Category: creative courage - Mala Naidoo’s Book World

Apartheid to Post-Apartheid Narratives

What it means to write in the long shadow of a system that ended, but never fully left.

I grew up in a world where identity was assigned before it was understood.

Apartheid taught us, from childhood, that a person could be categorised, separated and judged according to the colour of their skin. It entered the ordinary rhythms of life, in where one could live, where one could go, which schools one could attend, whom one could know, and which futures seemed possible. Yet for a child, political systems are not initially understood as political systems. They are experienced as the boundaries of everyday life.

Behind every imposed identity there is an individual life teeming with hopes, contradictions, vulnerabilities, humour and dreams.

Looking back, I realise that those formative years taught me that history is not something that exists only in textbooks. History lives inside people. It enters families through stories, silences and memories. It shapes the way parents protect their children, the way grandparents remember another time, and the way a child learns to read what is said, and what is deliberately left unsaid.

South Africa’s transition in 1994 gave writers a new country to describe, but not a blank page. Apartheid had shaped language, land, family, and memory so thoroughly that no post-apartheid author could simply start fresh. Writing after apartheid has meant writing through it; inheriting its unfinished business even while trying to imagine something beyond it.

Much of the internationally known writing from the apartheid years followed a recognisable shape from oppression, resistance, and moral reckoning. Post-apartheid authors have had to decide whether to continue that tradition or break from it. Many chose to break from it, turning toward stories that apartheid-era literature had less room for, more particular to my fiction is where personal and family history fall both inside and outside the frame of political struggle.

To write as a post-apartheid author is to hold two things at once, freedom from a system that dictated so much of what could be said, and responsibility for describing what came after it honestly. The best of this writing doesn’t treat 1994 as an ending, but rather as the start of a much longer, more ambiguous story, one that is still being written.

My early years taught me to notice the spaces between people, the invisible boundaries, the things that remain unsaid, and the resilience beneath apparent ordinariness. The relationship between memory and identity remains complicated.

Most importantly, what remains is that stories matter because people matter.

Identity is layered. We inherit histories we did not choose, yet those histories become part of the way we see the world. We inherit languages, traditions, beliefs, family stories and memories of places. We also inherit the wounds and silences of previous generations.

But inheritance does not have to mean repetition.

To tell a story is to say, I saw this. I remember this. This life mattered.

And perhaps that is what my formative years under apartheid ultimately taught me, not simply how to remember, but why remembering carries a responsibility.

The past cannot be changed. But the stories we choose to tell about it can determine how it is understood by those who come after us.

That is one of the reasons I write.

Is there a narrative that you should write?

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Fiction and Fundamental Humanity

We live in an age awash with words yet starved of understanding. Never have stories travelled so swiftly, nor people felt so profoundly unseen. Algorithms know our preferences before we do; screens mediate our encounters; attention has become a commodity. Amid this noise, fiction has a singular calling, not only to entertain or persuade, but to return us to ourselves. Its deepest task is to speak to that enduring place where love and grief, fear and hope, memory and longing have always resided.

In an increasingly fast-paced world, content is consumed and forgotten. But literature asks us to linger. The novels that remain etched in memory, survive because they uncover truths that outlast the moment. They remind us that every generation inherits the same fragile heart.

…literature asks us to linger…

As language becomes infinitely reproducible, authentic writing becomes more precious. No machine can replicate the weight of a sentence earned through lived experience, quiet observation, and moral imagination. The true value of fiction lies not in its efficiency but in its humanity.

Stories become universal by embracing the particular where a small town, a rocking chair, a single remembered kitchen table conversation, carry the potential to reveal more about our shared condition than sweeping declarations about humanity. It is through the unmistakable lives of particular people that readers recognise themselves. The local is forever mapped, speaking beyond the walls of time, and the intimate becomes infinite.

Such fiction understands that goodness may coexist with failure, courage with fear, tenderness with regret. Human beings are rarely consistent, and fiction falters whenever it pretends otherwise.

To write in this way requires a discipline of attention that allows silence its own eloquence and grief its own rhythm. To attend deeply to another’s inner life is a spiritual and ethical act. It declares that every ordinary existence cradles a universe worthy of witness. In a world inclined to measure people by visibility, usefulness or influence, such attention becomes a quiet form of grace.

To attend deeply to another’s inner life is a spiritual, and ethical act…a quiet form of grace

Fiction enlarges us. Long before science explained empathy, novelists understood that to inhabit another consciousness is to loosen the boundaries of our own. Every story invites us to become, however briefly, someone else; the child bewildered by loss, the ageing parent carrying invisible sorrow, the stranger whose choices we might once have condemned. Each imagined life broadens our capacity for compassion in the real one.

