filling the well

We all have 'wells' in our lives. They are the spots from which we pull the passion and energy to pursue our interests. For quite a while, the writing well in my life has been just about dry.

A few years ago, one of the published authors in our area presented a talk on filling the creative well. She talked about jolting your system and stepping out of your comfort zone. Lots of cliche terms in a row, but the general idea is a good one. Monotony is a killer and will drain your well.

Even my duties at the bookstore can become a drain at times. I have to work to keep the passion level up. Swapping out inventory yesterday helped as did putting together a sale cart. Both are new things for the moment and will give me a push through year end.

My upcoming trip is going to be a huge opportunity to fill my creative well. Now, what follows is a really 'uh-duh' statement, but a simple truth. It is so much easier to write about places you have actually been to...uh, duh. It is also so much easier to get fodder for characters when you are given the opportunity to people watch on such a grand scale as an airport, airplane, big city etc. Traveling tweaks your world view, which is an added bonus to the whole concept of vacation.

As December slides away in the rush towards the holidays, I'm really looking forward to benefiting from the added bonuses in this trip. Which means, I hope to come back with an overflowing creative well. Then, what excuse will I have??