I’ve been taking some time lately to ‘Fill the well’. I have no idea how I came across this term, but I really like the idea that creativity is a well that must be added to in order to be sustained. Finishing Restless pretty much depleted my creative well down to its last muddy dregs, and as much as I would have loved to jump right into a new project, I knew I needed to take the time to fill it back up again.
How have I been doing that?
Well, this helped a great deal:

I have an incredibly talented, generous husband who loves to make mock covers for my books. This one is just perfect and it makes my heart sing to see such a lovely visual representation of my story. Those white things are moths, by the way, and they play an important role in the story. Thanks, Husband!!!
This is another way I’m filling the well:

I haven’t been to the beach in far too long and it was so lovely to go back there.
I’ve also been assembling my inspiration pics for the new story. This is one of them:

And no, I’m not writing a werewolf story π
I’m also reading lots of books, researching puppy training for our May arrival, going to the movies (two in one weekend), taking up running again and spending lots of time with friends and family.
These things make for a happy soul and a full well.
How do you ‘fill the well’?
Oh Wow! That cover is so perfect! Michael is amazing!
I’m glad you are filling yourself up again π
LOVE the mock cover — that image is perfect!
I fill the well by indulging in reading binges, walking on the beach, going for “tea dates” with a friend (also a writer, so she totally “gets it”), maybe watching a movie or two. It’s really important to be intentional about re-filling, I think. Both our spirit and our writing can suffer if we forget to do that.
I totally agree! Which reminds me. Must schedule a reading binge sometime soon.
[…] I haven’t made much progress with my writing lately , but I’ve been meeting a lot of other personal goals. I’ve been learning to drive a manual transmission car, and I think I’ve finally found the answer to defeating my insomnia. And most importantly, I’ve been filling the well. […]