The Romance Writer's Revenge is proud to welcome our first guest blogger since setting sail on the new ship.  Today we welcome Erotica author Lacey Alexander, aka Erotic Romance author Toni Blake.  That's right, a RITA nominated author is on the decks!  How cool is that?!?  Lacey's latest release, SEVEN NIGHTS OF SIN, can be found at a bookstore near you so be sure to run out for your copy today!  And now, herrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre's Lacey!

EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT WRITING I LEARNED FROM EINSTEIN

Okay, that’s a rash exaggeration.  But I did learn one important thing about writing from Einstein, and I’ll get to that in a minute.

First, though, lets talk about creativity.  A simple subject, right?  Yet so very complex, too. 

I believe that for many of us, creativity is something we’re born with.  I was living in my head (making up stories about how Donny Osmond was in love with me, don’t ya know) at the age of five.  In fact, Donny doesn’t know this, but he drove me to school quite frequently when I was in the first grade, and no, he didn’t care about the age difference. J  By seven, teachers were telling me how creative I was, and I wasn’t trying to be creative – but it was something they saw in me.

What can be trickier is containing your creativity.  The creative mind can be all over the board, spouting so many ideas that they can never all be pursued, starting one project but then hopping onto another because you just can’t help yourself.  In the novel-writing world, controlling creativity is a necessary skill – you have to stay focused, and you must weigh all sorts of practical issues against your creative ones and hope they all balance out.

And where does creativity come from?  Who can say what creates that initial spark, but as we grow in our creativity, I think it’s possible to start recognizing what ignites it, what really sets it off in each individual person.

For me, I get very creative when traveling.  I don’t think this is at all unique – I’ve always read that seeing new places and things naturally triggers new ideas – but what amazes me is how consistent this is for me.  I never plan to come up with new book ideas on vacation – and really, it can be a hindrance, because I’m on vacation, trying to relax and clear my head.  But I always, always, always come home from travel with one or more entirely new book ideas plotted from start to finish. 

Creativity also extends into problem-solving, and this is where Einstein comes in.  I once read that Einstein believed we are at our most creative when we are just about to drift off to sleep.  And that he would test this by sitting in a chair, holding a spoon, and letting himself nod off.  The second he fell asleep the spoon hit the floor, waking him up.  This enabled him to recall the thoughts and ideas in his head right before be drifted off, and I believe he is said to have done this when he was having trouble solving scientific problems – and he would often get the answer in those last moments before sleep.

If this sounds like a bunch of hooey, it’s not.  I know because I use this method of creative problem-solving all the time.  I don’t do the whole spoon thing, but very often when I am confronted with a plotting problem or just can’t quite figure out something in my current story, I go take a nap.  Sounds unproductive, I know – but actually, it’s work.  (Very relaxing, cozy work, I admit, but I still say it’s work. J)  As I lay down, I think about the problem, the characters, whatever they’re facing, whatever the dilemma is.  I just start turning it all over in my mind, and sometimes asking myself a series of “what if” questions.  Before I know it, I’m waking up from my nap – with the answer to my problem.  It’s really quite amazing and almost always works for me.

So what makes you creative or inspires you?  Where do you get your story ideas?  And how do you use that creative mind of yours to work through plot problems?  If you’ve got new solutions I haven’t heard before, I want to hear ‘em!  And I’d love to talk more about creativity in general.  Do you believe you’re born with it or can it be learned?  Is it like a muscle – if it’s not used, will it wither and die?  Talk to me, pirates.

And, of course, feel free to stray from the subject if you like, too.  I’m happy to answer any questions about writing, the industry, whatever floats your boat.  And since I have a new book out (SEVEN NIGHTS OF SIN, by Lacey Alexander, at a bookstore near you!) I’m always happy to talk about that, too! J