Our age, dominated by extraordinary technological change, cannot undo the essential human need in longing to belong, we continue to grieve those we love, we yearn to forgive and to be forgiven. Civilisations change; the human heart endures.

The finest stories remind us that while the world forever changes its language, the soul continues to speak through the timeless diction of love, loss, hope, and wonder.

No machine can replicate the weight of a sentence earned through lived experience, quiet observation, and moral imagination

Create authentic stories, allow your unique voice to be heard across time.

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Writing When Chaos Strikes

Writing matters in a world of chaos to reflect on the emotional, psychological, and social instability that arises from uncertain contexts, the chaotic context of the inhumane now we live in, globally. Writing becomes both a cognitive tool and a form of resilience. Writing is the salvation to preventing future generations from drowning in a well of hopelessness as writing creates meaningful connections asserting that our struggles unite us.

At a psychological level, writing externalises thought. When ideas, fears, or emotions remain internal, they are often fragmented and difficult to process. Writing forces organisation and coherence because it turns scattered impressions into ordered language. This enables the noise of the voices that perpetuate chaos to be represented in the language of the human heart of the struggling, suffering, starving, dying masses who cannot articulate their pain in fear of the horrific outcome emanating from speaking out, exposing, and resisting chaos. The written word captures the timeless documented memory on the historical unfolding of chaos and its impact on human survival.

Socially, writing enables communication when direct expression may fail. In chaos, spoken communication can be reactive, emotional, or misunderstood. Writing introduces deliberation. It is the opportunity to refine ideas, choose precise language, and convey complex perspectives.

Writing also functions as a form of agency. When external circumstances feel uncontrollable, the act of writing restores a sense of authorship. It allows individuals to frame their own narrative on the chaos experienced, rather than being passively defined by events. Writing personal stories during crisis times reclaims identity and empowerment.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” Charles Dickens. ‘A Tale of Two Cities’

Through writing, private struggles during chaotic times become part of a broader human dialogue to hold onto our prized values that make the world a compassionate inhabitable place for all.

Essentially writing transforms disorder into meaning. It is not merely a method of communication, but a way of thinking, remembering, and asserting control as an intellectual and emotional anchor when everything else feels unstable.

Keep writing! We need the connection stories offer.

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The First Page Drawcard – Part 1

Novel or short-story, poetry or playscript— they begin with a blank page and courage to believe that you have something worthy to share.

The burning question on a first attempt at writing a story is—how do you begin?

The opening of your novel is your invitation to the reader. It holds a promise of what’s to come. When given deep thought, and crafted well, it can capture attention, set tone, and ignite curiosity before the reader even turns the page.

What are the ways to start your novel with confidence and creativity?

Hold Your Reader’s Attention Immediately

The first paragraph is your moment to grab attention. Make the reader want to know more.

A strong opening line can create intrigue, emotion, or atmosphere in just a few words. Think of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four:

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.

Curiosity is sparked by the suggestion of something impossible in the tone of abnormality in this world.

One of the ways to create an effective opening to a novel is to ask: What feeling do I want my reader to have within the first few sentences? Then work with whatever ignites your imagination, craft an image, immerse yourself in the opening lines and write whatever comes to mind. Remember, it all begins with one word after another after another as all great novels begin.

Conflict or Curiosity

Curiosity is peaked when the reader wants the answer to a question. Inner conflict can be emotional, moral, or even unspoken, or external — it does not have to be a shoot-out on an urban street, it could be an observation of a situation, or an overheard conversation.

Draw the reader in on what’s at stake—invest in the readers emotions, make them care. Ask yourself/your muse, what does your protagonist want? What threatens that desire? A small hint of tension can pull readers in.

Who’s telling the Story? Make Your Character’s Voice Shine

The best openings don’t just show what’s happening — they reveal who’s telling the story.

A distinctive voice can turn an ordinary moment into something unforgettable. Consider Holden Caulfield’s sardonic tone in The Catcher in the Rye, or Elizabeth Bennet’s sharp wit in Pride and Prejudice. Their personalities come alive instantly.

If your reader connects with your character’s voice, they will be hooked even though nothing much has happened yet.

Ground the Reader in Setting and Mood

Make your reader feel where they are. Invite readers into your world with just enough description to draw them into the landscape you create.

