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Creativity & Cleaning Toilets

November 18, 2014 //  by Wendy Lawton//  86 Comments

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

I’m feeling inspired and ready to creatively tackle a complex project I’ve needed to tackle for a long time. My muse, you ask? Why I spent the weekend cleaning out storage units, reorganizing the pantry and cleaning toilets. Glamorous, right?

dreamstime_xs_4995329

I spent my whole before-agenting life making my living off art and creativity. For thirty years I was a sculptor, doll designer and later, an author of middle grade and YA novels. I received dozens of awards over the years including the Dolls magazine Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and an honorary doctorate from Wilmington University in 2004. Pretty heady stuff.

Over those thirty years I created more 300 different porcelain doll editions comprising more than 100,000 dolls now residing in collections and museums all over the world. People used to ask how I could keep coming up with fresh new ideas. The answer was simple. Doing dishes, mopping floors and cleaning toilets.

When one lives a creative life– like writing books– the best antidote to the muscles used in creativity are the ones used to do rote, brainless tasks. Are you stuck on a plot issue? Start sorting the wash. You’ll sort out the issue at the same time.

Can’t think up a new idea for another book? Spend the day spring cleaning your whole house. Or tackle that garage or workshop. The ideas will come, fast and furious.

Need to do more interviews for a book and can’t figure out any new ways to approach the subject? Take a long, hot bath. I used to call my clawfoot bathtub “The Think Tank.”

I know it sounds simplistic but mindless work is a powerful muse– creativity & cleaning toilets go together.

So how about you? ‘Fess up.  What mundane tasks get your juices flowing? Why do you suppose that taking a break from creating to spend time working our hands refocuses our minds?

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What do creativity & cleaning toilets have in common? Click to Tweet

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Photo Credit: © Caraman | Dreamstime.com – Cleaning Toilets Photo

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Category: Blog, Fiction, Life, Nonfiction, Productivity, Writing Craft, Writing LifeTag: creativity, ideas, plotting dilemmas, Writer's Block, Writing

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  1. Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

    November 18, 2014 at 2:03 am

    Insomnia works for me. When I can’t sleep, I work out plot and character details, and especially the “apologetic” arc for both the story as a whole, and for the characters’ individual faith paths.

    I don’t think about my stories when I’m doing mundane tasks because WE are above having to DO such things as might be considered mundane. Ugh. Sniff. That’s what servants are for.

    Always wanted to use a Royal WE. That was fun.

    Actually, I’m a long-time Zen practitioner (which is not inconsistent with being a devout Christian), and one of the first precepts is to consider everything you do worthy of full attention, and full care. Doing otherwise is a disservice to the moment one has been granted, and is thus a disservice to God. (Ecclesiates 9:10, if you’re interested)

    Hand in hand with that is the implicit faith that God will provide the needed creative information when it’s time to write. (Philippians 4:19, among others)

    My faith isn’t perfect, so I use the hours of sleeplessness to back up the creative input.

    But perhaps, as with severe pain, I need to meet insomnia on its own terms. Facing and living with pain, and eschewing pharmaceutical avenues of escape has brought a measure of compassion and faith. At cost, yes, but what price the clarity of caritas?

    Perhaps living in the moment of insomnia, and trusting God with the creative toolbox, would accrue similar benefits.

    Reply
    • Shirlee Abbott

      November 18, 2014 at 3:04 am

      Most of us see pain and insomnia as negatives, something to avoid. Kudos to you, Andrew, for embracing them, transforming them into creative moments. It’s no surprise that your midnight thoughts posted here are so deep.

      I agree, Wendy, that my most creative ideas come when I am not trying to be creative. I spend the equivalent of a work day each week commuting to and from work, and ideas come to me in the car. Which explains the notepad between the front seats. I’m the gal at the traffic light scribbling, trying to preserve a great idea for future reference.

      Reply
      • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

        November 18, 2014 at 6:10 am

        Thank you so much, Shirlee.

      • Shirlee Abbott

        November 18, 2014 at 7:10 am

        I ran across a new word at today at work: pathography, per the Oxford Dictionary, “the study of the life of an individual or the history of a community with regard to the influence of a particular disease or psychological disorder.”

        Andrew, you are a master of pathography.

      • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

        November 18, 2014 at 7:48 am

        Shirlee, I am honored.

