Creative Energy

Prior to revamping my writing space, I couldn’t understand why I had such a hard time being productive. I had invested in a nice desk, splurged on a comfy desk chair, and purchased bookcases that would be functional for what I needed to achieve. However, even after setting everything up just the way I thought I wanted it, the only thing I found myself able to work on in that space were the bills. Occasionally I would suffer through some revisions, but mostly, it was bills.

So I tried dedicating my little office space to writing-related work ONLY. No bills, no school emails and no school functions – just writing. That resulted in my desk collecting dust because I wasn’t doing anything in the space. Still just the occasional revision project. After all the work of picking and choosing what I wanted, why couldn’t I just sit down and get to work? Instead I traveled all over and around my house claiming “I write where the mood strikes me”. Bah! Nonsense.

After getting into a conversation with an artist friend of mine, I finally understood what the problem was and it had nothing to do with being lazy or not focusing. She had just built her studio, just the way she wanted it. She walked me through the whole process. We cringed when they started the project, celebrated when the walls went up, the plumbing got installed, the wiring for lighting and AC, and the exterior and interior finishing touches. Finally, I vicariously shared the experience as she talked me through the excitement of adding her personal touches with design and decor. We spoke almost everyday through the process.

Within those daily conversations we talked about the importance of having a dedicated space to create and she said something that resonated with me. I listened as she touched on how she doesn’t allow everyone into her art studio. I immediately assumed she didn’t want people coming in and stealing ideas or concepts from her work. But that wasn’t it at all. She said,

“Not everyone has the proper energy to be in my space. Whenever someone comes around with bad energy, I find it difficult to work in that space and I’m either not productive that day or I have to change my focus and do something else.”

At first I chuckled, but then I thought about what she said and I knew that was the problem I was having with my workspace. It wasn’t my own and it was flooded with all types of energy that was interfering with my creative energy.

My office is situated in an open floor plan and should technically be the formal dining room. It opens up to our foyer, game room, and family room that has french doors which give us the option of closing it off from the rest of the open area. Based on how I had my office arranged, anyone and everyone had the freedom of walking through my space. If we had guests they were in my space. My children would take things from my desk. Folks would flip my chair around and sit in it. There was a total lack of respect for it and therefore it felt like just another room in the house.

The back of the chair opens to the game room, dining area, and family room.

After putting some thought into her idea of spacial energy, I could recall a few times in my own experience when a friend may have dropped by or workmen may have come in to do repairs and I suddenly couldn’t sit and focus once they left. Prior to their visit (or invasion) I was hung ho about getting to my writing once the guest left. The opposite would happen. Once they left, I wanted to write. I really wanted to get to work, but when I would sit at my desk, it just didn’t feel right. I couldn’t focus and I would either go to a different space in my home, or not do it at all. So, it was settled. A little revamping project was in order. You can read the details of how I changed things around in A Simple Space Lift. I found a creative way to isolate my writing nook in order for me to be more productive (on a budget) and what a difference it made.

Since rearranging the space, I have been a more productive writer. That fascinates me. Once I’m in my writing nook, I don’t want to leave. I just want to keep writing. My family has been incredibly respectful of the change – never walking in without permission, including my hubby. He always knocks on the wall (because there’s no door) until I let him know it’s okay to come in. Thanks to the bookcases, friends don’t walk in and automatically assume it’s okay to enter. It’s all mine!

I attribute this productivity to the ability to harness my own creative energy which now dominates the space. As soon as I cross the tiny threshold, I take a deep breath because I can feel the creativity swirling through the air.

There are days when I don’t feel as productive or I didn’t get enough rest the night before and I already know that writing will be a hot mess. On those days, I stay in my little nook anyway. I find something to do toward the progress of my books. Even if its cleaning, reorganizing the shelves, or catching up on administrative things related to my books, I am still working, I am still in my space, and I am still being productive. This is attributed to the spacial energy. I have had more fresh ideas and more intrinsic motivation toward producing than ever before.

Energy is absolutely essential to productivity. It’s no different from walking into a room where others are gathered and somehow feeling that your presence changed the mood in the room. Your creative space works much the same way. It needs to be yours.

Having a dedicated room or area for you to produce work can make all the difference in your output. Be creative. You may not be able to build a studio or remodel a room, but a few creative ideas with existing furniture can go a long way in helping you create the perfect writing space that exudes the energy that you and only you need to fuel your creativity and productivity.

