Books for Creatives

Who would you be if you didn’t write?

I have been writing steadily since 1994. I’ve written poetry, plays, dramatic monologues, a novel, non-fiction books, short stories, video and podcast scripts, and articles about the creative process.

Can you even imagine who I would be if I did not have this inky channel to get my thoughts and feelings out onto the page?

I imagine a dark, crowded, cluttered garage full of unprocessed ‘stuff’ and unacknowledged ideas. I imagine I would be a very cranky, mentally and emotionally constipated person.

So of course I loved Nancy Slonim Aronie’s book Memoir as Medicine. I work with a lot of people who are writing pieces of their life story.

Most people want to get their experiences onto the page to help others. But in the process of writing their stories, they are transformed. Nancie’s book offers a great range of short, poignant exercises to help us come to the page with new eyes and fresh angles.

If you have been wanting to write your stories down to get them out and unclutter your inner landscape, Nancie’s book is a great resource.

You don’t have to want to write a whole memoir or book to use this helpful book full of prompts.

If you want to write, please do it. Make it easy on yourself to pick up a pen and ink your ideas.

I spend a lot of time with my notebooks and am a fan of dot grid journals. I consider my many sketchbooks, personal and professional journals to be my allies. My intimate thoughts, dreams, and drafts fill their pages. I have hundreds of notebooks I’ve filled since I dedicated myself to writing in 1994. You are welcome to call me a notebook geek – I do!

Over the decades, I’ve used many kinds of notebooks. My preferences include:

• dot or grid pages
• can fit easily in my bag
• has a spine that lays flat and can be folded over
• a cover that feels good to the touch
• paper that doesn’t bleed through
• a ‘thong’ or page holder (this one has two!)
• back pocket
• elastic band to keep the whole thing together.

My new favorite journals

Recently, an Atelier member gifted me with a journal from Zen Art Supplies. I loved the dot grid notebook the minute I touched the faux leather cover. Soft, supple, and smooth, this was a new ally I could see myself cuddling up with. I don’t call what I do bullet journaling, but if you do that kind of journaling, this is a great notebook for it.

There’s something about dot grid journals that gives both structure and space. Somehow, dot grid journals allow me to organize thoughts with just a hint of a line. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like a totally blank page but can feel restricted by lines. Enter the dot grid to save the day!

Special touches make a difference for me. I love the patterns on the edges of the pages – a different Japanese icon for each color notebook. Some of the bonus elements of this notebook include:

• numbered pages
• front-of-book index
• acid-free paper
• gorgeous cover colors
• recyclable and biodegradable.

The index keeps me organized when life is full

I’m taking a lot of classes and making a lot of notes these days. The numbered pages and index are working great for me. I’m glad because I’ve never put this organizing principle to work until now.

Some people might call me picky. But I believe that an everyday, functional object should also be a thing of beauty. My notebook goes with me everywhere. I’m snuggled up with it in my studio every morning, recording my hopes, dreams, and tarot readings. My notebooks constitute a treasure vault, chronicling my life.

I must love every item that’s in my life. I love the ZenART art journal supplies so much, I am giving every member of my Atelier one. ZenART is a partial sponsor of the Atelier Kits. I know members will cherish their notebooks.

Affliate links are included in this article. 

Recently, I was invited to a friend and former client’s house for a book group discussion. The book they want to discuss is my Paris historical novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach.

The invitation came as a welcome surprise. First, going to anyone’s place for a backyard party sounds great right about now! Then, it’s an incredible honor that people want to read and discuss a book I wrote. Nine years ago today I published this book. That seems like a long time ago, but this project continues to live beyond my initial effort.

This is what we hope for when we write a book or produce something for the world – that our works live beyond us. Books especially can have a long life, populating libraries and igniting book clubs to discuss its themes.

The main themes of Chasing Sylvia Beach touch on community, role models, and the power of books to change lives. Books as a way to lead conversations. We put our heart and soul onto the page and hope that others find value in reading and discussing our ideas.

In my writing workshops, I share how this potent link between values, themes, and stories can make writing easier. It’s impossible to write a book you care only superficially about; we must be deeply connected in order to write authentically and go the distance.

A book, course, business, or a body of work can express what’s true about you and your worldview. You may have a book or similar project stirring inside you. You may also wonder whether people will join you in caring about your subject matter. That’s not something we can control. Who knows where our projects will go or where they will lead us? What we can only show up to lead the conversation, first with ourselves and the blank page, and then with the world. Writing a book leaves a legacy – sharing your ideas, values, and passion for people to enjoy for years to come.

I can’t wait to talk about time travel, Paris, Sylvia Beach, and the power of books this weekend with a group of readers. These are subjects that I adore, and because I wrote a book revolving around these topics and themes, I get to participate in a discussion about them.

