Creative Thought Space |
Marie Lecrivain | Los Angeles, USA | www.poeticdiversity.org
Executive Editor/Publisher of poeticdiversity: the litzine of Los Angeles
What do you think being creative means?
For me, personally, being creative means I need to communicate, and leave my mark on the world at large, in a way that goes beyond ordinary daily conversation, whether it be through poetry, prose, photography, painting, dance, etc.
How do you include creativity in your life?
I read every day. I dress a little bit different than everyone else. I knit. I take my camera with me wherever I go to photograph weird and inspiring images in my environment. I meditate, to keep my awareness at a higher level than normal. I often write poetry in different forms.
What are your thoughts on how your life has influenced your creative imagination, and how your creative imagination has influenced your life?
I often think of Henry Miller when I get asked this question. He’s one of my favourite writers. He came to writing rather late in life, and his best writing came out of his personal experiences. There is so much richness and inspiration in everyone’s life on a daily basis. From there, one can take a small seed of an idea, and expand on it, until one has a poem, a story, a novel, etc. I’ve had an interesting life (so far), and my best writing has come from merely sitting down, letting my mind go down memory lane, and then finding a situation to inspire me. As to how my creative imagination has influenced my life, well, if I hadn’t started writing, going to poetry readings, etc., I would not have started poeticdiversity. I would not be the author of several books. I would not have met the friends I have. I would not be answering these questions. Life and Imagination are intertwined, and if one has the courage to let that relationship grow, then the rewards are ongoing.
What, if any, exercises do you do to get into a creative mode?
When I get “stuck”, there are several things I do: I go for a walk, which helps me to get rid of the stress of writer’s block; I will write in other poetic forms, because a) I believe that poets need to do this to stay disciplined, b) I will often end up with something better - poetically speaking - than I thought I was capable of producing; and, I’ll put the writing aside and go live my life for awhile. When the well runs dry, THAT is the time to go out into the world and discover new things to inspire me.
How important do you think creativity is in life?
It’s as vital as breathing. Creativity is, among other things, adaptation, and a part of evolution. If early man hadn’t figured out new and better ways to hunt, cook food, plant crops, etc, then, the human race wouldn’t have achieved half of its potential. IMO, everyone has the potential to be creative; whether or not they choose to foster it is up to them.
For me, personally, being creative means I need to communicate, and leave my mark on the world at large, in a way that goes beyond ordinary daily conversation, whether it be through poetry, prose, photography, painting, dance, etc.
How do you include creativity in your life?
I read every day. I dress a little bit different than everyone else. I knit. I take my camera with me wherever I go to photograph weird and inspiring images in my environment. I meditate, to keep my awareness at a higher level than normal. I often write poetry in different forms.
What are your thoughts on how your life has influenced your creative imagination, and how your creative imagination has influenced your life?
I often think of Henry Miller when I get asked this question. He’s one of my favourite writers. He came to writing rather late in life, and his best writing came out of his personal experiences. There is so much richness and inspiration in everyone’s life on a daily basis. From there, one can take a small seed of an idea, and expand on it, until one has a poem, a story, a novel, etc. I’ve had an interesting life (so far), and my best writing has come from merely sitting down, letting my mind go down memory lane, and then finding a situation to inspire me. As to how my creative imagination has influenced my life, well, if I hadn’t started writing, going to poetry readings, etc., I would not have started poeticdiversity. I would not be the author of several books. I would not have met the friends I have. I would not be answering these questions. Life and Imagination are intertwined, and if one has the courage to let that relationship grow, then the rewards are ongoing.
What, if any, exercises do you do to get into a creative mode?
When I get “stuck”, there are several things I do: I go for a walk, which helps me to get rid of the stress of writer’s block; I will write in other poetic forms, because a) I believe that poets need to do this to stay disciplined, b) I will often end up with something better - poetically speaking - than I thought I was capable of producing; and, I’ll put the writing aside and go live my life for awhile. When the well runs dry, THAT is the time to go out into the world and discover new things to inspire me.
How important do you think creativity is in life?
It’s as vital as breathing. Creativity is, among other things, adaptation, and a part of evolution. If early man hadn’t figured out new and better ways to hunt, cook food, plant crops, etc, then, the human race wouldn’t have achieved half of its potential. IMO, everyone has the potential to be creative; whether or not they choose to foster it is up to them.
