Are you a Dabbler?

I'm not just a writer, I'm a Jill of all trades and master on none, but I'm happy! I like to write, speak, create handmade paper and book covers, draw, paint, make quilts, jewelry, baskets, travel, take photos, spin dog hair, cook, garden and READ.
I confess my struggle with patience and perseverance to finish what I start to encourage you, fellow writers, to explore your creativity to enhance your writing.




Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, I had the honor of speaking for the Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, LA. My topic was "Dare to Dabble".  Remember the  axiom:

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW

How do you know what you know? Through exploring your experiences, interests and through research.

Here are suggestions:

Brainstorm your interests regardless of your talent or expertise. Free-write a list of the things you like to do, ie. cook, garden, deer hunt, read. Add what you're involved in, ie. kids, grand kids, sports, pets. Randomly write down those things you'd like to explore and learn more about, ie. quilting, bird identification, canoeing.

Now think like a rubber band. Start with a general topic form your list and expand (also called webbing).

Combine your interests keeping in mind "How could this be turned into a writing project? Choose an interest and define yourself as an expert. Learn more. Can you see the potential for an article? A book?

I was traveling  with my two Shelties and met a woman training a puppy for a seeing-eye service, then met another lady who relied on a hearing alert dog. A couple with two standard poodles trained for pet therapy prompted me to get out my camera and recorder. I interviewed each dog owner and photographed the dogs. The resulting article was published. Dabbling with dogs paid off.

Another way to collect your Dabbling interests is by writing each idea on a sticky note. Stick each note to a page in a spiral notebook. As you collect different ideas or notes of your interests transfer those that  relate to a separate page. In what area could you become an expert? What magazines could you write for? How would your expertise liven up your novel?

Expanding your creativity will help with publishing your writing. My novel, Venture in Faith; Texas to Alaska, is set in an RV and involves a road trip similar to the ones I've driven to Alaska. My heroine's adventures are some of mine. Beneath the Surface, a novel, has an frustrated housewife, art teacher as heroine. Quilts, kids and  pets are also incorporated into the plot. 

The creative artist within you demands self-expression, but when all your energy goes toward a writing project  and "writer's block" follows, becomes boring or is no longer fun take a break and dabble.

Nourish your creativity.

I challenge you to dare to dabble, dare to dream. remember no dream comes true until you wake up and go to work on it.