Rabbit Trails | The Process

A Creator's Core Love | Rabbit Trail #2

This photo was an early layout of how I wanted this book to flow. It was a process just like every other process, you are either creating order from chaos or making something out of nothing. Just like every other process it requires a commitment and a discipline and if you’re lucky motivation and inspiration show up. I used to place inspiration and motivation above everything else. However if you’ve been a creative for a long time, one of the hardest lessons to learn is that inspiration doesn’t always show up. When inspiration doesn’t show up to sweep you off of your feet there is obligation. Obligation speaks of duty and it doesn’t really care much for what you feel because waiting to feel could lead to waiting for a very long time.

I mentioned to a fellow poet and friend how little I was feeling inspired to write and asked her about her process to evoke inspiration for writing. She replied back, shouting through the phone, “what the F%$& does inspiration have to do with writing!?” I remember listening to her voice note and feeling agitated initially, “how could she just discount the power of inspiration?” I was used to engineering my environment to propel me into some sort of feeling that would carry me through the process of creating and writing. I wasn’t necessarily waiting for a magic wand but I do think there is an important balance in getting things done and giving things time to percolate, to observe and wait. Yet, her words were exactly what I needed to hear and they confirmed what I knew was important although it stung.

Many times I was waiting for these explosive zen-like moments to almost do the work for me. There is also this experience with Inner Immigrant of retelling the past which I found to be a lot more difficult at the beginning of the process. Nonetheless, her words reminded me of the perspective I applied to start this book initially, it involved a conversation and obligation to my past self and experiences. I didn’t care to share this book, but not doing so felt like a dismissal of several experiences that formed who I am now. My brazen stone-faced will to push forward was implicitly telling my past it almost didn’t deserve acknowledgement. As writers, story-tellers, Griots and conversationalists we are all obligated to write, to tell and retell, we are obligated to the love of the process even when its a pain sometimes.

On a weekly basis I am teaching English as a Second Language engaging and influencing the stories and lives of my students. I am giving them confidence to speak and manage their work teams, or have better conversation with their families and friends. Giving voice, providing a tool that has immediate application. The common denominator of it all is, the process. It’s being aware of your process with the intent to observe, understand, own and reorient when necessary. Understanding our input and output processes are important, but aiming to execute just as much as you observe and lastly, enjoy the process. In some odd way the creative is a sort of junkie to the process. Remember that “practice makes”, and there is no ideal perfection, just excellence, completion and better projects. Keep shooting ☄️

If you need help with your writing process or putting together a writing project you can book a Writing Discovery session with me and we can develop a process and action plan. If you would like to explore learning English through Poetry or know someone who needs lesson, let’s chat.

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