I may have announced yesterday that this ol’ freelancer is looking to return to full-time salaried employment, but I’ll still bring you the best links on creativity and writing (and a bonus topic this week, resolutions) on Twitter and here on The Artist’s Road. Heck, removing the time I spend searching for work and handling back-office details should make it easier for me to continue providing you good value for your money. Although that’s a low bar to set, because I tweet and blog at no cost to you.
CREATIVITY
- “How Deadlines Can Kill Creativity,” Geoff Talbot, seven sentences: I’m not a huge fan of Geoff’s style–a post in seven sentences–as it invariably leads to more questions than answers. Still, this post raised good questions in my mind.
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Meet Comma the Chameleon. He comes and goes, as he did on my cross-country US road trip. His name informs you that I have a jones for grammar and 80's music. “Nurturing Creativity for Stronger Brands,” Branding Strategy Insider: I like this: “Most of us don’t understand creativity, but all of us appreciate it.” Yup.
- “The Key to Creativity: Solitude or Teams?” Keith Sawyer, letter to The New York Times: I read recently in Stephen Greenblatt’s National Book Award winner The Swerve: How the World Became Modern that classical poets and essayists collaborated through frequent discussion, debate, and sharing of their work, but still wrote alone. I’d say that’s what I do, sharing with MFA classmates and a local writer’s group and readers of this blog, but still writing alone. So do we even have to ask this question? Can’t it be both?
WRITING
- “5 Lessons I Have Discovered While Preparing for the Writer’s Digest Conference,” Kathy Pooler, Memoir Writer’s Journey: I’m skipping that conference but will be at the AWP Conference in Chicago at the end of February (find me there!), and I’ll follow these tips. (Related: 7 Steps to Writing Success)
- “10 Bloggers Share their 2012 Blogging Formula,” Ann Tran, A Life With Intention: Make sure you have some time to spend with this post by Ann, which is lengthy but contains some good nuggets from successful bloggers. (Related: Congrats, You’ve Won a Top Blog Award!)
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The GPS display in the previous photo shows me crossing northern Georgia toward Alabama. By the time I reached the lonely roads of Idaho, Comma was a welcome companion; and at times quite chatty, at least in my own mind. “Thoughts on the Meditative Essay,” Robert Vivian, guest post on Numero Cinq: An appropriately reflective piece by a Vermont College of Fine Arts instructor on a style of creative nonfiction I am only just beginning to understand. (Related: MFA Nugget: Storytelling vs. Fragmentation)
- “Do You Write When You’re Not Inspired?” Joe Bunting, The Write Practice: Can I answer yes and no? (Related: Maintaining Creative Momentum)
- “What Can Woody Allen Teach You About Writing?” John Magnet Bell, Start Your Novel: A lengthy but interesting post complete with videos of Allen. Let me add that any writer can learn simply by reading Allen’s published essays; I’d recommend Without Feathers.
BONUS CATEGORY: NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
- “Time for your check-in,” Lauree Ostrofsky, simplyleap: Time to see how we’re doing on our resolutions. Lauree (promoter of the “Hug Like You Mean It” campaign) is determined to be More Happy.
- “What Sort of Goals Do You Need?” Cheryl Reif Writes: Know your priorities in 2012, but also what might hold you back.
- “Your Goal-Setting Support System,” Nancy Brook: I really like one takeaway here, of being cautious who you share your goals with. Of course, at the top of this post I shared with the universe my goal of a new job, so I’m apparently being selective about following Nancy’s advice.
- “I Will Write,” Gwen Mullins, Hunger Mountain: Her title says it all, doesn’t it?
In the coming weeks, you’ll see me as a guest blogger on Write to Done (the blog that kindly named me a Top Ten Blog for Writers) and K.M. Weiland’s Wordplay (another Top Ten blog). Hope to see you all at both sites!
The Artist's Road 
Hi Patrick,
I really appreciate the link through to our seven sentence post in this blog…
Yes you are right we definitely ask more questions than provide answers. But questions, in my opinion stimulate the creativity within an individual, rather than forcing upon them some external road map to the creative process.
Stop by and guest blog sometime. I’d love to hear more of your thoughts!
I love your blog
Geoff
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Hi Geoff, thanks for the comment! Your posts do spark interesting discussions in the comment fields. That’s what I try to do here as well, I just need more words to start the ball rolling!
I’m glad you like The Artist’s Road. Thank you for the invitation to guest blog, I’ll consider that.
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Hi Patrick,
I appreciate your mention. Thank you! Sorry to miss you@#WDC12. Hope you enjoy #dbw12,
Kathy
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Happy to include you, Kathy!
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Thanks for mentioning Robert Vivian’s essay and Gwen’s post from the Hunger Mountain blog! I think every writer’s resolution should be to write more-& be more productive. It certainly is one of mine 🙂
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Keep writing, Kris! Yes, “write more” is a mantra to live by. I also will aspire this year to “write better.” 🙂
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Hey, Patrick, thanks for including my article on Woody Allen, I’m honored. While I’m at it, I’d like to recommend Stig Björkman’s excellent, book-length interview, “Woody Allen on Woody Allen.”
I read it about ten years ago and it increased my admiration for Allen by tenfold.
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Thanks for the tip on the book-length interview. I did see the documentary Allen made awhile back, where he had a camera crew follow him around with Soon-Yi while he was playing in jazz clubs in Europe; it was an interesting look at the musical side of him (and confirmed his neuroses). Ian Aspin tweeted me a link to this piece, “9 Things I learned from Woody Allen,” by James Altucher: http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2012/01/9-things-i-learned-from-woody-allen/
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I’d hire you in a heartbeat if I had a job opening. 🙂 Thanks as always for a great collection of posts. By the way, I used your Creativity Tweets of the week as a good example of a Round-up article in my Make Money Writing class. And, I envy you AWP in Chicago–I had one of the best weeks of my life at that conference a few years ago.
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You know, Charlotte, it’s two years away, but I think the 2014 AWP is going to be in Seattle, a bit more convenient for you than Chicago. I’m flattered you used my round-ups in your class! It’s an old journalist trick we’d do at many publications I worked at over the years, but we’d just have to list the article and publication, because these weren’t web publications so no links! And thanks for the kind word about employment.
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Thanks for the links, I explored some and subscribed to some.
Have a blessed day.
Heather
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Great, Heather! Glad you found it of value.
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Ross, thanks for the links! I’m really enjoying your site/blog; keep it up.
Gwen Mullins
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Glad to hear it, Gwen, thanks!
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Yes, you can say yes and no (I do frequently). Thank you Mr. Ross.
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Thanks for the permission and the validation! Was happy to include you.
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