        It’s hard to write about being in death’s vortex, but I will say this – for whomever it may be important –

        First, if this fate had to be dumped somewhere, better on me. Spare someone else. It’s not altruism. I just enjoy a good, brutal fight. God gave me a burden to match my back. Cool. Bring it.

        Second, this has become something of a witness. There IS always something you can do for the good, no matter how onerous the externals. There IS always hope.

        Right now, writing this, smiling hurts. Literally.

        But every genuine smile is a victory, and puts paid to the devil’s hopes.

        And I will fight my way to shore, and to life again.

    • Sondra Kraak

      November 18, 2014 at 5:56 am

      Andrew, what you’re describing as Zen reminds me of Brother Lawrence and his classic Practicing the Presence of God. Have you read it? I definitely recommend it.

      Reply
      • Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

        November 18, 2014 at 6:09 am

        It’s now on my list, Sondra – thanks!

      • Wendy Lawton

        November 18, 2014 at 9:11 am

        Sondra, Like minds and all that. I hadn’t read your comment when I commented.

    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:10 am

      Andrew, your walk through the valley of pain is a witness to us all. I’m praying you come out on the other side and can testify what it means to live pain free and sleep well.

      Your Zen approach reminds me of Brother Lawrence and his practice of the presence of God– he said,”Nor is it needful that we should have great things to do. . . We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.”

      Reply
  2. Carol McAdams Moore

    November 18, 2014 at 4:10 am

    Wendy – What a great post! Mundane tasks do spark creative thinking. I have to laugh because I checked the blog as my last writing task of the morning. (A little extra company cleaning for Thanksgiving is happening each day.) What a fun reminder that I will be accomplishing two things at once. Thanks for the post!

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:12 am

      Oh, yes, Thanksgiving. Every woman reading this is groaning and smiling.

      Reply
      • Jennifer Zarifeh Major

        November 18, 2014 at 12:05 pm

        Umm, if anyone needs help cleaning for Thanksgiving, I’d be happy to help.
        I just need a plane ticket. 😉

  3. Jennifer Zarifeh Major

    November 18, 2014 at 4:47 am

    Wow, Wendy! Just, WOW! You are one impressive lady!

    Each Fall, I do a refinishing project for a charity auction. It takes me away from writing, BUT it’s for a good cause and my sons’ (yes, plural) hockey teams benefit from my work.
    Stripping old paint or finish from very old furniture is hard, monotonous work. It cannot be rushed, because one MUST be patient or have fun fixing that permanent damage you just inflicted on that irreplaceable 100 year old sapele from Africa.

    For me, the act of sanding can almost become a meditative experience.
    Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Eyes continuously focused one on spot. All effort concentrated on one specific movement. No room for distractions. And never ever go against the grain. EVER.
    While trapped in my garage with my power tools, my characters have had time to work out their issues and even decided what to wear on certain occasions.

    As for tubs? Ohhhh, yeah, definitely a Think Tank!! My plot twist for book 2 came in my Think Tank and I still get goose bumps thinking abut that “Ah ha!” moment.

    Monotony frees the brain to leave the room and go for a walk.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:14 am

      I did think of you and refinishing when I wrote this. I wish I could carve out the time to do a piece of furniture.

      Reply
  4. Lori Benton

    November 18, 2014 at 5:28 am

    I’ve worked out many a plot or character issue while hiking a mountain trail.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:15 am

      Good reminder, Lori. It’s not just mundane work. Exercise works the same. And when you are walking through God’s country, well it’s that much better.

      Reply
  5. Rose Phillips

    November 18, 2014 at 5:30 am

    There is nothing I hate more on this planet than exercising (well, except fried liver)but I get on the treadmill or Zumba daily. I’m not sure if it frees my mind or if I am just so desperate to escape the reality of weighty limbs and wheezing breath that my thoughts drift to a happier place. All I know is it works-as a kick start or to break a moment of stalemate.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:16 am

      There are many studies that show the link between exercise and creativity. You’re inspiring, Rose.

      Reply
  6. Becky Jones

    November 18, 2014 at 5:33 am

    Monotony is precious white space that’s getting harder to come by these day. I like what Jennifer said, about freeing the brain up to go for a walk. A little auto-pilot is a healthy now and then!

    I get my best ideas in the shower (I joke that my conditioner penetrates so deep, it even detangles my ideas). Epiphanies can also occur while: blowdrying my hair, riding my bike, or driving familiar routes (not that I’m a mindless driver…). 😉

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:18 am

      Becky, I’ve read a few articles about creativity and the shower. I can’t recall the scientific explanation– brain dead today– but there is a reason why the movement of water molecules stimulates the brain.