What conversations do you want to lead? What legacy will you leave? Don’t defer your dream of writing a book and sharing your ideas.

If you are harboring your ideas but don’t know where to start or how to write a book, please don’t wait. The rewards in the process and in the product are worth the challenges of writing a book. And guess what? I am here to help. A great jumpstart to writing a book is my most recent book, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book.

For customized writing support, consider one:one coaching. My coaching calendar has two open spots for this summer. I’m in my genius zone when helping smart, soulful people pull their ideas into shape. Details about my coaching packages are here. 

What conversations are you leading with your creative work?

Once, on a trip to San Francisco, I set out on day one to explore. Walking around the Mission gave me lots of inspiration. A few steps out my door, I saw a cool vintage liquor store sign. “That’s cool! I’ll sketch that later,” I thought. I kept moving.

But the artist in me took a stand. “No!” she said. “Stop now and capture it. Take five minutes, for goodness sake!”

Luckily I listened to the part of me that knows how to stop to savor, to capture, to slow down, and be present. I LOVE the little sketch I made in five minutes, and I committed to filling the sketchbook with five-minute pauses. That became one of my favorite notebooks.

If you know me, you know that I always have at least one notebook with me at all times. I feel naked without one. I’ve trained myself to capture my ideas, dreams, lists, and doodles.

Sure you can capture all that on a smartphone, but I have never felt the same about my device that I do about my notebooks.

My notebooks are my allies. They hold my heart, my mind, my writing, and my art. In any situation, I can stop, drop and put a thought or image onto the page.

You don’t have to be a sketcher or an artist to have a notebook with you. It definitely doesn’t have to be fancy. It can be whatever you want. If you consider it an ally, it can help you take little pauses that don’t have you immediately putting your face to a screen.

If you decide to keep a notebook or sketchbook, have a sense of why it matters to you. Know what motivates you so you can use that as a compass to steer past any inner critic commentary or excuses.

Adding your thoughts, feelings, and experiences to a notebook doesn’t have to take a lot of time. A pause, a dip, a quick word sketch or a note to yourself. That’s it. See what it’s like for you to have this in your life.

I bet you already have a notebook on site – no need to buy anything!

Do you keep a notebook? How does it help you be your most creative self? Share your experience below.

P.S. I made a video series showing how I use my notebooks as planners, sketchbooks, journals, and more. Check out my notebook videos and leave a comment here. 

P.P.S. If the thought of a notebook gives ANY level of stress, forget it! None of what I share is meant to add a ‘should’ to your list.

P.P.P.S Below is a photo of all my notebooks through February 2020. From left: early journals, personal journals. Middle: Mostly Moleskines, which I use to run and organize my business. Tall skinny stack: Moleskine Japanese albums or accordion notebooks. I’ve filled more than 30 of them with sketches and stories of travels and daily life. Right: Sketchbooks filled with drawings, paintings and inspiration I have captured in the world and at home. See inside my sketchbooks here.

I’ve been dedicating time to fleshing out my education. Much of my life is white-centered. To play a part in a future that is equitable and inclusive, I need to educate myself about others’ experiences.

Here’s a roundup of things that impacted my thinking, my beliefs, and my actions. I try to be careful about what I consume; I want to be inspired and motivated. I am always watching and reading with an eye to how something is constructed. Books, podcasts, and movies come up often in my coaching sessions as examples.

Podcast

1619 Project

I believe that when we connect and empathize, we can change. Art and writing help us get into someone else’s point of view. The 1619 Project podcast hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones has had a huge impact on my understanding and feeling of the United States.

Each episode is rich and dense, and took time for me to process. I think I have to go back and listen to the whole six-part series again! It was originally a long-form piece in the New York Times Magazine, and I am grateful they made it into a podcast.

Movies

Black Art: In the Absence of Light is a wonderful documentary on HBO This film offers another way to fill in the gaps about Black people’s contribution to art and life in the United States. When I saw The Pieces That I Am documentary about Toni Morrison, I loved all the art that they included. Black Art feels like a follow-up to educate me on Black American artists.

My book group added on a film group. We meet a couple of Fridays a month to discuss a movie. I have loved watching movies from outside the US. This helps me feel a sense of place, people, and story.

Two of our recent international film faves:

You Will Die at 20 is a gorgeous Sudanese film about a boy who has a curse on his life. The title is way more doomy than the film!

Adam is a Moroccan film featuring two women whose lives are changed when they open up to one another. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous.

Books

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad A few of us met weekly from November through February to discuss chapters from this book. Journal prompts accompany the chapters to help readers get specific and personal about their own implicit biases. The conversations in our group led us to question a lot about ourselves and our role in dismantling everyday racism.

And speaking of my book group, we just read Arranged Marriage by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and are now reading The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami.

