Spring Cleaning for the Creative Mind

The winter has come and gone where I live and even though we could have some late cold weather the fruit trees have bloomed and gardeners are in full swing cleaning out and planting for the new growing season. It's that way in my home office as well. Time spent in my garden grounds me and inspires me. Likewise, I look through my "idea file" and add to it with fresh thoughts. The sounds of birds and watching the robins who have returned as they drink from my bird bath feeds my muse.

One of the things about warm weather is that we do spend more time outside whether it is in our garden or by the pool or on vacation. Isn't it wonderful that we can enjoy all of that and take an iPad or laptop with us and write where we are. Instead of being confined inside, it feels good to take my imagination outside on the swing and let my characters take me to another place and time.

A few things that help me transition from season to season with my writing and my other activities are:

1.  Sort through my "idea file" and get rid of old ideas that don't appeal to me any more.

2.  Review my goals for the year and see how I'm doing reaching them. Adjust them where needed.

3.  Brainstorm with fellow writers to help me develop story lines that are works in progress if I feel stuck.

4.  Take some time out to recharge my batteries.

5.  Refocus my efforts when I am writing by getting away from distractions.

Dianne G. Sagan, author and co-author of 18 books, speaker and presenter.
http:\\www.diannegsagan.biz

9 comments:

Charmaine Clancy said...

Great imagination sparking ideas - except I felt my pulse race when I saw you say 'get rid of old ideas'! I can't delete anything.

Wagging Tales

Kathleen Moulton said...

Dianne, this is great information. I liked #1; getting rid of old ideas. That extra clutter can weigh us down.

Thanks!

Kathy
http://kathleenmoulton.com

Mary Jo Guglielmo said...

Diane, I like the idea of spring cleaning beyond the home. Spring cleaning can apply to any area of ones life.

elysabeth said...

Diane, wonderful tips. My thing about "old files" or ideas that don't appeal to me any more is that I just leave that folder alone and don't revisit. But my computer would probably speed up a bit if I totally deleted some of my old stories that I know I won't write - thanks for sharing - E :)

Elysabeth Eldering
Author of Finally Home, a YA paranormal mystery
http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
http://eeldering.weebly.com

Karen Cioffi said...

Great tips for a writing spring cleaning, Diane. It's important to step back and regroup our writing efforts.

I kind of agree with hanging on to old files, unless their duplicates or have been updated. You just never know when you'll need them or can turn them into a new story.

Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing

Magdalena Ball said...

Good suggestions Diane. It's autumn where I am, but the same applies - we should do this kind of 'cleaning' regularly.

elysabeth said...

Congrats, Charmaine. You are the winner of the woodsy bookworm. Please email me at eeldering@gmail.com with your mailing address - thanks E :)

elysabeth said...

For everyone interested in trying to win a bookworm, there are still at least 3 chances on my blog - http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com to include today's WWYWWQ posting, tomorrow's posting and Sunday's This and That posting, and 4 more days on this blog. Keep leaving your comments on both blogs and you may be the person drawn that day. - E :)

Elysabeth Eldering
Author of Finally Home, a YA paranormal mystery
http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
http://eeldering.weebly.com

Shirley Corder said...

Like Magdalena, it's Autumn here too, but then I could still do "Autumn cleaning" right/ My problem is trying to get organised. I have stuff EVERYwhere. Old or new. Yesterday someone asked to read a story I wrote several years ago - and have had published twice. I had to go to one of the PRINTED books to find the title to do a proper search. That's sad!

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