage refused to shift.

What makes it worse is that I have set myself a deadline and I’m not good at working like that. Having to throw something together at the last moment doesn’t do it for me. I like to plan, to give myself time. The moment I feel a piece has to be written, my creativity shuts down.

I shouldn’t have put the pressure on myself, but Christmas is approaching fast, there is still so much to do and I wanted to tick this one off my list.

Then this morning, standing under the shower, the elusive first sentence sprang to mind. Not only that but so did the next one and the one after that. The fear now was that I would forget, so out I got, wrapped the towel around me, rushed into my office and grabbed pen and paper, as I hadn’t yet logged on to anything electronic and delay could result in deletion.

This isn’t the first time a shower has sparked my creativity. There must be something in the flow of water that relaxes the brain, or kickstarts the alpha waves, whatever the explanation, I am well on my way to writing my blog for the Blood Cancer UK site, about why all the profits for “The Awesome Adventures of Poppy and Amelia” which I co-wrote with my granddaughter Maddy, will be going to them.

I’ve also had material for my monthly post for this site.

Win-win all round.

Happy Christmas.