Still need some ideas? Checkout using bookcases to define a space on Pinterest. Also check out Small Writing Spaces.

Be creative and write on!

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A Simple Writing Space Lift

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Candace Ruffin, Candace Ruffin Author, Creating Cane, Ideas, writing ideas, writing spaces

I’m always looking for ways to update my writing space to make it comfortable and inspirational. This is a real challenge given the layout of my home. I dreamed of someday having a writing shed, but unfortunately, I live in a community that prohibits sheds, so I’m moving on.

My writing space is an area in my home that we carved out just for me. Well, actually we just sort of repurposed the space. What should be the formal dining room is actually my “office”. We have an open floor plan, so my office is a shared space with our dining room and game room. Yay for me (I say this loads of sarcasm).

BEFORE:

The back of the chair opens to the game room, dining area, and family room.

Bookcases set on either side of desk along wall.

With that, it’s understandable that my work space has been through quite a few transitions, but I think I finally have it just how I want it. In the Before photos above, the desk and chair were situated in a traditional arrangement with the desk facing the window and the bookcases lining either side of the desk along the walls.

The up side to this arrangement was that I had a defined space to sit, work, and claim as my own. The down side was, because of the open floor plan, everyone could truck through my little space as they pleased. Around New Year’s I began trying to come up with new ideas to enhance my space. What started off as a simple idea of incorporating a new decorative piece, blossomed into more than I could’ve imagined.

Pinterest (though helpful) can be a dangerous thing (in a good way). I ended up totally revamping my writing space thanks to Pinterest, and now have the benefit of having a true little studio on my hands. With a minor rearrangement of the bookcases, I transformed my open office into an isolated, more private writing nook that clearly defines the space as an office and gives the illusion of being a separate room. I’m completely in love with my new writing space. All it needs are a few minor finishing touches and I’m home free.

AFTER:

Where all the magic happens

Full view of writing my nook

Using the existing bookcases, I moved them away from the walls and created a “floating” wall within the room. I wasn’t sure how I would like it initially, but I fell in love with it right away. I only needed to purchase one additional bookcase to complete the space, which is pictured above. This was a self-assembly unit I purchased from Target and it’s a part of the same line as my existing bookcases. This helped for a seamless transition. The storage bins are sold separately, but I only needed a couple more for the new bookcase. Hitting my favorite discount home stores helped with accessorizing empty shelves, and my books helped with the rest.

Next, I had to make sure my desk was situated just right and that the new arrangement would accommodate my desk. The only arrangement that made sense was to place the desk against the wall – something I tried desperately to avoid and was sure I would completely hate. Not only did it need to be against the wall, but it actually needed to face the wall. It seemed like a pretty claustrophobic idea and I was very hesitant. However, since I was in a rearranging mood I figured I should at least try it and it works perfectly! Surprisingly, distractions are minimized and I still get to enjoy the feeling of an open space because the desk is situated directly next to the window. When I need just a little distraction, I can simply look to my left and enjoy the view, then get right back to work.

The final step was adding a personal touch to the space. If I were able to build a writing shed, it would have had three defined areas – writing, resources, and relaxing. Why not do the same in this newly designed space? My desk is my writing space. The bookcases house all of my resources. All that was left was to establish a space for relaxation.

An area for relaxing is necessary for destressing, taking a break from extensive writing times, and just to read, or be inside my own headspace without feeling the pressure of deadlines or writers block. I wanted to have an area dedicated to this in my current space. Fortunately, this was possible thanks to the way the space was rearranged. I created a small sitting area complete with a chair, accent table, and rug. Now, admittedly, I would like a different rug in the space, but I haven’t quite found the perfect one yet. So, this one will do for now.

It’s a calming feeling to be able to sit in my special chair, have my coffee or tea while enjoying a little leisure reading, listening to some music, or watching the neighborhood happenings out of the front window. This has become my favorite part of the space. I absolutely love it!

As you continue to grow in your writing your writing space will evolve with you. I am so much more productive now than I have been. In future posts, I will share more details on how I’ve personalized my space to make it functional and inspirational for my writing, so stay tuned.

I would love to know where you make your writing magic happen. In the house? In a shed? The Bathroom? Please share.