      Reply
  7. Jen Colson

    November 18, 2014 at 5:35 am

    Jennifer, you’re so right: Monotony frees the brain to leave the room and go for a walk.

    I do my best thinking when my body is engaged in a repetitive or familiar task—-driving, cleaning, walking down our dirt road. For some reason, this type of “mindless” physical activity relaxes the logical, sensible part of my brain and releases my imagination and creativity.

    Hmmm…I guess this means that I could have an immaculate house, be in great shape, and write a fabulous novel! 🙂

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:20 am

      Immaculate house, great toned body and novels– yep, you do write fiction.

      Reply
  8. Sondra Kraak

    November 18, 2014 at 6:00 am

    I think our minds must be made for balance. An overload of creativity needs the rest of the monotony, and yet, even in the everyday tasks, the creative mind can’t completely shut off, right? Sometimes I feel like I’m stalling by cleaning the house when I should be writing–and I’m sure that’s part of it–but maybe my mind is just refueling.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:21 am

      I definitely believe this. Refueling. Those people who sit for hours staring at a blank screen need to get up and tackle the mundane, right?

      Reply
  9. Shelli Littleton

    November 18, 2014 at 6:22 am

    Just waiting to fall asleep at night … or sometimes during my sleep. I keep a spiral notebook, tiny light, and working pencil by the bed. 🙂

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:22 am

      I used to do that when I was actively writing. In the morning I could barely make out the words and I had lost the context too often. So glad it works for you.

      Reply
    • Janet Ann Collins

      November 18, 2014 at 1:34 pm

      I, too get ideas just before feeling asleep and keep a pad and pencil by my bed. I can write in the dark, but sometimes things I write don’t make sense the next morning. I also get lots of ideas while driving, but can’t write while doing that, but do remember some of them when I stop.

      Reply
      • Rose

        November 18, 2014 at 1:47 pm

        Janet,

        My husband bought me a digital recorder. They’re not that expensive and, at the click of a button, you can talk away wherever (or whenever) you are and then transcribe later. An added bonus is that you don’t need to turn on a light in the middle of the night. Although, I’m not sure my whispering is any less disruptive. :0)

      • Shelli Littleton

        November 18, 2014 at 2:32 pm

        Janet Ann, in the car, my daughter takes dictation! 🙂

  10. Richard Mabry

    November 18, 2014 at 6:25 am

    Wendy, years ago, before the death of my first wife, we had some acreage several miles away on which we planned to build a retirement home. Once a week I’d go out there, climb aboard our John Deere riding mower, put on my radio-headphones, and spend several hours mowing and thinking. It was wonderful relaxation.
    Now I get the same kind of relaxation/thinking/planning/plotting time with my daily walks. I agree with you that mindless activity is good for the gray cells (and, in some cases, the cardiac muscle). Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:24 am

      I hear you. Back when we had an almond ranch, the tractor in the orchard was the perfect place. The buzz of the motor and the smell of the earth, well, if I could go back for a little while. . .

      Reply
      • Lori Benton

        November 18, 2014 at 6:43 pm

        When you talk of your life in the area where you live, you so often remind me of my dad, who grew up there. He picked almonds on one of those ranches as a teenager. And he insisted almond is pronounced like salmon.

  11. Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

    November 18, 2014 at 6:46 am

    This isn’t a method I use, but I thought I’d pass it along – it’s from Arthur Haarmeyer’s “Into The Land Of Darkness”, his memoir of flying in the Korean War.

    Fifty years after the war, Haarmeyter was suffering from the effects of PTSD, and a psychologist suggested that when the nightmares came, he write them down immediately – and in the morning, first thing, goto the computer and write them down in smooth copy. Delaying would allow misinterpretation of what he’d written in the night, and also give the opportunity for content editing.

    While this was suggested as therapy for PTSD, it formed the basis for Haarmeyer’s book. It’s self-published, but a high-quality production, and one of the very few testimonies from a forgotten war.

    I hope I will be excused for plugging the book – I’m really impressed, and believe we should honor Korean veterans. They stand in the shadow of the Greatest Generation, but they cast along one themselves…if we’ll only listen to them.

    http://smile.amazon.com/Into-Land-Darkness-Bombardier-Navigators-Story/dp/0988674912/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416321836&sr=1-1&keywords=into+the+land+of+darkness

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:27 am

      You’re excused. It sounds like a fascinating exercise.

