Contagious

I ended up with 1,500 new words yesterday, and over 1,000 more already today. I anticipate a slowdown in the accumulating word count soon, since I'm almost done blocking in huge chunks of new material all at once. Future additions will entail more digging through what I've written and thinking, "Oh yeah, I meant to say something more about this here and there and over there."

My guys are all at their fishing cabin in Wisconsin, leaving me with nothing for company but the dog and oodles of free time in which to write. The manic sprite visited me this morning, but I recognized her arrival and stared her down. The creative energy is all well and good, building like an almost physical pressure. But I'm in charge here, not her. I use the energy; it doesn't use me. Taking a joy ride is all well and good while it lasts, but unharnessed it accomplishes nothing except bringing on a big, fat crash and burn. But I think we've reached an understanding.

So, I started this blog primarily because... Well, because it sounded more entertaining than the other things I was working on at the time. But beyond that, it is turning out to be a good way to track my moods and productivity--a snapshot of my day to day that I can look back on when I need some objectivity, maybe.

But I also recall a conversation not too long ago in which a friend and I noted how it's often true that creativity begets creativity. Specifically, I had noted a trend on various RP forums--if the storytelling has run dry, all it takes is ONE person to post a story. And more often than not, someone else will soon post a story. And maybe someone else after that will, too, and there is story frenzy, even if it doesn't last forever or get anyone published. I get story ideas from music, very often. I know of songwriters who've been inspired by books or movies to write a particular song. Creativity is like a web, apparently, and the little tremors of other people doing creative things can set off our own creative urges.

It's contagious. If you catch the creative sniffles from me, that would be so great. I'll even send you some tissues and hot soup. And thanks to those out there who shared their germs with me.