Keep creating spaces and masterpieces. And while you’re at it, write on!

Script v. Type

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Candace M. Ruffin, Candace Ruffin, Candace Ruffin Author, Creating Cane, Write, Writing Process

Recently I posted a picture on IG depicting my current writing venture. . . in manuscript. Most of the time I type when I write because the ideas seem to flow more smoothly and quickly versus writing. Typically, my journals are dedicated to notes, ideas, story concepts, and quick inspirations as they relate to one specific story. But oddly enough, one particular day I picked up an empty journal and a story flowed from me more fluidly than I had known.

I have been typing for so long I practically forgot how liberating pen-to-paper can actually be for a writer. Here is what I’ve learned from that experience and why I intend to handwrite my stories more often.

I feel relaxed when I write – at least I thought I did. When I sit down to my keyboard and start clicking away on the keys it makes me feel  – well – busy. Typing makes me feel as if I’m focused and working at a fast pace. But, I also feel a level of stress when typing. As if, I’m up against a deadline and must get as many words out (regardless of quality) as possible. However, the day I sat down with a pen was the day I was reminded of how writing is supposed to feel. My thoughts were more complete. I couldn’t believe I had fewer mistakes. And I even found myself smiling with each stroke of the pen. I was enjoying my craft. Which admittedly, was odd considering I thought I had been enjoying it all along. I have never been more relaxed while writing as I was in that moment.

Perhaps the most shocking experience of reconnecting with the pen and pad was how each stroke of the pen was so in sync with my thoughts. It would be impossible to track how many times the backspace/delete buttons are depressed during a writing session or how many times I change my train of thought while typing. However, as I wrote my story by hand, the number of times the eraser was used never hit double digits. It was as if my mind slowed down and made my words coherent the first time around. My hands and mind were so in sync, it was a thing of beauty.

Upon finishing a session each day my mind was clear. I normally have a sense of relief after writing anyway, but the pen was somehow different. I think I was smiling for at least an hour after I finished my handwritten sessions. I was so proud of the day’s accomplishment – humming, singing, checking other things off of my list. I felt like I had achieved real writing.

One final thing that stood out through my handwriting experience was I made so much progress on the story – more than I have in any other manuscript. Unlike many of my projects, this one is actually almost done! (The first draft that is). Perhaps it was the storyline. Perhaps it was my internal motivation. Perhaps it’s just a coincidence. I’m not sure. What I do know is, in all this time, I have not moved toward the completion of a manuscript as quickly as I have this one. The only factor that has been different is the fact that it is handwritten. There must be something to it. I’m certainly open to exploring it more.

Every writer has their own preference for writing. Some choose handwriting, some choose typing, and some use dictation software. The bottomline is, whatever gets you to that sense of freedom – do it! Ultimately, I will most likely use a combination of forms, but right now this is working. I’ll just let the manuscript at the time guide me. You do the same. Which ever method helps you fully develop your characters, setting, and conflict is the method you should use.

Enjoy you craft and write on!

What the Prep?

Tags

Candace Ruffin, Creating Cane, Write, writing, Writing inspiration

I still can’t believe I’m about to do this! The first of November is Sunday. I feel strong going into this, but whoa! This will certainly be a new experience for me and I’m looking forward to it. But every time I think about that word count goal . . .

I’ve spent the last several days getting ready for the big NaNoWriMo event in hopes that a little prep will go a long way toward meeting my goal.

Feeling the Energy As the weather begins to cool here in sunny Florida, I’m revamping a space in my garage (don’t mind the dead plant) because that’s where I’m feeling the most creative these days. I love doing household projects and crafts in this space, but it wasn’t until recently that I actually tried writing in it. Boy did the juices start flowing. I’ve determined that this is where I seem to be most inspired and this will definitely be my “go-to” studio through the month of November, and possibly beyond.

Author Head Spaces Attending local writing events and workshops is always a great way to get your head in gear for writing. I attended a NaNoWriMo panel that really lit a fire under me, not just for November, but in general. I can’t stress enough how being around other writers is always refreshing and inspirational.

I also tuned into an authors panel via Spreecast. This was just as inspiring as the live panel and though I wasn’t able to attend the live event, I love that I could at least replay the panel from the comforts of my home at a time that was suitable for my schedule. The bonus was getting additional tips to help me throughout my writing career.

