Creative Outlets

I know some writers have more than one creative outlet and it can be difficult to rein in one to work on another. Just wondered if any of you out there struggle with this. Or has work on one taught you something that helps with the other?

I've been working hot and heavy, preparing Touched so I could enjoy the luxury of sitting and typing to my heart's content. However, my brain was a bit tired from the work and I took a break to pursue another favorite creative outlet--stamping! I love making cards and goodies for friends, working on family scrapbooks, etc. I've been scrapbooking for over a dozen years now and stamping for about five years now. (Writing has been a passion since before I can remember, lol.) For the past two days my kitchen table has been covered with cardstock, patterned papers, ribbons, adhesives, decorative scissors, buttons and more! Thank goodness we ate out! Anyway, I made a few cards and felt refreshed and excited about my writing project again.

Apparently, though, my brain isn't always as sharp as my X-acto knife.

Today I was at a loss when I took the boys to Chat 'n' Chew at the library. I forgot the laptop so couldn't work on Touched. In a last ditch effort to get something creative accomplished in that hour I stopped off at Walgreens on the way to the library on the pretext of buying snacks and drinks. I bought a notebook, and since I wasn't sure if my dd had taken the pens from my purse again, a new package of ink pens. You must understand, I don't do a lot of writing long-hand (unless you count the crazy to-do lists).

We arrived at the library, I go the boys settled in their group, then I sat a table not too far away so they could find me as soon as it was over. As I sat in the children's section, with little voices ringing out (I'd forgotten the iPod too) I started to panic. The blank pages in front of me were intimidating! I wasn't "seeing" my story.

Before long though, a card I'd made last night popped into memory. I began to think about the card and for kicks wondered what my character would think about it, what changes she would make on it and it wasn't long before I could transfer the thoughts to paper and move back into the plot and even create a very rough outline to expand upon this week! Made a few cat-scratches, started over a few times, but it's down and it's a starting point!

Would I have been able to do it with the laptop? Maybe--probably. Yet I can't help but wonder if I would have thought about it so thoroughly if I had the delete button right in front of me. I even thought of a few things to help close up a plot hole or two because my mind had to slow down and seriously concentrate. I was able to feel the tone of what the characters wanted, how they felt, feel their emotions as I wrote it down in careful cursive. That allowed me to really expand on certain weaknesses and make the most of their situation (and mine).

Yes, I made a few "boo-boos" that needed correction, but just as paper crafting has taught me, there are no mistakes, only opportunities for embellishments.