Attention as a Creative Practice

I have really tried to change the way I think about writing this year and have been focussing daily on reacting differently to what I call my creative practice. I have not been able to write any new flash fictions or short stories for a good while, and I was bothered about that. But then I realised I haven’t exactly been resting on my laurels, so why should I be worried? 

I am working in a creative field (even if not always creating new work myself) and helping others by editing and feeding back on their work. I am doing some work for a publisher who runs competitions, and clients who have requested assessments and received them from me have given their own feedback – that my advice and notes have really helped them a lot. 

Looking at stories and novels written by other people, with the intention of drilling down into the words, the sentences, the paragraphs, and helping them be the best they can, is wonderful therapy for your own work. So – for now I am happy to be involved in something creative, and in the meantime, my brain is formulating my own new stories. Like I said last week, some people write whole novels in their heads before they even make them concrete on paper or screen, and I believe that thinking about writing counts as writing. 

If you free your mind from all the distractions that are keeping you away from writing, it will make it easier for you to settle when the time comes for you to start weaving the magic. Distraction is the enemy of depth, so when you do knuckle down, make sure you pour your all into it. So use that notebook, make those notes, do the weekly shop, and then you will have the creative space to make something really wonderful.
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I would love to hear more about your creative practice, any issues you might come up against and how you overcome them. And… what have you noticed lately that might end up in a story? Drop a comment below. And don’t forget to check out the rest of my website, and do join in some of my classes and events if you ever need encouragement and accountability.