The Work I narrowed my novel ideas down to two concepts and just decided which one I’m going to run with for my first NaNoWriMo. This will be a case of starting from scratch and rewriting that novel that’s just been collecting dust for over a year now. One thing I’ve learned from attending writing events is – sometimes you just have to start over. The work isn’t going anywhere because I’m just not passionate enough about it. So, regardless of how much I’ve already put on paper, this is a must-do-redo and I’m ready. I’ve revised my characters to include more in depth character sketches, thought out the worlds in which my characters will live and interact, and have a general idea of where I want the story to go. I think I was missing some of these elements before, but the gaps are filled in, and there’s nowhere to go but through the pages.

The Distraction Plan I am prepared for that pesky Something Shiny Syndrome to rear it’s ugly head and keep me from meeting my daily writing goals. But not to worry. I’m prepared with a plan to write that incorporates all those planned and unplanned distractions – that holiday road trip, field trips and events at the kids’ schools, neighborhood events and functions, even running low on my caffeine supply and budget. Whatever the distraction, I’m ready to write – in the car, before the field trips and events, and during the kids’ practices. And just in case my caffeine stash and/or budget runs low, those quarters and nickels I’ve been dropping in old jars for years are ready for me to take to the conversion machine at the nearest supermarket so I can turn my coins into cash and restock and reload. No excuses people!

Within Reach Things I’m prepared to have within reach while writing this new novel: CHOCOLATE! Coffee, tea, or my favorite dark soda (pop for my northern folks); My favorite cheddar popcorn (I have to have this stuff); CHOCOLATE; A quick meat source for protein (peanut butter doesn’t always do it for me); paper and pens; any type of mobile device; and last but not least… did I mention CHOCOLATE? (Okay, I admit this is the candy we’re supposed to be passing out for Halloween, but they don’t need all those cavities anyway…right?)

Well, hopefully I can secure an emergency chocolate stash after Halloween. I’m sure the kids won’t mind.

There you have it. This novel is getting done! It has to. Wish me luck. If you don’t hear from me in November, hopefully it just means I’m lost in a good book – my own. Happy writing and write on!

Week in Review: Staying Focused

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Becoming a writer, C. M. Ruffin, Candace M. Ruffin, Creating Cane, Creative ideas, Make Time

This past week I tried something new. In keeping with my New Year, New Commitments philosophy, I actually laid out a work schedule and stuck to it! The end result was quite shocking.

It’s no secret that I start things and become so distracted that I end up not finishing what I started. In the end, I have ten projects in progress with zero projects completed. So I focused on one project and no matter what, stuck with it. I committed to completing my revisions on what may eventually be my first eBook, and viola! I couldn’t believe it. The revisions were done, emailed to my beta group and before I knew it I was on to the next thing.

What’s the next thing? Reviewing those dang illustrations for the picture book. Yes…that’s still a work in progress. But here’s the point: sticking to my plan resulted in something amazing. Prior to last week I was completely disheveled and all over the place. Nothing was getting done including my home commitments. And after all, isn’t that the reason I decided to stay home in the first place? Well, sticking to the plan changed all of that.

I work (write) in the mornings. Therefore, my afternoons are reserved for my home/family responsibilities. Because stayed focused and adhered to my work schedule, I felt 10 times more accomplished and proud of myself which in turn made me feel more energetic and ready to tackle the rest of my day with confidence. For the first time in a long time, everything got done in a day – each day. Progress was being made at “work”, the house was in order, laundry was done (and folded), homework help for the kids was done, and I successfully got everyone to their after school activities without breaking a sweat. I even got the best sleep I’ve gotten in weeks and had time to meet a friend and spend a day having fun while doing double duty making home repairs and improvements that I’d been putting off but suddenly had time to do.

And in case you’re wondering about that double duty while having fun, my friend and I dined together and browsed one of our favorite stores. Now just because I’m having a good time doesn’t mean I can’t also take care of business. While browsing, I picked up some things for those home improvement projects I’d been putting off. When I returned home I was able to hang a new display in the kitchen [pictured above], fix the kids’ clock in their room, and even had time to rearrange and reorganize my writing space which I had been meaning to do for weeks [pictured below]. See? I had a great time with my friend and was still able to get other things accomplished that were just as important.

