What If . . .

I realize so many of my novels start with a "What if . . ." and continue merrily through plot points and twists and turns with continued "What ifs . . ." and it started me thinking that perhaps that is the root of all creativity.

I pondered this as I drove with Oldest Son last night. He has joined a Robotics Club--you know, one of those very competitive high school clubs with national competitions for robots that the students build. He has decided he wants to be one of the programmers for his high school's club. And then he said the most astounding thing. "I've decided I want to be a programmer as my career. I don't want to cure cancer or diseases. I want to invent the ROBOT that invents the pill that cures it."

Then he came up with an idea for an intuitive AI robot . . . for people with Alzheimer's. Where, like spell check, he said, the robot would comb through, instantly, all the words in a standard vocabulary and intuit what the next logical word is for someone who is losing the ability to speak.

Now . . . I don't know if AI will eventually reach that point. But that's what he wants to do.

My kid is a math genius. This I have always known. But now . . . now I see the creativity. And it starts with WHAT IF.

WHAT IF breaks down all barriers. It supposes no limits.

WHAT IF shatters your perceptions. It allows you to think freely.

WHAT IF offers you hope. What if . . . you just wrote the next book that becomes a phenomena. What if . . .

So that is my thought for the day. WHAT IF we all gave in to genius?

What question inspires your creativity? What "what if . . . " do you allow yourself in your life? What if . . . .

Snow Day

In Richmond, Virginia, snow is pretty much akin to the Rapture. Everything stops.

I've lived here three years this go 'round, and about eleven the last time. And in all that time, I remember two true snowstorms and two major ice storms.

This was the view from my backyard today. And I am basically too excited to work. Nothing makes me feel more joyful than snow.

Which brings me to my next point. Events like "write your darn novel in a month" can make it seem . . . or certain writers who are the more disciplined sort will let you know . . . that the key to writing is writing every day, two hours a day, or producing a set amount of pages, or . . . .

I tend to produce in big bursts of incredible output. Punctuated by downtime when I do other things like trying to prevent Demon Baby from feeding the dog rasberry sherbert off his spoon. I wrote two and a half chapters of a totally new proposal this weekend that pretty munch dominated my thoughts. The pages flowed. I generally tell the universe that I am not afraid to work hard. And generally the universe seems to oblige.

But sometimes you need the snow equivalent of the Rapture. So Demon Baby and I are going to be cold and wet and laughing today. And I hope, wherever you are . . . you remember the value of play. And a good snowstorm.

When you balance the hard work with the joy, I am convinced the result is much more passionate and real. I have no scientific proof of this. But no matter.

What was the last time you felt PURE joy?

When was the last time you were in the writing zone?

Was there any relation between the two?

And have a happy Monday folks!

Are You Creative?

This is my sister's store and business.

Sickeningly talented, isn't she? If you click on events, wait for the slide show to load.

Creative.

To be completely and utterly clear . . . the only way I am ever going to use a hot glue gun is to glue Demon Baby's pants to a chair to make him hold still. I am no Martha, that's for sure. When I took the watercolor class, my painting was . . . awash in color. I love it. But . . . he has nothing to fear.

Most of my friends are creative types. Writers, artists, magazine editors, book editors . . . but oddly enough, I don't think of MYSELF as creative. Maybe because I feel like . . . well, that's just the way my brain works. It doesn't seem "hard" most of the time. I just wake up with story ideas. I like to write about people and characters because I am always wondering what makes people tick. But creative? I don't know.

I want to make a film. I feel like that would be creative. But film school will have to wait until Demon Baby goes off to kindergarten--and I am utterly sure he hasn't been expelled. I like to garden. That just feels messy and dirty, but I know there's an element of creativity to it. I knit. But really . . . knit, purl, knit. I enjoy it as a hobby, but creative? I don't make things like those found at this blog. I'm working on this sweater right now.

I love music and can spend hours fine-tuning my playlists on my iPod. I have a piano in my office. Sometimes I play. Badly.

I think, in the end, I have a messy way of looking at the world. Things spill onto other areas. Nothing is neatly defined. If I were a painting itself, I think I would be a Jackson Pollack.

