The last time I took a new job I wasn’t a writer. Well, I wrote white papers and technical manuals so I could put pen to paper. But I didn’t have a personal writing practice. But four months into a new job and I’m surprised how much creativity is a part of my job.
Sheesh, that sounded dry. Bear with me – I think I’m pulling a thread that as writers we are practicing all the time and might not be giving ourselves credit for.
Getting Started
I think of this as the first law of writing – I’ve heard it over and over as advice from great writers. You have to start. Just let the words tumble out onto the page without judgment. Knowing that you can, and will, go back to edit later but first you just have to let it flow.
This cornerstone of creativity is such an incredible life practice, isn’t it? Just start. Whether it’s the day, the week, the job, or the essay we are writing, we have to make the move to get out of our head and begin. I say to my kids that everything comes with practice…and writing has given me the chance to start over and over again. And I’ve found that it helps with the rest of my life.
Make Room for Characters to Grow
I recently did a podcast with brilliant blogger and author Brian Hannon (writingfromtheheartwithbrian.com) where he brought forward an article by Sierra Godfrey 4 Ways to Write Complicated Families. One of her tips was to allow room for characters to grow. If we want to see people in a three-dimensional view, we have to allow for growth.
I was mulling this over when a question came up at work about our status report practice. The team that I lead came from the acquisition of a company and I’m in charge of the pace and direction of how to align the team with the overall company patterns and practices.
It’s a lot of change. The melding of the two cultures is impossible without growth. I realized that one of my jobs is to use my creativity to envision what we might look like after we’ve grown and then to cheer the team along. It’s an act of creativity that I believe we use again and again in leadership, parenting, partnership, friendship and more. We hold the space for others to grow and develop, all the while loving who they are now.
Write It Out
I rarely start an essay knowing the ending. Like the other day I wrote a short vignette for my personal blog about coaching my 4-year-old son to share. “Say ‘yes.’” I whispered to him. And then not five minutes later he asked me to go look for worms with him. When I hesitated, he whispered, “Say ‘yes.’”
I laughed – and then wrote it down. I had no idea of the conclusion until I wrote it down. Then I realized that it was a reminder that what we put out in the world is what bounces back to us.
The same thing happens to me with work. I start an email and don’t even realize the conclusions or questions that I have until my fingers hit the keyboard. It might be about something mundane like licensing or big picture like strategy but either way, the questions come as I type. There’s a difference between thinking and writing that we leverage when we start writing.
Creativity as a core requirement for job responsibilities might not be what we think of when we put together a resume, but I believe it’s a primary skill for work and life. Perhaps I’m taking some creative license. But I think that’s the magic of a writing practice. Right? Write?
I’ve published a related post about the different ways we see things on my personal blog: Comparing Our Differences
Please check out these other items of interest:
More about Wynne Leon and her story-telling journey
Workshop about creativity jump start that I delivered with Dr. Vicki Atkinson
Speaking and workshops on leadership through creativity to build resilient teams
Podcast about the how and why of creativity
Articles and corporate creativity resources
Corporate evaluate your team needs for creativity
Individual creativity survey for individuals
My book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.
You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @wynneleon
(featured photo from Pexels)
Oh yes….the magic of a writing practice – just as you said: “Right? Write?” 😉
Love the crossover applications from your work world to your family life and the reminder that words can carry us forward, on a river toward an unknown, but often spectacular destination. Have faith. Get on board. And cheers to the shoutout about podcasting with Brian about the Godfrey article. Topics, problems, people…characters…need room to breathe.
Thank you, Wynne! 💕
Need room to breathe — perfectly written!! Thanks, my friend!!
🥰
When our son changed his major after three years from theoretical math to literature, my husband was sure his career chances were doomed. It turns he uses all his skills at work. His ability to write, tweak algorithms while using his creativity have served him well. I can see how your writing skills can help you in your work. Writing helps us think clearly.
Oh, what a great case in point, Elizabeth. Right! I think the same thing is going to continue to be true as we face more and more technological advancements. Creativity is so core!
I agree with you. Creativity is an ability to adapt and grow.
Actually I think that creativity is a problem-solving skill you need to live! Beautiful post Wynne!
Problem-solving skill. Exactly, Cristiana!
I was just about to say basically the same thing Cristiana did 😁. I also love the advice of “just start”. Start now, figure out what you’re doing later.
Well said, Todd – we can always figure out what we’re doing later, right? 🙂
I’m trying to figure out how to respond or what “great” to leave to your post and your advice comes to me: just start! So simple, but yet so powerful. I’ve been avoiding a task at work …. When I sit down tomorrow, I’m taking your advice with me. Thanks Wynne!
You know what I love about this comment, Brian? I think I got the “just start” advice in part from you. It’s like full circle creative inspiration! 🙂
Yes, full circle inspiration. Ha ha! Good to have a community of writers to cheer each other on and inspire us to “start!” 🤣🤣😊😊😊😊
I agree that there is a difference between thinking and writing. When we write, we are forced to slow down our thoughts and put them into a linear form. This can help us to clarify our thinking and come up with new ideas. Thank you for sharing your insights! I’m sure that many readers will find them valuable.
Slow down our thoughts – oh, that’s so good, muktaverma! Right!
Thanks
It’s clear you’re really enjoying your job and getting lots from it. Can we still call it your ‘new’ job? I think our writing is making us more aware of our creativity. It probably was always there, we’ve just learned to tune in and listen to it. It certainly does enrich what we do when we are able to use all these skills. I find I just trust my instincts and go with the flow. I am surprised when others find what I do inspiring, demonstrate confidence … I guess it is confidence in trusting ourselves, but hadn’t thought about it that way. Being confident enough to be creative – and you’ve always come across as a confident lady 😁
“Being confident enough to be creativity.” That is so good, Brenda. I’m going to have to quote you on that!! What you say about trusting your instincts and going with the flow is exactly my experience. Thank you so much for the insightful comment, dear Brenda!
My pleasure, Wynne. I know I really miss it now when I don’t have time to be creative
This is one of the fundamental things I took away from the book “Atomic Habits”. You can’t improve a habit that doesn’t exist. If you consider yourself a writer, write. If you consider yourself a singer, sing. I agree that creativity is a vital skill in all aspects of life. There was a time when I didn’t consider myself a creative, because I associated creativity with visual art. Boy, was I wrong! Creativity is about thinking outside the box and looking for new solutions to new and old problems.
Lots of life wisdom in this post and these 2 sentences did mark themselves in me:
“…and writing has given me the chance to start over and over again” ( I resonate so much with it, to me is a metaphor for life, every day can we rewrite what we want to create…)
“….I believe it’s a primary skill for work and life. Perhaps I’m taking some creative license. But I think that’s the magic of a writing practice. Right? Write?” ( I love the Word play at the end of this sentence as well as the wisdom in it)
And out of curiosity, ( Only IF you want to share) what is your profession at the moment?