I can’t stress enough the importance of making a schedule, laying out a plan and sticking with it. Talking about it is one thing; experiencing it is something completely different. I have seen the light! I have been on both sides of the spectrum and I have to say that accomplishing even the smallest goal is just as necessary as it is gratifying. And it certainly aids in having a nice, carefree weekend as well.

Here’s to staying committed and being one step closer to being published. Stay the course and write on!

Halloween Fun: The Weekend in Pictures

I’m not normally a fan of Halloween. But this year I was feeling especially festive and thought it would be fun to get into it a little for the kids. How can you not get excited about a Friday night full of fun, candy, drinks, and a night of hanging out with neighbors and friends? I hope you were all safe this weekend while celebrating. Back to my manuscript I go.

My Winter Soldier and Batman. I love these boys.

Winter Soldier

Batman

Crazy Like a Fox

Batman was my son’s first time carving a pumpkin. He did it himself. Very cool.

Pumpkin carving

Pumpkin carving II

This was a yummy treat from Pinterest called Monster Munch. I made it with the kids for the whole neighborhood to enjoy.

Monster Munch – Made it myself

Hubby and I visited our local farmer’s market for some scary fun. And scary it was…

Pumpkinhead attacks at our local zombie farm!

Illustrating Too?

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C. M. Ruffin, Candace M. Ruffin, Candace Ruffin, Creating Cane, Illustrate, Illustrating, Writing and Illustrating

Self-illustrating my picture books is an idea I toyed with from the beginning of this exploration into writing. I decided to focus on one new venture at a time – writing. As I continue writing, I am still learning what I can about the possibility of illustrating my own books. In doing so, I downloaded a sketching app to familiarize myself with the technology behind it all and to begin to get a feel for the different types of software available to self-publishers. I think with a little more practice, time, and commitment, illustrating my own books can be a reality.

The two sketches below are free-hand sketches created by me, Candace Ruffin.

I cheated on this one a little and created it using a photo for the base lines. Not bad, but I’m working on my free-hand.

As a writer, would you consider illustrating your own books? What’s keeping you from it? Share in the comments below.

Write on!

The Cafe

Tags

Illustrating picture books, Illustrations, illustrator, Picture books, sketch, Working with an illustrator

I needed to plug in. So much to do, so little time. While searching for an empty booth at the cafe, I slowly approached a gentleman from behind. Another booth occupied. He was working quietly and vigorously. He seemed so intent on what he was doing. So passionate. I was curious. As I continued to seek an empty booth, something caught my eye over his shoulder. The flap of a sketchbook flopped open. One more step and my eyes fell upon the book. It was a sketch. A whimsical, fun drawing that seemed all too familiar. I tilted my head to get more of the sketch in view. It was familiar. It was . . . my sketch. My illustration. This was the making of my book! For ten seconds I was speechless. Frozen. My feet wouldn’t move. I gasped. My eyes warmed. I held back a tear.

Finally, I stepped forward, placing my cup on his table. He looked up somewhat annoyed by the intrusion. One step on a Wednesday afternoon in a small, local cafe – put me face-to-face with him. My illustrator.

---

Yesterday was a defining moment in this crazy process. I met my illustrator! In this age of technology, a face-to-face meeting with all the hands that help develop a book can be rare. But it was a rare moment that was worth it.

It is almost impossible to put into words the level of emotions that swept through my body upon laying eyes on the original sketch boards of the illustrations. Seeing those images in such raw form made my picture book very real. For the first time I could actually visualize flipping through the pages of my own children’s book. It was no longer a little PDF thumbnail that would magically be transformed into a book. These sketches were blood, sweat, and tears. I could get a real sense of the time and care that went into this work.

We planned to meet at noon. I thought it would be more productive to get there a couple hours early, knock out some pages, then meet with him and conduct our business. Well, creative minds think alike, because he was already hard at work when I got there. We had not previously met. People don’t always look exactly like their pictures, so neither of us was sure who the other one was. And besides, it was two hours before we were scheduled to meet.

Needless to say, I’m not sure that we actually accomplished all that we set out to to do. But we certainly turned a one hour meeting, into a three hour laugh-fest. Making a real life connection to this ghost pencil, was affirmation. This meeting made my vision come alive and helped me see that this is not some mid-life crisis of a woman chasing childhood dreams.

