Plot & Creativity

Originally published on July 22, 2018.

Plot is how the dramatic action in a story transforms a character’s emotional development in a meaningful way. Creativity is how your actions transform inspiration into reality in a meaningful way. Plot and creativity tips abound in the Universal Story. 

Left-brain and Right-brain Creatives

Some writers like planning and logic, order, cause and effect. These writers often embrace traditional rules and patterns. They also excel at producing meaningful action-packed plots.

Other writers like imagining, listening to your intuition, following your feelings, and understanding through instinct. These writers often reject conventional ideas and expectations. They excel at creating new and original art. 

Action for action’s sake alone is meaningless. Creativity without action is an unactualized dream. The Universal Story encourages creative action, doing things in new and fresh ways.

With Practice and Study

I’ve taught thousands of writers the traditional rules and patterns how to create a meaningful and action-packed plot. With practice and study everyone is capable of creating an exciting plot. Templates are available everywhere – I offer them in all my books and on my Pinterest page.

Magic happens when a writer’s creativity soars beyond the expected and conventional to an evolved and expanded view as expressed through their art. 

Access Imagination

How to access imagination, intuition and emotions? Understand through instinct? Transcend conventional ideas and expectations to create new and original art? Creativity itself holds my fascination.

The banner across my Twitter and Facebook feed used to read Writing a Story with a Plot from Beginning to End Takes You on an Epic Journey. Writing a story with a plot sets up an outer, concrete goal. The inner, transcendent goal is the epic journey of facing all that interferes with accepting your imagination, intuition and inner wisdom to access creativity. For years I’ve supported creative people traveling this journey. I’ve chronicled the similarities, where energy soars and why it plummets. I’ve incorporated the predicable and universal challenges and doubts in the Universal Story.

Creativity

The three greatest threats to creativity and inspiration are resistance, struggle, and negative emotions. The three greatest assets to creativity and inspiration are trust, belief, and gratitude.

All of us face antagonists and hurdles, have hopes and dreams, long for more creativity, and often feel scared and small. Each time we meet a challenge we strengthen our belief in our voice and creativity. Whether successful or a failure based on conventional standards, the actions we take toward our dreams transform our lives and support more creativity.

Accept the Call?

All of life is made up of creative energy. Our true nature is to embrace our own unique creativity. First you have a decision to make. Live as you always have? Or, accept the call to a sacred, life-changing odyssey? Risk stepping into the unknown. Anyone who decides to live a creative life faces the daunting task of making choices outside the norm, choices that may upset others.

I guide writers to stand back from all the words you write to discover the deeper meaning of your novel, memoir, or screenplay. In the same way, learn to stand back from the events surrounding you to see into the very heart of your creativity. 

Living a Creative Life

It’s easy to become so caught in fear or trying to keep up that we miss the wildness, the joy and the freedom in every breath. We each have a creative purpose to honor and fulfill. Don’t turn away because you think your dream is impossible. Everyday take action. The wonder of living a creative life is the treasure.