Thoughts? Are you creative?

The Day Job

See the title of this post?

I don't have one.

I haven't had one in 12 years.

I take some freelance. Some editing. But mostly, I make stuff up for a living.

And it dawned on me . . . when Baby Girl took over the blog, she and I talked about poetry. A lot. We are going to get that book Ewoh suggested. (And everyone go to his blog and wish him well--he's been training and today's his first RACE.)

Anyway, Baby Girl and I read poems. Then I suggested that she be a poet when she grows up. "You could write poems all the time. Maybe teach college English." And then we talked about other things poetry-related. Then it dawned on me later . . . I always do this. By "this," I mean I never encourage my kids to get real jobs. Teaching college English, yes, is a real job, but just being a poet? Chances are you'll starve--but I think that's totally, wonderfully cool. Not starving, but pursuing art, not beholden to the day job. Oldest daughter? Musician. Oldest son? He writes AMAZING comic book ideas (can't draw well, and doesn't like to draw, but those storylines!!!!!!). I've even, in the past, encouraged him to write a comic book with Baby Girl, and have her be the illustrator, since she is a wonderful artist. Demon Baby? I expect him to become leader of the free world. But even that? What do you put on your resume?

DEMON BABY
Job Objective: To lead the Free World, perferably over to the Dark Side
Job History: Demon mischief, general naughtiness. I have a lot of experience with hurling things off the balcony, pouring syrup on the floor, adventures with a can of whipped cream, and climbing on furniture. I have painted purple dragons on the carpet with permanent marker, so I guess that makes me an artist.
References: My mother. Her gray hair? That's my work.

Anyway . . . I just realized with Baby Girl that I encourage adventure more than security. Creativity more than practicality.

Were you encouraged as a child? Do you have a day job? Did you give up a day job to write and did it feel scary or freeing? Share with us.

AND . . . this is a day of monumental importance. The collective loves of my life are in the SUPERBOWL. GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Save the Cheerleader . . . Save the Comedian

Last night, three kids slept over the house, in addition to the four I have. Yeah. Think about it. So while I was up at midnight, waiting for them to settle down and go to sleep, I watched Dimitri Martin on Comedy Central. If you've never seen him, he is really, really sardonic, with a dry delivery, and he is quite funny. I mean, his hobby is composing palidromes. (He's also, you can tell in an instant, super smart.)

Anyway, there was this finale to his act in which he talks about where he gets his ideas. "People are always asking me . . . and so now I am going to tell you." And so he sings this silly song, which is acted out on stage, and includes fairies and wizards delivering him pieces of paper containing one-liners. As a writer who is always asked, "Where do you get your ideas," I always laugh at this part (I've seen the special before). And somewhere in his act is a throwaway line about his not being cool in high school and the cheerleaders wanting to have nothing to do with him, so he turned to comedy.

And in fact . . . I don't know any former cheerleaders who have become writers. I am sure you are out there. But my experience has been a lot of writers START OUT solitary and different . . . and just get more so as time goes on.

Now, another thing about this comedian is he has sold a couple of screenplays. That's another thing . . . I find writers are often talented in other areas. My best friend is a writer, but she also is an amazing visionary when it comes to costume design and interior decorating and baking and art and gaming. Me? I can't draw, sketch or craft to save my life.

BUT . . . I have a secret--well, not so secret now--dream to go to film school when the baby is in school full-time provided no more babies arrive between now and then. So FOUR years from now, say, I want to go to film school to make a documentary. I know what my film will be called. I know my interviews. I know what I want to say and how I want to edit it. I SEE it, and it is something I really, really, really want to do--and have wanted to do for at least three or four years now. I can't claim that I am creative all the way around, but I do think it's within me to work in more than one media. I have written a screenplay (a bad one a long time ago), and I plan on writing one this winter and entering it in this screenplay contest.

So . . . do you feel different as a writer? Not one of the cheerleaders? Do fairies magically deliver you one-liners and opening lines to your novels? And are you creative in another area?