Creativity is contagious

Keep your friends close and creatives closer

I went to my local writers group yesterday; 15 of us, four themes to choose from, 30 minutes of writing. At the end of the writing session, each person reads their piece aloud.

No laptops or phones in sight. No editing and no judgment.

And every single person wrote something interesting, personal and completely unexpected. Especially an elderly lady who joined the group for the first time, who’d never tried free writing and had no plan before she arrived. A day later, I’m still thinking about her and what she wrote. The whole room was in awe of her words.

I’m reminded how important it is to:

• take every opportunity to share your writing, and

• explore the work of others - not just the big names and the chart toppers, but the curious and brave strangers who are dipping their toes into new waters and slowly revealing the wisdom and insights they’ve had bottled up for years and even decades. They’re here on Substack, or at your local library, or sitting in a cafe typing away.

Creativity is contagious, and sharing time with other writers, poets, artists and film makers can trigger ideas that are otherwise trapped in our daily habits.

And the best way, if possible, is to meet in person. Studies show that the heart’s energy can reach about three feet outside of the physical body and can be detected in another person sitting nearby. When in creative flow, your heart rate is regular and your body feels energized but calm.

Yesterday, while sitting at that table surrounded by other writers, it felt like all of our hearts were calmly regulating, and inspiring, each other.