      I remember Robert Benson saying something like, “When I first walk up, before I even lift my head, I go for a walk along the beach of my mind, picking up whatever washed ashore during my sleep.”

      Reply
  12. Jennifer Watson

    November 18, 2014 at 7:38 am

    This summer I was in the middle of a writing project about how I had to unpack my emotional baggage in the spotlight of leadership. Writing this was intense and left me incredibly vulnerable. Needless to say, I felt stuck and needed a major break. I decided to repurpose some old furniture and felt so much inspiration from seeing something broken restored. I felt like that old piece of furniture was me and just needed a little love and a lot of paint.

    I needed a creative outlet where I could see a finished project. It fueled my creativity by finishing something else. Painting and using power tools is therapeutic. 🙂

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:28 am

      Isn’t it funny that the task you ended up choosing paralleled the arc of your book?

      Reply
  13. Jeanne Takenaka

    November 18, 2014 at 7:43 am

    Wow, Wendy. I knew you had done a number of noteworthy things, but . . . wow. 🙂 It’s fun to hear where your creativity has spilled out over the years. 🙂

    For me, taking a shower seems to be one of the best times for story creativity to show up. I find myself rushing through the cleaning to get out and write down the great ideas before they dissipate with the steam.

    The other time ideas seem to come is in that place between wakefulness and sleep. Just as I’m dropping off. I’ve learned to get up and write them down ASAP so I don’t lose them. 🙂 And sometimes while I’m chopping vegetables for dinner, a great idea comes to mind. 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah Thomas

      November 18, 2014 at 8:43 am

      I love that you get GOOD ideas in that twilight of sleep. Seems like the ideas I get then only SEEM good until they hit the full light of day. Then I wonder if it was something I ate . . .

      Reply
      • Jeanne Takenaka

        November 18, 2014 at 11:43 am

        Laughing out loud, Sarah. 🙂

    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:30 am

      I’ve always been thankful that I don’t have a twilight of sleep. My head hits the pillow and I am gone until morning. Maybe I should rethink this. I seem to be missing out on a time of creativity.

      Reply
      • Jeanne Takenaka

        November 18, 2014 at 11:44 am

        My husband has this too, Wendy. I call it the gift of sleep, since I tend to be on the opposite extreme. Falling asleep right away truly IS a gift. 🙂

  14. Wendy Macdonald

    November 18, 2014 at 7:52 am

    Wendy, I love the creative life you have lived and still live. As I sit here in our den, there’s a collectible doll watching me from across the room. My lifelong girlfriend gave it to me and said I was not to give it to my daughter (a toddler at the time). Her dress matches an antique miniature tea-set she stands beside.

    My friend did me a favor by insisting I keep it, since I can now enjoy her all to myself guilt-free.

    My muse seems to be stimulated by mundane or repetitive tasks such as washing dishes and taking a shower. Poetry comes to me when I’m out in nature.

    Blessings ~ Wendy Mac ❀

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:31 am

      Poetry. We don’t talk much about that these days. What a blessing that images/ words come in the midst of nature.

      Reply
  15. Sarah Thomas

    November 18, 2014 at 8:41 am

    Walking the dog is my muse! But I also love to take a break and organize or rearrange something. Last weekend I got wire baskets for the top shelf of my closet. Now my jeans, yoga pants, and sweaters are neatly folded and stacked in baskets. This makes me a lot happier than anyone knows. Somehow putting some bit of my life into order makes me feel more orderly in other places–including my writing.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:33 am

      Thistle– your beloved dog– is the perfect muse. And yes! That’s exactly me. If I accomplish one thing of order, it makes me feel that much closer to the orderly life that spurs creativity.

      Reply
    • Jeanne Takenaka

      November 18, 2014 at 11:46 am

      Oh, Sarah, I so get the need for order. Maybe that’s why I’m having trouble sitting down and writing lately! I have piles everywhere. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Lynn Rodriguez

    November 18, 2014 at 8:54 am

    Great post, Wendy. For some reason, just like Jeanne, my best creative ideas come whenever I’m in the shower. I now keep a pen and paper nearby and as soon as I’ve dried off, I’m jotting down ideas or solutions to problems with my manuscript.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:34 am

      I need to look up those shower=creativity scientific studies. There is something about running water– waterfalls, streams, showers. I think it is negative ions or some such.