A few vivid, specific details can convey an effective atmosphere. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the sleepy, sun-soaked town of Maycomb to foreshadow the slow, simmering tension of her story.

Ponder on: What your setting says about the mood or theme of your novel?

Start Where the Story Truly Begins

Begin the story at the moment of change in your character’s life— when something new, strange, or difficult begins. Hold back on a lot of background before the plot really begins.

Make a Promise to Your Reader

Your reader should have a clear sense of what kind of story they’re reading. Genre matters: Is it a love story? A thriller? A literary exploration of identity?

Sustain tone, pace, and style as they send signals about what to expect. If your opening is dark and brooding, readers won’t expect a lighthearted comedy — and vice versa.

Your first pages are a sort of contract with your reader, promising a certain kind of experience.

Note: The First Draft’s Beginning Isn’t Final

The opening lines in your first draft probably won’t be the one your readers see, or you might just strike that brilliant note in your first attempt.

Sometimes the perfect opening scene is hiding somewhere in the second or third chapters.

Get words down. You can refine later as writers do, as you must do — perfection begins with imperfection—it gets better as you walk the way, one step at a time.

Pitfalls You Might Want to Avoid

Starting with the weather (unless it directly ties to character /motif/theme in your story)
Dream sequences that confuse more than they intrigue.
Info-dumps — long paragraphs of backstory before the readers are vested in the characters.
Too many names at once, which can overwhelm your reader.

Use the KIS method (Keep it Simple) by aiming for clarity, connection, and curiosity.

Here are a Few Prompts to Jump-Start Your Opening

Start in the middle of an argument.
Open with something ordinary described as if it’s terrifying.
Begin at the exact moment your protagonist makes a life-changing decision
Begin with a lie your main character tells.

An idea triggered from one of the above prompts could grow into your perfect first scene.

The Only Wrong Way Is Never Starting

Every writer faces the same fear at the beginning—that imposter syndrome feeling that what they write won’t be good enough. Remember: you can’t improve a blank page.

Start somewhere. Trust that your story will reveal its best beginning once you’ve written your way into it.

Now, take a deep breath, open your journal or laptop and begin your novel.

Your story deserves to be told — and only you can tell it with authenticity.

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The Inner Child – The Artist

Have you ever wondered why some of your most brilliant ideas come not when you’re trying hard, but when you’re simply daydreaming, or letting your mind wander? That spark—that unfiltered, unashamed burst of originality—comes from a source we often forget: the inner child.

In a world that prizes productivity and perfection, the inner child can seem frivolous or even inconvenient. But for the artist—for anyone who seeks to create—this part of us holds the key to boundless imagination, raw emotion, and fearless experimentation.

The Fearless Inner Child

The inner child is the part of our psyche that retains the wonder, vulnerability, joy, and spontaneity of childhood. It’s not just nostalgia or memory; it’s an active presence within us that remembers how it felt to draw without worrying whether it was “good,” to sing loudly without caring who was listening, or to invent imaginary worlds without limits.

When we reconnect with our inner child, we tap into a part of ourselves that’s naturally curious, intuitive, and brave. This is the energy art demands.

The Creative Inner Child

Does not fear failure
The inner child isn’t worried about reviews, likes, book launches, or gallery shows. It, sings out of tune, draws stick figures, and writes stories with angels and dragons harmoniously coexisting. The creative inner child creates to see what happens, to imagine a world into existence, on a page, canvas, as a musical score or song.
Lives in the now
True creativity flows from being present, playing in the now, experimenting without expectation.
Sees magic everywhere
A puddle becomes a sea. A walk to the park is an adventure. Reframing the ordinary into the extraordinary is at the heart of artistic vision.
Feels deeply
Emotions are unshackled. The inner child loves fiercely cries loudly, laughs uncontrollably. The inner child basks in the light and colours of life’s prism to create art that resonates.

Ways to Reconnect with Your Inner Artist-Child

Play

Do something creative just for the fun of it. Paint with your non-dominant hand. Dance like a maniac. Make up nonsense poems. The goal is not quality—it’s freedom.

Journal Wonder

Every day, write down three things that amazed or delighted you. An ancestral face in a cloud, a child’s or elder’s honest or wise question. Work on seeing the world with fresh eyes.

Revisit Childhood Joys

Think back to what you loved as a five or ten year old. Was it playing hide-and-seek? Was it peeling an orange while sitting in the sun in your backyard? Recalling childhood activities carries the magic to rekindle your most authentic creative energy.

‘Perfection in Imperfection’

Perfectionism silences the inner child. Shut out criticism and grow curiosity. Bury the inner critic that whispers, ‘I could have done this better,’ by focusing on, ‘Let me celebrate the multiple possibilities this holds.’

The Artist is a Forever Child

Great art doesn’t come from the intellect alone. It comes from the melding of experience and innocence, discipline and play. As Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

Invite your inner child to the table and observe how the magic unfolds.

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Poetry: Seat of Angst and Joy

Unlike fiction, poetry lays bare the soul. When emotions are triggered, truth emerges to release the floodgates of our fundamental humanity.

Grief and celebration are opposites, yet poetry has the power to eulogise the celebration of a life, physically departed, yet vibrant in memories eliciting a smile, an inner giggle and the radiance of love shared. Memories are evocative through sensory imagery, the olfactory, the auditory, the tactile and visual, bringing a life well-lived into the conscious mind. From the ordinary to the sublime a mother’s love moves across time and space.

poetry lays bare the soul.

Random Heart Poetry: First Love, is the celebration of a mother mourned, loved and cherished. Poems in First Love are inspirational and biographical on the value of the manifold roles a mother plays in a single life. Loved or forsaken a mother’s love is immutable.

from the ordinary to the sublime a mother’s love moves across time and space.

As a biographical suite of poems, there remains the grace and privacy of a life well-lived, respected and honoured across continents from Africa to Australia. Random Heart Poetry: First Love portrays a faith-filled life in a selfless nurturing role in service to communities bent by life’s shadows. Random Heart Poetry: First Love depicts a noble life deserving of etched recognition on history’s page.

Random Heart Poetry: First Love is available on all your favourite platforms:

Amazon

Kobo

Draft to Digital (Apple, Libraries, et al.)

Please share your thoughts on the value of poetry in our lives below:

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Fiction – AI or the Human Touch

Whether we accept it, remain neutral, or deny it, it’s here!

When it comes to creativity, the writing of fiction–how do you balance AI and the human touch?

Ernest Hemingway said, There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and bleed. If this is so, why is AI necessary when the writing process is innately, humanely natural?

For centuries, storytelling has been a cultural tradition in every corner of the world. Who is the best at sharing their personal experiences through storytelling?

Is it possible for AI to display raw emotions?

Some argue that it’s authentic, while others contend that it’s programmed and thus not genuine.

The subjectivity of creativity begs the question: can it be programmed?

The dilemma is that some mask truths to create a fake identity. The theme of appearance vs reality in Shakespeare’s plays exposes how easily humans can be deceived. Will AI be yet another mask for machine-generated creativity? Who receives credit for the positive reception of AI-generated work? Another door to truth and ethics is unlocked.

Be curious and informed before leaping.

Artists create. They can express themselves through art in a multitude of ways — painting, writing, music, fashion, architecture, machinery, transportation, and beyond.

Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso, Mozart, and other masters of their crafts possessed scintillating minds and remarkable imaginations before AI.

How does AI affect the human brain and heart when it takes over our inherent rights to uniqueness, growth, and creativity? When AI ‘generates’ creativity, do artists’ voices and works lose their uniqueness that only the human touch can produce?

The books and authors that writers admire, inspire them. Their mentors, past and present, guide them in honing their skills and style to create unique storylines. Imagination and voice make up a writer’s unique human fingerprint. It captures the reader’s attention. Have we reached a technological level where AI can imitate a writer’s style and imagination?

Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will. – George Bernard Shaw

AI is a part of our daily lives, but we often overlook it. Bots have butted into our lives before we had a name for them. Just whisper ‘Hey Google,’ or ‘Alexa’ and they are ready to provide us with the answers we seek. Does this make the human mind lazy if we don’t physically do the research?

The uniqueness of a writer’s voice lies in the manner in which they tell the story. AI can mimic the tone and intonation of the human voice, but can it replicate the character and personality of the human soul to articulate life experiences?

Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought. – Albert Einstein.

As an artist, you live your passion, share your talents and skills, and develop with every piece of art created.

The ways and reasons for entering this brave new world of creativity are widely debated.

The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt — Sylvia Plath

Be curious and cautious to guide your choices in a rapidly evolving creative sphere. What’s your choice?

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Trust the Process

When you begin writing a story that has whispered for a period, and then hauls you in—you have no idea how far you will go, or how many stories you will create in your lifetime. The process must be trusted and aided by dedicating time and space to allow the story to emerge.

Anything and everything is possible when you trust the calling first, then the process.

