I very rarely read a book twice. One that I reread was filled with messages about creativity from Elizabeth Gilbert in Big Magic. Somehow, it is a book that keeps on giving. But this post isn’t a book review. It is an example of a truth about writing I first learned from the author and I cannot share it enough.
So why are these images of the library I built about the life of George Washington and a paperweight with his profile? Because I wanted to tell the story of Billy Lee, a man born a slave who was an exceptional horseman, brave soldier and constant companion of George Washington throughout the American Revolution. I had a pattern of working on the project for years – commit and quit; commit and quit. I felt great pressure to have something to show for all of my effort and reasearch.
Here’s how Big Magic helped me move along from the frustration and disappointment that I just couldn’t bring my project to life. Elizabeth Gilbert knows all about ideas that come our way. We are tagged by something unseen; call it a muse or magic or inspiration. The excitement and possibility of creating something excellent absorbs our attention – until it doesn’t. Her conclusion is that if we do not put the idea to work, it will move along to someone else who will stick with it and they will create something excellent.
I finally had to let go of the George Washington project idea. It needed to be on it’s way (if it wasn’t already) to someone who would be a better match for making it real than I was. I learned an important lesson about myself. But if your trivia team is being asked questions about the American Revolution, I’m your gal.