Where Do You Get Your Ideas From?

Ursula K. Le Guin’s short essay on the truths and myths of where writers get their ideas from was insightful and entertaining. Le Guin was able to touch base on the basics of developing ideas for a story, with subtle humor throughout the piece.

I enjoyed the fact that she was extremely honest about writers being egoists and that artists in general were too. I’m ashamed to say that I agree with this statement and that I just never admitted this to myself. I do create for an audience and for them to give me the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that I crave. This lets me know as an artist that I have arrived.

I’m not a writer, but I do create pieces of artwork in many different media’s. I too, do most of my work in solitude, listening to music that suits my mood at the time like; classical rock or a cello piece, that has a mysterious feel to it. During the inception of a piece, I do start out with an image in my head, much the same as Le Guin spoke about imaginary. I start creating this piece of artwork and it begins to take on a life of its own. The piece of art seems to change and take shape as I manipulate and twist it. I try to connect the colors in order to achieve the depth and the emotion of the piece. Much like Le Guin talks about when writing poetry, that the words have a relationship with the sounds, and they evoke emotions. I like my pieces of artwork to evoke emotion and better yet to have an effect on my audience.

Le Guin does make a statement in the essay about woman writers. She seems to think that female writers choose to write from a male viewpoint. I do not believe she has proven this point to me. How does a female suppose to write and who is the judge of that one? I do not think that readers would not like a piece written from a feminine experience. Yet again, who’s to say what is feminine writing or male? Exasperating….

Le Guin has closed her essay with some very moving statements that I have interrupted to mean, that the work itself must be allowed to take on a life of its own and the creator must let go of the control. Also, that the creator must make room for new developments and changes that might take place with the piece. Being patient and working hard is key, in order to deserve the rewards.

After reading this piece about ideas, imagery, and emotions it has made me think more about my writing. I think I will be more vigil about how I put my words together and how I should think it through to the end. Just using wonderfully descriptive words strung together, does not complete the story, nor does this concept complete my painting.