What we do as writers, artists, creators, is not in vain. It all comes together eventually. I am so grateful to have found an illustrator that can capture my vision and make my story come alive. We make a great team.

Don’t rush this process. It is far too important – not only to you, but also your readers. In the end, everything you put into your first work and your last, will be worth it. Write on!

Palms to Pines

Tags

Inspiration, Poem, poems, Poetry, Write, writing

Occasionally I get moved to jot down a few lines of poetry. Whether it is good or not is left to the reader. But this one was inspired by a mere observation. We are writers regardless of genre. There is no rule that says you should only write within one genre. If you’re so moved, then grab your pencil, pen, or handy device and ink the words that are in your heart. It doesn’t matter the genre, only that you scribe.

Clear.
Waving goodbye.
Arms outstretched.
Smiling. Waving.

Fading away.
Apart we grow.
Fading smiles.
Arms are down.

I look ahead.
Bitter-sweet.
Missing your song,
Missing your dance.

The sun shines ahead.
Arms to greet.
Sharp and robust.
So many cheek-to-cheek.

Tall and royal.
Spirited joy.
Shielding. Protecting.
Abundant in love.
Clear again.

Do you write poetry despite your genre? What inspires you to write poetry? Share in the comments below. Whatever you feel the need to pen, write on!

Scripts and Scribbles: Getting kids writing

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Creative ideas, Finding Inspiration, Ideas, Inspire, kids, Write, writing, Writing inspiration

Photo by C. M. Ruffin

I’ve taught Reading and Language Arts for many years in public schools. One of the recurring struggles with my students was getting them to understand two things: (1) Reading and writing are connected; and (2) Reading and writing don’t have to be such a chore and a burden. I have tried many things to encourage my students to write and become better writers. I have pulled from my own inspirations and experiences; attended writing workshops for teachers; and simply made some things up (usually a little unorthodox, but whatever it takes to grab their interest).

My oldest son loathes reading. He absolutely hates the very idea of it. But many of the things he enjoys doing, unfortunately for him, involve reading. But not just looking at the words and saying the words, but active, in-depth reading. Our struggle with him has been taxing. But I’m forced to pull from my experience to try and help him become a better reader. It finally occurred to me to appeal to him through writing (which he hates more than reading by-the-way). But it’s easier to appeal to him from a writing perspective rather than reading. Here’s why:

My son is a lover of movies all things LEGO®, super and graphic. He could watch movies 24 hours a day if we let him. (For the record, we don’t. Let’s be clear) When he’s not watching a movie, quoting a movie, or reviewing a movie, then he’s drawing and creating comics. He started early-on copying comics and characters, and eventually began creating his own. The illustrations are great, but the content was questionable, and understandably so. He hates writing.

Photo by C. M. Ruffin

Well, I finally think I figured out how to get him on the writing train. Last summer we enrolled him in an art camp centered around puppet-making (because he’s fascinated with marionettes). For one week the kids created their own puppets – all forms of puppets. But they also had to put together performances using their puppets, which involved script-writing. At the end of the camp, they worked in groups to put on a full production for parents, which included writing the script for the play. Through this experience I realized that the best way to appeal to my son’s inner-author was through script writing. Currently he is working on a mini-movie using the LEGO® Movie Maker app in which he is also required (by me) to write the script for the movie. Now, understand, he’s going to middle school so of course this is met with some resistance. Despite his resistance however, he is finally beginning to see the connection between good writing and imagery. Like I said, the movie is still in production, and he’s been working on it for three months. I can’t wait to see what he’s put together.

The point is, just as adult writers have to pull our inspiration from different areas of life, so do children. Writing inspiration can’t just happen in the classroom and we can’t rely on the classroom to develop our children into fine writers. Sometimes we have to think outside of the box. Through my son’s love for movies he is becoming a stronger writer. Despite arguments that writing is a dying art form, there are still ways to use our advances in technology to grow effective writers.

This year we’ve enrolled him in graphic novel camp. Hopefully, this will continue to encourage and inspire some form of writing for him.

What were some of your childhood inspirations? What are some non-traditional methods you’ve come up with to encourage good writing? Don’t hesitate to share. Teachers, parents, and writers alike can benefit from fresh ideas to get our kids writing.

Write on!