Hi, I'm Beverley Joy of Simply Story Poetry. Welcome to my new series titled Simply Create To Share, which will consist of weekly articles where I will be sharing the journey of my creativity, which is writing poetry. This year I am venturing into non-fiction writing in which I will be covering topics like what books, songs and creative people motivated and directed my progress from being too shy and uneducated to share my poetry with anyone, to share them with the world whilst enjoying the journey. I'm not famous or wealthy with money, but I am wealthy with a passion for writing poetry, and that passion drove me to learn how to overcome my shyness and self-doubt to share my creativity and encourage others to do the same. 

Last week I kick-started the year by encouraging you to take the time NOW to start doing your creative 'something'. Whether it be for the first time ever, or whether you plan to continue your creative 'something' during this new year. Whether it be writing, painting, craftwork, photography, or like myself - poetry, whatever is on your heart to create, as Paul McCartney sings about in his song, DO IT NOW!

Two weeks ago I started my creativity, for the new year, by scribbling out a rough plan for the next 6 months, which is to have two novels published, that is based on my life story and written by Kate Kelsen. I will be publishing the many poems that relate to both stories during the first half of this year, 2022. Next week I will share with you how I put together my 'rough plan'. I use this method every January and whenever I start a new project.

This week I want to share with you a book that I read that changed my attitude toward my creativity. In September 2019, my daughter suggested I read Big Magic Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, which became a major motion movie (by the way it is one of my favourite movies). I didn’t like the title. It sounded mystical and new age, but I was attracted to the subtitle. My daughter insisted that I would like it.

My main takeaway from the book was the author’s encouragement to start creating something and keep creating. Don't stop at one book, one poem, one painting. Continue to create for the pure love and joy of creating. Share your creation with the world, however small or large that might be, and then start another creation and repeat the process.

The book inspired me to create the formula: Create - Share - Repeat:

Create something new - write it, make it, form it

Share your something - gift it, sell it, tell it

Repeat - Improve it, keep doing it or start something new

Elizabeth Gilbert encourages us to create because you love to create, share it because you love to share. If it develops into a paying profession, great if it doesn’t, great. Follow your creative curiosity. Let the gift you have been given bubble up and out from your heart. Dig deep and enjoy discovering new depths and areas to your gift. She advises us to appreciate the value of our own joy in the creative process. 

I felt scared. I needed time to build up the courage to share my poetry with anyone let alone the world, which was my ultimate goal. I needed the courage to face rejection and criticism of my work....

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