Finding Your Creative Voice

Bath Looking Beautiful...

There is often a huge amount of emphasis put on finding your creative voice. Lots of discussions on how to do it, where to find it and exercises to help. But actually we are all born with our own creative voice already part of us. It develops in different ways and is embedded within our own cultural moments, which is influenced by: our upbringing, history, social background, cultural experiences, politics, biology, psychology, education and all the other parts that make us who we are.

I am not sure it is quite as elusive as is often made out. What I do feel is that voice is often tied into a story rather than only the writer. And that for each story you write the voice will adapt to that story, particularly if you have fully imagined worlds and characters. Human beings, are by our very nature, flexible people and that is often reflected in our writing and our processes.

The voice in a story has multiple levels. Of course the writer contributes to it, but so do the characters and also the reader will bring their own cultural moment to their interpretation of that voice thereby making the voice their own. This is important because the reader is not someone who is passive, they are an active participant in the story. They want to experience the narrative - live the story.

Some people worry that by reading lots they will be influenced by those books and they will end up copying that writer's voice. What might actually happen is the writer slips that voice on for a while but their own voice will come through.A writer's voice also changes as they develop as a writer and as they get older. Due in no small part to the change/increased amount of experiences they can bring to their writing.

Therefore voice does not stay the same, it constantly evolves, but it needs to come from your heart. You need to be brave and bold but also trust  that you do have your own voice.

This just seems right after such a beautiful day which has followed a long, grey, wet winter

Here comes the sun....PLEASE

This is what I want to be doing

I have had enough - that's it I've said it. I am so tired of the cold and the greyness. Yesterday was Spring Equinox yet the winter still seems be holding us in its tight grip. But I know I am not the only one. Everyone is feeling the same and it just reinforces the end of semester exhaustion.

A little bit of sunshine makes such a difference. A couple of weeks ago we had a glorious day (just the one) and I noticed everyone was smiling. They were all walking along with a bounce in their step and it made me realise how much weather can affect how you feel and how you treat others. Everyone was so happy. And words were written.

Don't get me wrong I am perfectly aware that come the summer (if it ever comes that is) we will be moaning that it is too hot. We are British after all and never satisfied.

This current greyness and cold seems to suck the life out of you and your creativity. Trying to write when you are so cold is difficult if not impossible. I end up writing fully clothed in my bed, with a hat on. Great image eh?

The picture above is entitled 'A man reading in the garden' by Daumier and a copy of which I was given for my birthday by a good friend. It is framed and waiting to be hung and it is my inspiration that the sunshine will come back. The trees will burst forth and the words will flow again, people will smile and there will be life giving light.

Even Rumi seemed to feel the same about winter...

My worst habit is I get so tired of winter 
I become a torture to those I’m with.

If you’re not here, nothing grows. 
I lack clarity. My words 
tangle and knot up.

Therefore, it had to be this song, it is an open prayer to the weather gods as far as I am concerned PLEASE LET US HAVE SOME SUNSHINE AND WARMTH: