by Naomi | May 8, 2017 | Creative Life
“A diamond gemstone is made up of facets—defined surfaces, sides which each face a particular direction and yet are all connected to one another: distinct aspects of the whole.”
― Marianne Roccaforte, Ph.D., Bridges in the Mind: An Artist’s Handbook for Everyday Living
“Meg, when people don’t know who they are, they are open either to being Xed, or Named.”
― Madeleine L’Engle, A Wind in the Door
“We’re afraid of writing characters different from ourselves because we’re afraid of getting it wrong. We’re afraid of what the Internet might say.”
― Gene Luen Yang
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by Naomi | May 4, 2013 | Creative Life
Over the past two weeks, I have had the chance to work with a number of young writers in LA and the Bay Area, and I’m inspired!
Here’s what’s excites me most about my recent encounters with young writers. They’re tapping into their original, unique voices. Young writers don’t follow the “rules.” Without years of publishing experience and without grad school, these creative spirits often come up with ideas that leap courageously into areas most adult writers would tiptoe past. A talking potato who saves the world? Absolutely. A squirrel who adores seaweed? Yep.
Hearing their voices reminds me that it’s okay to dare. It’s okay to try something, even if you’re not sure it will work. It’s okay to put our crazy, creative self on the page. I’m working on the messy middle of my current novel, and each wrangling each word out of my head feels like a battle. In fact, I’ve been so busy wrangling words out of my mind that I’ve neglected to post on this blog for far too long. But tonight, I’m commiting to loosen up a bit. Here’s to a some fresh playfulness. Maybe I’ll even post a silly little story of my own, see if I can free up my own voice. And as for the novel? Well, I’m reminded to play there, too. Why not just throw myself into the scenes and have fun, let them come out messy so that they can also find their own original selves? I’ll try it, and let you know how it goes.
by nk | Feb 24, 2012 | Creative Life
No one likes to fail. Recently, I tried to re-learn how to hula hoop.I have to admit, it was a disaster. Hula hooping only looks cool if you’re doing it well. Otherwise, you look more than a little silly. But as long as you’re trying NOT to look silly, you can never learn. It’s a catch 22. I learned something as the hoop dropped to the ground over and over.
You have to fail to learn.
Why is that? Why can’t we just be geniuses to begin with? You’re probably smiling knowingly, right? You’re thinking, well, of course it doesn’t work like that. Of course you have to fall off a bike a few times while you learn to ride, and you have to miss the basket a few times while you’re learning to shoot. Still, I’ll bet you dont like it any more than I do.
I’ve been working on learning how to draw. To be honest, I’ve been working on this project for quite a long time. Ever since around third grade, when I started to realize my drawings didn’t come out looking the way I saw them in my head. So why am I not a stellar artist by now? Well, I’ve been afraid to fail. I’ve only drawn the things I knew would come out okay. I took breaks every time drawing became hard. I told myself, “I can’t really draw.” these are all excuses. I can learn to draw, just like I can re-learn to hula hoop. But if I refuse to draw badly, if I am too afraid to push beyond my current skill, I will never get any better than I am now.
Which is worse: drawing badly as I learn to get better, or not drawing at all?
Though I’m often paralyzed by fear of failure, I don’t want this to be my story. In twenty years, I don’t want to say: I’ve always wanted to be able to draw, but I just couldn’t learn. Can’t, can’t, can’t. I despise the word. It stops me, and everyone else I know in their tracks.
Anything can be done, one tiny step at a time. Truly. Anything.
So, I found a book. Learning to Draw in 30 Days. I’m challenging myself to draw along with the book. If i miss a day, I’m picking up a day later. I’m going to give this my best shot. I’m going to go ahead and draw badly, knowing that I’ll keep getting better. I’ll post a few of my drawings here.
Anyone want to draw with me? I’d love to hear how it goes, if you do!
by Naomi | Oct 24, 2011 | Creative Life
I finished Waves of Light, the third book in the Sadie series, this past Saturday.
Finish is a relative word when it comes to a book. Once I sort out the tangle of words and plot lines and character on my own, the work has only just begun. Fortunately, I have wonderful writer friends who first jump up and down to celebrate with me after I write “THE END,” and who then gently point out the rough patches that might still require a little work.
I took a risk writing Waves of Light. Instead of creating a rock-solid plot outline to begin, I decided to practice what I preach. I tried letting go a little, playing a little more. I used Scrivener, which allowed me to write scenes before I worried too much about putting them in order. Unplanned scenes popped up and surprised me. And the book is all the better for them.
But while I was writing, I kept thinking of the night I sailed on Lake Michigan in a fog. Every now and again, we’d see lights from another boat, or hear voices drifting toward us over the water, but we couldn’t see past the end of our hull. We sailed slowly, feeling our way through the night, as though we’d slipped into another world. I worried we wouldn’t find our way back, or we’d crash against the rocks, but I also felt oddly calm. I wasn’t in control. All I could do was listen, watch, be present, trust. My book was like this too. I couldn’t see the way forward, more than maybe one or two steps. The fog did finally lift late last week, and I saw the last few scenes. How delightful to be surprised. How amazing to let go enough to travel beyond my own comfortable landscape into new territory.
I can’t wait to share the story with you!
by Naomi | Oct 10, 2011 | Creative Life
So, I played today. I rolled up my sleeves and dug through old boxes of notes and letters and pictures. Fascinating how these artifacts bring everything back, the feelings, the thoughts, the events.
I was once 12, the age of my character, Sadie. Actually, in lots of ways, I’m still 12. But now, I’m also 13 and 21 and 33, with all the experiences that have come since.
Why was looking at old letters and cards playing? To me, playing is any time I let go and let myself be surprised. When I do something just for fun, without any real plan. Younger Naomi surprised me. She was silly, passionate, and the kind of girl who lost herself in fits of giggles in Algebra class and had to be sent out into the hall. She fussed over running the mile, and lost the volleyball championship for her team because she was too busy dreaming to pay attention. She created a lip sync in which she dressed up as Lucy Ricardo, and her best friend played Ricky. She baked a huge heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie for her crush for Valentines Day. She had horrible 80’s bangs.
You know what surprised me most? Even though this younger self had dreams––lots of them––and plans like you wouldn’t believe, most of her life was full of joy. Friends and fun. I wouldn’t mind having a little more of that in my life now. Minus the bangs of course. Anyone up for a lip sync??
