Elizabeth Gilbert on Nurturing Creativity

You are probably thinking, what does Dobby the House Elf have to do with Elizabeth Gilbert and nurturing creativity?

You’ll have to watch Elizabeth’s TED talk and see.

A writer pal sent it to me a few months ago and I only just watched it yesterday.  It’s from 2009 so many of you may have seen it already.  Even so, Gilbert makes such good, inspiring company that it’s worth another look-see.

The take home?  She emphasizes the ancient Greek and Roman way of regarding creative genius as something external.  It’s not housed inside you or me, but a visitor that, if we’re lucky, will swing by and grace us with her presence (and might resemble a homely house elf).

Which takes a lot of the pressure off.  Our job is just to keep on keeping on at whatever creative project we are trying: whether making a meal or writing a poem.

Phew.

A few more teasers…Gilbert gives the etymology of the Spanish “Olé” (it’s a good one that makes so much sense once you know) and paints a picture of Tom Waits cruising down Highway 1 and telling the muse to “go bother Leonard Cohen” instead.  Love it.

xosl

P.S. Thanks, Yaz!