      Reply
      • Lynn Rodriguez

        November 21, 2014 at 6:49 pm

        Wendy, I think you’re right, it definitely has to do with the water falling and the sound of water that calms the body and frees the mind.

    • Becky Jones

      November 18, 2014 at 10:25 am

      Lynn…there is a fun product called Aqua Notes that I recently found on Amazon. It’s a waterproof notepad/pencil combo that suctions to the shower wall. Only about $8. I hinted to my in-law that it would be a fab Christmas gift. 😉

      The product’s tagline? “No more great ideas down the drain!”

      http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Notes-Waterproof-Notepad-Mountable/dp/B003W09LTQ

      Reply
      • Jeanne Takenaka

        November 18, 2014 at 11:47 am

        Becky, I have used these. They are great, unless your shower walls are grooved. Then they don’t stick very well. I loved having them in my shower when they stayed on the wall though. 🙂

      • Shelli Littleton

        November 18, 2014 at 2:33 pm

        Love that, Becky!

      • Lynn Rodriguez

        November 21, 2014 at 6:51 pm

        Thanks, Becky! I knew there had to be some sort of waterproof notepad for people like me, but I never found the time to look into it. With Christmas just around the corner, this is the perfect gift for me.

  17. Meghan Carver

    November 18, 2014 at 8:56 am

    Wow, Wendy! Impressive accomplishments! I remember Robin Lee Hatcher posting on FB quite a while ago that she was stuck in a manuscript but then figured it all out while emptying the dishwasher. For me, it’s driving. Assuming the children are asleep or reading, I can watch the cornfields breeze by and clear my mind.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:35 am

      I’ve always been a driver as well. Some of my most memorable ideas came on long drives into San Francisco.

      Reply
  18. Jessica Snell

    November 18, 2014 at 8:57 am

    This reminds me of one of my favorite authors, Essie Summers (a Kiwi who wrote for Harlequin years & years ago), who said she plotted all her novels while doing the dishes. 🙂

    I find activities that are rhythmic help me think best: knitting, walking, folding laundry, that kind of thing.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:36 am

      Jessica, you’d be surprised to learn how many writers are knitters or needleworkers of some kind.

      Reply
  19. Karen Barnett

    November 18, 2014 at 9:28 am

    Like several others have mentioned, I also get some of my best ideas in the shower. Another hot spot for me is church. I’m glad they hand me a bulletin on the way in, because even though I’m not a fill-in-the-blank kind of girl, I love to use it for scribbling down plot ideas, or verses and songs that might “speak” to my characters. Sometimes I wonder if I should list my pastor and worship director as co-authors. 🙂

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 9:38 am

      Yes! I have bulletins that are covered in writing and they are not sermon notes. Wise words or lyrics often spur us toward fresh ideas.

      Reply
    • Jeanne Takenaka

      November 18, 2014 at 11:49 am

      I’ve gotten some great ideas while listening to sermons too. 🙂 I even had two characters carry on an argument in the middle of one Sunday sermon. My husband couldn’t understand why I was writing so furiously until I explained afterwards. 🙂

      Reply
    • Lori Benton

      November 18, 2014 at 6:45 pm

      Yes and amen. In fact I just wrote a blog post about that very thing, sitting in church and scribbling plot notes…

      Reply
  20. Kristen Joy Wilks

    November 18, 2014 at 9:45 am

    I find my best inspiration during worship at church. Perhaps it is annoying to others (but we are at the kids table with all the coloring books and puzzles so perhaps I am far enough away to annoy) but during those gorgeous songs I’ll have ideas for character wounds and development and plot twists and…stuff. So I am often scribbling on my bulletin like a mad woman while listening to the beautiful praise music.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:40 pm

      I’ve found an idea from music more than once.

      Reply
  21. Terri Wangard

    November 18, 2014 at 11:45 am

    This past summer I could not get my story flowing. Finally I shut down my laptop and went for a bike ride. Back home again, the story took off. It took a slight detour, but was so much better than I’d been trying to work it before. With the weather now in the teens, I’ll have to rely on the exercise bike.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:40 pm

      If only the exercise bike could see the same terrain as your summer bike rides.

      Reply
  22. Laura Christianson

    November 18, 2014 at 12:28 pm

    Wendy,

    We are toilet-scrubbing kindred spirits! I also get creative ideas (and stress reduction) while swimming laps at my local pool. Toilets. Dish water. Washing machine. Pool. It must be a water thing.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:43 pm

      Yep. Water. There’s something about water.

