Writing and Drawing

Sometimes when I'm trying to germinate a seed of an idea, I draw. I know it sounds counterintuitive. It feels awkward, thinking of a story and sketching. Too many different kinds of brain cells are being used. It jangles the nerves, at first.

There's a distinct difference between art (in whatever form) and writing, after all. Art is essentially a visual medium. Writing is essentially a linguistic medium. Fortunately for us, creativity will not allow itself to be fenced in.

Something clicks for me once I begin sketching or painting. I love watercolors, acrylics, colored pencils, crayons, pastels and plain graphite. My closet is well-stocked, for myself and for my sons. Losing myself in the rhythm of creating is empowering. It empowers me even knowing that the final product is likely to be generally irrelevant. For me, as a non-artist, it is not the result that matters. It is the process, the very act of creation itself, that is important and relevant to me.

I approach the paper with an idea that needs to grow. It could be as simple as a turn of phrase in my mind, a place (real or imagined), or a character inhabiting my brain. It could be as complex as a situation or dynamic, a particular conflict or a philosophical viewpoint that I want to explore through storytelling. Lines and shapes appear on paper as the seed of the idea begins to germinate somewhere in my subconscious until it pushes up and out to sprout in my conscious mind. The drawing or painting becomes clearer and takes on meaning relevant to the idea. The story blossoms. I can see it.

That's when I usually abandon the art supplies and run to a notebook or my laptop, and switch from the visual to the linguistic medium. It's my preferred modality after all.

Here are some examples from a YA project I'm currently writing.

I started with the idea of an endless survival quest. A circle seemed like a good representation of something endless.



It worked. The idea exploded in my mind.



Details began to emerge. I could see it.

You can also see how the original idea became clarified:



Finally, I moved to paper to write notes and plan the story more fully.



The working title is "Circle". I am having so much fun writing it.

What creative things do you do to help your writing?