You may begin with a plan, an outline, and flesh out characters, but soon the story magically grows with you the writer, as the vessel, guided by a force you cannot quite describe. Some call it a ‘voice’ others call it a compulsion, or their divine muse that lays out the game plan drawn from the seed of imagination. The writer as a scribe leaves each writing session either exhilarated or surprised that a character has chosen to embolden their voice.

Once this arises, all thinking dwells on the place and society you are creating. The heart’s longing cannot be denied. The brain might test resilience, and negative emotions might slip in, depending on who is invited into your inner circle. Those external voices of doom and gloom, which might be your own if you allow it, kill inspiration. Shut them all out—regardless of who they are or what they have to say. It is YOUR story. Own it. Let the editors and ARC readers speak later in the publication process. Writing your raw story is your lone venture.

The heart’s longing cannot be denied.

You are never truly alone. Your main character will step up to lead you by the hand, and your secondary characters will vie for your attention, urging you to consider their point of view.

When many voices clamber for recognition, step back and surrender to a higher consciousness. Meditate for guidance on the next step. Clarity allows the selection of a voice that will be meaningful for readers now and years down the track.
Once the writer’s imagination and emotions blend with skilful writing, a great story is born.

The process is magical once you have plunged into the waters of creativity!

As Ray Bradbury said in, Zen in the Art of Writing, ‘…but one thing always remains the same: the fever, the ardour, the delight. Because I wanted to, I did.’

Allow the process to unfold, and above all, trust it. One idea at a time, one story at a time builds your body of work.

Happy writing, happy publishing, and happy reading.

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Creative Equanimity

After a frenzied holiday season with the comings and goings and the excessiveness of all things gustatory, it takes a few days, or longer, if there’s a dalliance that thwarts getting back in flow. Restoring equanimity invites the sweet melody of the creative muse again. This requires diligent commitment.

Slow it down to get back behind the creative wheel

When one’s attention veers in directions that divert from the words on a page, it is easy to remain in that mode beyond the holidays. If one does not challenge or coerce oneself to empower a creative mood, there is the risk of it not returning.

Equanimity is the balance, the serenity of mind that ceases all noisy thinking to allow voices from unfinished stories or new stories seeking creative attention to emerge.

Moments of equanimity increase with practice

Morning flow practice, or at any time of the day, invites the creative zone. Added to flow practice is what Orna Ross, Irish poet, author, and founder of The Alliance of Independent Authors, coined as F.R.E. E (Fast, Raw, Exact, Easy) writing, and Julia Cameron, American teacher, author, artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, best known for her book, The Artist’s Way, as Morning pages. This is the cathartic clearing of mind clutter by unleashing baggage that has infiltrated mind space.

Handwrite whatever arrives for the deliberate act of decluttering. This makes perfect sense when we toss noisy, disruptive thoughts to allow spaciousness for creative energy to flow. To restore equanimity, flow practice, and F.R.E. E writing, or Morning Pages are necessary to kick start the creative process.

Start slow, in bite-size time allocations, fifteen to thirty minutes at a time. Take a walk outdoors or play soothing music, sounds of nature, or cool jazz as I choose, to get back to the writing session as soon as possible.

Avoid reacting to situations that trigger negative emotions and let the self slide into a mode of quiet acceptance to heighten creative energy. Being still, open, and present in one’s immediate environment has the benefit of opening the door to creative space. Light a candle, or incense stick, open a door for a breeze to waft in and allow whatever comes to mind without resisting or judging its arrival.

Everything in life requires practice and commitment…

Find your daily routine. It is a ritual. It takes time and effort. Surround yourself with that which brings inner calm, including the people you invite into your space, and watch creative magic unfold.

May 2023 be the year in which the vastness of your creative potential arises and remains afloat.

Happy Reading, Happy Creating.

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Creative Inspiration: Tiger Courage

Narrow down goals set for 2022 as we enter the Lunar New Year in the Year of the Tiger – courage, strength and wisdom offer the possibility to soar in new creative dimensions.

Creativity, like the birth of every new year goes on in whatever shape, form, time of week, or day it chooses to make its presence felt. A fresh look at how to reinvent creativity is alive with the advent of the Lunar New Year.

the noble and fearless creative

Competing with oneself is healthy competition in achieving one’s heart’s desires for a better version of last year’s self when the tiger’s strength and courage are called upon.

