You don't know until you try

I have begun my new novel, but am torn between having some holiday time to replenish the creative well and just cracking on....
I was away for a time last week and am still recovering from an operation, so sleep keeps hijacking me. All these things have conspired to keep me from my writing desk, but I do so miss it when I'm not doing it.
However the novel ideas seem to have stalled, but I have been thinking about my recent operation and scribbling lines of poetry about it, so this morning I've written a couple of new 'operation' poems.
I think it's best to go with whatever's 'there', but without trying there's no way of knowing, so today's thought is to give writing a chance every day. if nothing comes, then fine, at least you gave it a moment, and if there is something there, then you get to pin it down and the ideas won't disappear into the mist.

Synchronicity

How bizarre. I'm doing character sketches for my new book and I decided that one of them had inherited a rather nice country house, possibly in Hampshire. I've never been to Hampshire, although it felt right for this character.
The name 'Furze House' popped in to my head. I wasn't entirely sure what 'furze' was, so I checked in the dictionary and discovered that it's a type of gorse. Hmm, I wasn't sure if there were any areas of Hampshire where gorse would grow, so I googled 'furze' and 'Hampshire'. To my surprise, there's a place called 'Furze Hill'.
I read somewhere where another writer said guess first and check later and it does seem to work, just letting your mind run loose and seeing what pops in there...worked uncannily well this time, anyway!

RSPB Dummy for Margaret Atwood

Today I was out in the garden covering an old window dummy with newspaper and wall paper paste. In the background the cricket played. Live cheers from Headingley mingled with those on the radio as I plastered Dolly with paste and paper.
After several coats of newspaper, she got a couple of coats of white paper. Then she dried for a while.
As she dried, I thought about what images I'd like to put on her. I spotted the RSPB magazine and re-read the interview in it with Margaret Atwood - she's fund-raising for the RSPB when she lauches her new book in September.
So, partly in homage to Ms Atwood, and partly because the birds looked nice I began to snip them out - birds, words and some people.
I quickly began to see where each piece 'belonged' and it made me think about structure in writing, and how, once you've generated your material, each bit finds its place.... and settles down to where it belongs.
It was so satisfying creating 'Dolly', finding just the right pieces to sit perfectly on her body, and doing so has made me trust in the process of creativity....

Beginning a new writing project

I've been stuffing papers in a box whilst I was writing my last novel. Today I looked through the box and there are a couple of possibilities - one which needs some research, so I've requested a library book to read up on 'something' - note I'm not really sharing what, since I subscribe to the view that books are like mushrooms and grow best in the dark....
The other possibility was just a strong image which I jotted down in one of the creative writing sessions at The Bowery, and it seemed like it might lead somewhere, so I've scribbled a few more ideas about that, too.
I realized that I was a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of beginning something new, and the child-like part of me wants some kind of guarantee that the roads will lead somewhere, and is resistant to beginning anew.
Luckily another part of me understands that I just have to begin somewhere, and I'm repeating the phrase that a book is written a word at a time, and nothing is really wasted along the way.
So, all you budding novelists - get scribbling!

It's ten days since I had an operation and I'm eager to get back into creative mode, and to encourage others to explore their own creativity, but I'm still feeling sleepy after lunch and having to have a lie down, so feel as if I'm not achieving very much...
But I DID do a collage today - so now I have a beautiful big patchwork of images posted on my office wall - a silver pan of poaching plums, a hare standing in a meadow, a woman poised over an old-fashioned black type-writer - she clearly intends to give that keyboard some welly quite soon! (And although I don't work on a typewriter, I do intend to connect with my laptop keys soon.)
The collage has made me feel creative. I usually do them twice a year. Looking back at Autumn 2006, I can see that many of the images pictured there have now come into my life - writing, funky, original fashions.
So gather together a selection of magazines and cut out anything that appeals to you - shabby chic furniture, Mulberry handbags, Sloe gin, Penguin book covers, beaches, forests, swimming, running and rip away.
Then take a double spread sheet from a broadsheet newspaper and begin to arrange your images. Cut them into interesting shapes and over layer them in parts. Attach to the newspaper with sticky tape or staples. You should have something pleasing to the eye and which is also potentially aspirational.
Reflect upon what the images tell you. Should you be eating better? Taking a moment to connect with nature? Exercising more regularly?
My current choice of poaching plums and healthy food indicates that I want a good diet. There are also two beds and one huge chair in there - which I take to mean 'rest', which I guess you need after an operation, but the woman with the typewriter shows me that I must look to begin writing, even if it's just stirring the pot of ideas.
So enjoy your collage - you could also try one for story ideas.....