Thank You, Dorothy Shoemaker
Thoughts of gratitude and appreciation upon winning 1st prize in the Adult Division of the Dorothy Shoemaker Literary Awards Contest.
Thoughts
Like light, creativity, and communication, fire is a contagious energy that ignites collective values and embodies abundance by expanding through sharing. Fire gathers us to warmth and companionship. It soothes and mesmerizes us, in dancing flourishes of flame and swirling smoke.
To our ancestors, at the centre of every camp and village, fire gave warmth in the coldness, light in the darkness, and nourishing sustenance daily. Most importantly, fire invoked the great, intangible lesson that sharing it by extending it to others, rather than diminishing the quantity or quality of the fire, actually created more and ensured that the vital resource would not be extinguished.
Reflections on IGNITING CREATIVITY
Interval Writing
I’ve read a great deal about the value of Interval Training in exercise and highly recommend it (despite rarely doing it). For instance, if one runs (which I don’t, if I can help it), interval training would involve alternating between short, intense, full-out sprints, and slow, steady recovery jogs in one training session. I’ve realized that the same habits that I’ve applied (or haven’t but should) to exercise also apply to writing.
Creative Insomnia
Occasionally, I half-awaken around 3am and toss-and-turn as my mind churns over creative solutions to my next chapter’s dilemma. Sometimes, the solutions still sound inspired in the morning and sometimes they fall flat.
My Life: The Short of It
Credit to Portia Nelson for this format. In 1993, she wrote her “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters”. I needed six chapters to complete mine—I’m more verbose.
Work in Progress
I commit to working on the progressive realization of this novel daily and publishing something (of the book, about the book, or about my experience with the book) on this website regularly in 2015. I hope you will hold me accountable to doing it.