To endeavour (NB: a lifelong endeavour) to master the craft of writing is to read and learn from the writers/artists one admires as mentors, and whose works are enjoyed. Choose from a range of mentors to extend the reach by being open to the recommendations on the craft of creating. Read every book humanely possible to grow the craft in many and diverse ways.

To say a writer should write in one style or genre is limiting the capacity a writer possesses for experimentation, and possible success that comes with attempting a new way.

sitting in a long-term comfort zone is tedious, safe – this is not in the spirit of the brilliantly courageous tiger.

Challenging the self is a wise way to curate the best creative version of oneself.

dare to be different

No one way is ever the only way or best way – the best stems from daring to be authentic, to enrich how the creative works to harness new inventive powers buried within.

Here’s to courage and strength in the dawn of the Lunar New Year!

the dawn of the second month creeps in — January pants

in unfinished business carried over

days pass like the speed of light

chasing the tail of many months

as responsibilities mount

like the leaves of autumn winds

but imagination breathes new life

in spring dreams of possibilities

arriving on the gilded wings of time

twelve months to reinvent

turn the page on the book of life

the wind whispers then roars

‘we’ll get there — together’

Have a very happy, and adventurous Lunar New Year!

Good health!

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The Way We Were

The question asked as the year winds up is where are we now? What have we done?

As we slow pedal to year-end, as opposed to manically motoring towards the shenanigans of the period, take time to reflect.

Lessons from the lockdowns we endured include pondering the way we were.

When freedom is aborted by the rapid onslaught of an unseen enemy, the subsequent mandated exodus from office spaces, a retreating from global, is a new way.

Home is the place to work, play, and rest. If graced with wide open spaces and human company, the retreat might be bearable.

The creative advantage is possible when the shutters are down, streets are emptied, and parks and beaches are deserted.

The creative muse tunes into stillness—if the eye and mind turn more deeply inward, away from the repetitive media message that induced fear and guilt every morning at 11.

When emotions are raw, thoughts tumble out in reaction to the siege on the way we were. Social interactions are prohibited and replaced by a hermit lifestyle, or heaven forbid, succumbing to the doom of extinction.

Global and national disasters, past and present—world wars, financial crises, bushfires, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and pandemics, shake up the world to stir the creative soul.

The documenting of histories during global upheavals through fiction and poetry, painting, or musical compositions captures the heartfelt angst of the moment. Creative works emerge from such a time to reverberate into the future. This has the potential to educate and strengthen the action of future generations.

We can never rewrite history’s truth.

Fiction and poetry fearlessly tell the naked truth. Stories created now, in any medium, hold the key to spreading awareness overtime on the traits, pitfalls, and reactions to disasters.

truth and despair – the creative gateway

Capturing today through visual images is vital. A history through words, however, is the ageless wisdom of the soul of our current human condition—life as we feel it, and breathe it in the now.

As we roll up the year, not a long way off socially and politically to where we were back on day one of 2021, let us reflect.

Reflect on the stories we should tell of this time. A time when the world faced a common threat, an enemy that morphs and attacks just when we hope we might return to the way we were.

Time moves forward, and the past is only a backward, behind-the-shoulder lingering glance at how we were.

Change is grain for an undulating creative harvest…

The way to make sense of the world is to read a good book or write one on the story of the world as you live it. There will never be enough stories told of a torrid era.

As you shed the skin of 2021, brace yourself with hope. Arm yourself with a good book, and share love, truth, and joy.

Go forth today in good cheer, the world’s voices shake and threaten doom, but you, my friend, keep the spring in your step, the light in your heart and a smile upon your lips

~life~

Stay safe this season.

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Creativity and Grief

Creativity feeds off emotions both positive and negative. Words give vent to the language of the heart.

Grief after the passing of a deeply loved one, sucks the wind from the sails of creativity, for a while… Fighting it is futile, emotions are in a tangle when death is unexpectedly sudden.

Fit one day, gone the next. The mind is thrown into chaos as exhaustion sets in, slowing down the clock to a sonorous ticking of every minute, every hour.

Be gentle with yourself when grief blocks the creative edge.

Isolation and solitude are necessary to process the deeply felt loss. Within there is the need to comfort the nearest and dearest around one going through the same process.

But in those still, grieving, reflective moments, hours, days, and many weeks, creativity takes on a new face — creative expression on loss and grief. Picking up a pen and journal offers the promise of comfort when there is no inclination to turn on the laptop. Poetry emerges in the healing as words tumble out in emotional self-expression, mourning the deep-seated loss.

Words comfort and clear the brambles of the heart.

Seeking solace in meditation while grieving might, at times, seem impossible when the conscious mind buckles, contorts in pain. The way out is through writing, giving vent to grief and anger and all the unanswered whys…

Memory beckons, draws one in to seek solace in understanding the heart’s tears.

Soon, day by day, time allows the soul to accept, to find a new way, to adapt, to be, by letting go of the familiar patterns of one’s life. As humans we are adaptable to change, if one allows the mind to remain healthy by turning to warm memories, and articulating emotions — pain eases, and limits sinking into the dark depths of despair.

Grief is the single most difficult challenge of life (as I see it) in coming to terms with the gentle, deep cadence of a voice one will never hear again, a face never seen again in the flesh – the Guiding Light of one’s angst no longer there to soothe troubles or share joy.

Time is a long-standing ally to a grieving soul.

Acceptance is not an easy path to tread when the void is palpable…huge… but healing will come with time as memories resurface in those moments when a birthday card or photograph falls out a book, or pops up on a phone or Facebook Memories to remind one of the love shared. Loss is never overcome, but heart-warming moments return when least expected in unexpected places, to catch a breath in quiet recall to ignite a smile.

Creativity hooks emotions — grief the impasse as the eye turns inward to gather new creative pace and space.

If you have lost a loved one, take heart, your muse never flees in the hours of need, but draws renewed vigour from your newest angel, ready to guide your creative light.

a month too soon

let him rise in peace

as he lived his life

sharing love and joy with those

who honoured his stature

a compassionate giving soul

taken gently in the early morn

rising swiftly into the arms of Divine Grace

(RIP Beloved Father of Mine)

I hope you find comfort and reassurance that grief borne needs time, so be gentle with your creative self by keeping the mind healthy to protect your heart for the wondrous, comforting glow of memory and renewed imagination…

Stay safe.

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Creative Courage

The past year of profound change where retreating was not a choice but a necessity, turned the eye inward in this time of social incarceration—a springboard for creative pursuits.

Poetry, stories, art, music, new skills in any area of the vastness of possibilities, bring courage to those who stand in the shadows, voiceless and afraid to be seen or heard.

With the external locked out to preserve life, the inner voice raises its head, looks around and mulls over hidden possibilities. Heed the message. We need action to claim the creative possibility within grasp.

Embrace the stillness to find what a fast-paced life has stymied. With materialistic desires placed on the back-burner, an almost magical transformation emerges.

Simplicity grows courage and innovativeness

We learn from our forebears who with flintstones created fire, almost two million years ago. Today we have so much more at our fingertips.

Complacency kills creativity

Learn More

The past spent bemoaning being time-poor is a state of mind. Creating space, both in time and place, waters the creative spirit with a thirst to innovate—encourage the spirit, and mind to seek something new.

Tip in a toe, test the waters by reading more and much more, find your tribe to encourage confidence, dive in, one stroke at a time! Feel the warmth of submersion generated from praise and acknowledgement.

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties ~ Erich Fromm

Planning is paramount and being flexible with the plan is equally important. Creativity flows freely when intentions are set, then the ground-work seeps in. Like the earth requires conditions to grow—sun, soil, and water, so too the creative prepares the way forward, add in basic equipment needed, one step at a time.

The indisputable thing with creativity is that once begun, ink, paint or music flows in generous abundance if invited in.

In a time of retreating from global, awaken the creative spirit by the choices made.

What will we let go to allow the creative muse to take up residence with us?

Know our passions, doggedly pursue them, and find the healing in creative pursuits.

May 2021 be the year of finding or growing and deepening our creative wells.

Happy Creating.

Stay Safe.

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What are your thoughts on inviting creative space into our lives?

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Creative Risks

Dare you should—damned if you don’t

Writing might simmer in the novice writer’s subconscious, afraid to put words on a page, or perhaps a manuscript sits half-written or complete, but safely locked in a desk drawer or tucked away in the garage under a heap of stuff.

Are you that person?

Risk 1: Creative Exhilaration

Taking the first creative risk is writing the story or poem that dwells in the mind’s hinterland.

Then pursuing the idea through to completion is the time risk invested to get to ‘the end.’ This is the honeymoon period. Bliss reigns as a generous muse massages words

Risk 2: New Eyes on the Page

The most daunting risk is getting an extra pair of eyes to read those beloved, private words. This could go horribly wrong if fresh eyes are inclined to be super critical about EVERYTHING.