There’s so much more but that’s enough for now. I hope what you are consuming is contributing to your creativity and to the evolution of the planet. Share what you are loving and learning below.

Sometimes I pretend I am an alien, arriving on this planet.  Frankly, I feel like an alien a lot of the time because I just don’t understand humans.

Something that twists my head around is violence as entertainment. Here’s what I see:

We are horrified when there is a mass shooting or other cruel behavior. Yet, our entertainment choices are flooded with the same violence. If I were an alien, I would see the images of violence on the news and the violence in movies, TV shows, and video games, and I would not differentiate between the two.

Clearly, for some reason, we get our jollies on violence. But then we’re surprised when we see the same thing play out in real life.

My inability to consume violence for fun came to a head for me shortly after the pandemic hit the US. Steve and I had been vegging out watching TV. My favorites were Babylon Berlin, Outlander, Barry, and Ozark. Killing, killing, killing. And worse.

After a particularly violent episode of Outlander, I noticed how fearful I was. Going to sleep afraid. Waking up afraid. Fear infused me as a result of all the tortuous images I had been consuming for relaxation.

It wasn’t until I was watching The Kitchen, about three women who take over their crime boss husbands’ jobs, that I couldn’t bear one more scene of a person killing another in cold blood. There was nothing fun, enlightening, entertaining, or illuminating about seeing someone gunned down in a cavalier way. 

At the end of May, I committed to not consuming abusive situations for entertainment. June had plenty of real-world violence; who needed more for fun?

This dovetailed with my long-held practice of consuming media and books from women, focused on women. I believe we need to see women in positions of power, using their strength, to shift a world with more women leading. 

I use the Bechdel Test to determine if something is worth watching. From Wikipedia: The Bechdel Test is a measure of the representation of women in fiction. It asks whether a work features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. 

Luckily, it’s getting easier to find media that pass the Bechdel Test. I love psychological dramas. That would be French and Swedish films, as well as indie films. Steve prefers what he calls L&F – Light and Fluffy films. Romcoms!

All of this matters to me, not just as a person who consumes media but as a creator. I stand for those who are writing new stories, stories that inspire a new vision of the world. Stories that feature BIPOC and women. Not just light and fluffy but real and inspiring.

Here are two movies I’ve watched recently featuring strong female characters. I’m not going into any analysis of these movies, and I am sure there is plenty to criticize in these shows. I don’t expect that they depict reality, but they feature brave and bold women despite the odds.

The Sapphires is about a group of young Australian singers who leave home to entertain troops in Vietnam.

All Together Now features a young woman who struggles to get beyond her circumstances to make a better life for herself—also starring Carol Burnett as an elderly curmudgeon.

How about you? Are you consuming less violence for fun?

 

There’s been a spate of sobriety memoirs lately. One could easily zone out and think, oh, another story about someone getting sober.

I say BRING THEM ON! Reading about the impact of addiction and about how the hell one breaks free of it should be the norm. These stories serve to change the narrative about drinking. It’s not benign. It’s an epidemic, in the US at least. The dominant message is: Drinking is good, it’s fun and by god, you deserve it!

Not always true. Laura McKowen’s memoir, We Are the Luckiest, re-writes this narrative. She asserts that people who don’t drink, who stop drinking, are the lucky ones. Not people who can drink with impunity, or for whom the consequences aren’t obviously dire.

I got sucked into Laura’s story. Her honest, clear writing is a wake-up call for those of us who need these stories of success. Addiction is no joke and it’s not easy to get sober. But I believe that the more stories we see about people who are doing it and thriving absolutely contributes to making the shift to sobriety hopefully an easier process.

Get your copy here.

My friend Tonja is a teacher of the Celtic tradition of herbalism and connection to nature and ancestors. She’s put some of her magic into Wild Irish Roots: A Seasonal Guidebook of Herbs, Ritual and Connection. This guides us through the seasons with intention, ritual and tradition. It’s a wonderful resource that’s easy to tap into at any time of the year.

My world has been changed by knowing Tonja and learning from her. The world needs more ways for us to connect to ourselves, our ancestors and to the earth. If you are craving more connection to the earth, her trees and her herbs, this is a great way to bring yourself to center.

Get your copy from Tonja here. 

The New Paris by Lindsay Tramauta

When people think of Paris, they may have a romantic, sepia-toned version in their minds, picturing cafes and museums old, venerable architecture. I’ve been going to Paris annually since 2000, and I can attest that it’s not a place dedicated wholeheartedly to the past. Paris is a vibrant, contemporary city, and its historic elements live alongside new, fresh places, restaurants and shops.

Lindsay Tramauta lives there as a writer and author, and her book, The New Paris, goes a long way toward helping people see and experience the vitality of the new Paris. This book can help people see what the new generation of creatives is bringing to an old classic.