      Reply
  23. Julie Garmon

    November 18, 2014 at 1:28 pm

    Agree! Agree! Agree! I have a clawfoot tub too. The think tank. I love it. I should start putting pen and paper on my little table beside my tub. 🙂

    And the weirdest thing–sometimes I’ll dream answers to my plotting issues. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and know exactly how to fix something.

    Neat post, Wendy!

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:44 pm

      I miss my old claw foot but in this new house I have a gigantic garden tub which I adore. Still my think tank.

      Reply
  24. Brenda Koinis

    November 18, 2014 at 1:37 pm

    My mindless task is pretty simple–go take a long walk! The ticket is this: no ipod, no phone, nothing with earphones allowed!

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:45 pm

      Love that, Brenda. I need a media fast more often (she says while typing away on her computer).

      Reply
  25. Jamie Chavez

    November 18, 2014 at 1:45 pm

    Wendy, I bet you know my friend Londie Phillips, who is still in that doll design world. She and I went to high school together and are still friends. 🙂

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:47 pm

      I don’t think I’ve met Londie but I have been out for a long time.

      Reply
  26. Elissa

    November 18, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    Mucking stalls has always inspired my creativity. Definitely a mindless routine activity, and actually not as bad as it sounds.

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:47 pm

      And the horses love you.

      Reply
  27. Amelia Rhodes

    November 18, 2014 at 2:22 pm

    Wendy, I never knew your past work history! How exciting! I too have found cleaning to be great creative exercise. Running has also been a great creative release. I come home with several new ideas, and once outlined my whole book during a 7 mile run! But now that we are under a foot of snow, I will probably have to resort to cleaning toilets…

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:48 pm

      Running would not be good for me for creativity. I’d be too busy trying to get enough air to breathe.

      Reply
  28. Jenni Brummett

    November 18, 2014 at 2:31 pm

    “I thought of that while riding my bicycle.”
    ― Albert Einstein

    Reply
    • Wendy Lawton

      November 18, 2014 at 2:48 pm

      Perfect quote, Jenni!

      Reply
  29. Kathleen Y'Barbo

    November 18, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    Yes!! I just spent a good part of a snowy afternoon organizing my files. What therapy! Not only did it get the creative juices flowing, but I also found great articles I had saved and snippets of story ideas that I’d forgotten about.

    Reply
  30. Sue Harrison

    November 18, 2014 at 3:12 pm

    I clean toilets daily for 3 able adult men, so I get rather cranky about toilet cleaning. In the midst, I often waste my creativity composing bold speeches that begin with, “Just because you were born a man..,” and end with general remarks about entitlement issues.

    After reading your fun and wise post, Wendy, I realize I’m adding to my angst instead of developing my creativity.

    Thank you for the smile and for the wisdom!

    Reply
  31. don and rascal

    November 18, 2014 at 3:14 pm

    He delicately said, “Scooping up what comes out of the south end of my hound.”

    Reply
  32. Amanda Dykes

    November 18, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    I’m so late to the party tonight, but just had to say– what a great post! It’s so true. Something about cleaning something out physically seems to also sweep the cobwebs from my mind. And I love that you called the tub the “think tank”– it’s where I read manifold writing craft books earlier in my writing journey. It’s where I learned how to write fiction. Well, that and within dissected pages of edited drafts, haha! Thanks for being wonderful, Wendy.

    Reply
  33. SJ Francis

    November 18, 2014 at 6:46 pm

    Love this humorous and insightful post! For me, simply the act of going to sleep at night causes my creativity juices to begin flowing, and just when I need my sleep the most.
    Idle minds begin to wander and I guess they wander back to where you wanted them to be. When we focus too hard, the juices stop flowing. When we relax, they come forth on their own. At least, that is my humble opinion.
    Regards, S.J. Francis

    Reply
  34. Sherry Kyle

    November 19, 2014 at 11:12 am

    Creativity sparks for me when I’m vacuuming. Something about the movement inspires me. I also like brainstorming in the shower. Or I pray. Nothing like being bare before the Lord!

    Reply
  35. Reba Stanley

    November 19, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    I totally agree, brainless work certainly helps the creativity in a person. Something about doing mindless work frees the creativity part of our brains, allowing the ideas to flow.

    Reply

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