The novice writer is a sensitive soul in need of validation. A poor selection of new eyes could end a potentially stellar career. Then again, choosing new eyes as your significant other, carries the risk ramifications that over validates, or liberally criticises, and possibly risks ‘the end’ to the union!

New eyes on new words should be benevolent in first congratulating the timid scribe on getting that far, then comment on the story, and throw in a few suggestions, expectations, and gently draw attention to plot holes that might exist.

Risk 3: Who will edit?

Choosing an editor who is the right fit for a novice writer has its risks that could go either way. Choose wisely, ask and check out vetted individuals through organisations such as ALLi, or trusted fellow authors in finding the right match that assures writing longevity.

Nobody’s perfect

If a novice is averse to professional feedback then the red flag goes up, and it’s best to consider whether the risks taken to get this far will be worth risking much more, or if it’s time to hand in the pen.

To be a successful writer, lock ego in the desk drawer or stash it under the rubbish in the garage, or better still, scrub it out of existence.

It is imperative to observe and listen to the safe, knowledgeable advice of those who do it well and successfully so. This applies to anything in life. In publishing, it is necessary to do so.

Be authentic, be unique, but know the ropes.

Take risks with an open mind. Push boundaries but know when to ponder the road ahead.

The journey is not over yet, there is the risk of whether the general reading public will love or loathe a close to the heart piece of literature.

When fear is overcome, it steels the novice (for a while – NB creatives are sensitive beings) to continue dipping a toe into the world of writing and publishing.

Risk 4: Publishing

There are many ways to get your words out into the world, so carefully consider the risk of giving up all the rights of a creative endeavour that spanned many days and nights, the ultimate sacrifices made to get to the grand finale before the decision to hand over blood, sweat, tears, and other emotional hooks.

Protect your rights, know your rights.

Risk you must, for unheard stories to be told, leave your legacy — stories have value, but choose your tribe wisely.

George Orwell in his essay, Why I Write:

‘In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible.’

Best wishes, always!

Happy Reading, Happy Writing!

Where are you now in your writing dreams?

Please share, and leave a comment to help a fearful novice step out in the right writing shoes.

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Want to be a Writer?

Why not?

You will enjoy the process of creating the story you have always wanted to write.

What’s holding you back?

Fear and Time?

Counteract fear by writing the best story you can. Temper your inner critic, the belief that you’re an imposter in the craft – avoid this or you become your own worst enemy. Trust your desire to write and turn to the supportive person in your life who will allow your light to shine.

Find time in your day to get down as many words as you can. Do it consistently to keep yourself inspired to go on to complete your novel. Fifteen minutes a day is better than not writing at all.

Will you be a pantser or plotter?

Would you meticulously plan scenes, with graphs and maps etc or let your creative energy lead you with just the basics planned out for your novel? There are various schools of thought on being a pantser or plotter. I’m somewhat hybrid on that. Mental planning with a few scribbled thoughts here and there make me more a pantser than a plotter.

Challenges that could occur

Shut the door as you write, as Stephen King advises in, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, ( I gained the courage to finish and publish my books drawing from the advice in this book), until you are ready to tell the world.

Once you begin to tell others, be prepared for either cynicism or support. The cynics are not worth your time – leave them to their cynical worlds and do what you have to do – write the best story you can!

Writing is an emotional process that often dives into a point of long-held pain or passion. When dubious eyes, lopsided smiles, and tongues that doubt, disturb your orbit, it’s time to turn them down or off.

Consistent writing, turning to influencers of the trade and reading books on how to write well or listening to podcasts on writing and signing up for webinars on the craft is the way to pay your way forward in your growth as a writer.

No story is not worth telling if your aim is to enlighten or connect with your reader or you know what you have to say will make a difference- write that story.

And there’s more…

Writing the story is not all you have to consider, you should then research traditional and self-publishing options and find your best fit. Know your genre, research writers in the genre you want to write in and carve your approach, your own style. Once the final product, the actual book, with a professional cover, professional editing, blurb, author biography, ISBN, date, publisher, and place of publication etc are in place, the marketing of your book begins. Whether you opt for traditional or self-publishing, the onus is squarely on your shoulders to market your book.

Don’t put off writing your book. Now is the best time.

It took me several years to finally master the fear to turn to my beta reader to have a look at my work.

We need more stories, stories that speak of angst and optimism and stories that make us laugh out loud, hold us in suspense, evoke disbelief or leave us in meditative contemplation.

We need stories that remind us of our essential humanity.

Write your book today. Publish it…

Don’t you know yet? It is Your Light that lights the worlds – Rumi

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