Elizabeth Gilbert on Creativity and the Muse.

She didn't mention the other archetype of a creative person. The person who's had a hard life; troubled childhood etcetera and their experience has fed and coloured their work.

I think I'm a product of the life I've been through; the sadness I've endured and happiness I've enjoyed; the people I've met and places I've known so I can't really subscribe to the idea of creativity coming
either from me alone or from some divine/daemonic source. I think experience and my environment are the only things which I'm a conduit for.

And I think of my creative process as more like the life of a primitive hunter/gatherer. I have to go out and actively find ideas; I have to fight to stay alive. The times when something will just come to me
are very rare.

Maybe I don't have the right fairies on my side or I'm just not smart enough.

To each their own.

Every writer should watch the video and listen hard. She has captured much of what we need to hear and she sums it up so well in the end.

A great songwriter once called me a "Genius" after listening to one of my comedy songs. My ego swelled more and more that day until I had to fix a toilet. Maybe the fairies needed a laugh?

I believe that all writers find their own way of working and we all tap into our creative universe with unique methods.

It would be wonderful if I could blame my less than mediocre works at times on a fairy but I simply have to be accountable for 100% of what I write.

Depth of experience and observation brings much of my writing to fruition. If we do have,"Fairies" visit our minds...are they giving creativity or are they stealing from our creativity?

I just might invest in a fairy swatter and simply keep doing my job....unless the fairy has an awesome story line. :o)

Thanks for posting this, hudsonmoon. :o)

I really really enjoyed this talk up until the point where Elizabeth mentions Tom Waits, then i absolutely loved it! Very inspiring.

Thanks for posting!

Steve