The Creative Well: Part 1

Welcome to the first in my mini series about The Creative Well.

This is a term I first came across having joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and it was quite possibly one of my fellow Choc Lit authors who drew the phrase to my attention.

Having spent an intense few months nurturing Follow Me Follow You, writing short stories for anthologies, and attempting to complete the first draft of book 3, I reached a point where my creative well needed refilling. Normally I would turn to books for that injection of inspiration, but I’m so deep into my draft and so fully invested in that fictional world, I’m avoiding entering others.

Last week, a friend and I took a trip to Bath, a beautiful Somerset city, full of history, grace and elegance. I had never visited before and was keen to look around.

On our search for the Roman Baths, and much to our delight, we discovered lots of stationery stores. I wondered if this was down to Bath’s literary connections, but didn’t question it beyond that, enjoying ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the glorious array of pens, notebooks and pencil cases.

We struggled to locate the Baths, expecting signposts to point our way and for the entrance to be obvious. A kind cyclist took pity on us and gave clear and precise directions. Once we reached the building, we were told all the signposts had been taken down … We didn’t feel quite as daft after that.

The Baths are fascinating and inspirational, and if you ask me what a strigil is, I can tell you. I learned the difference between Turkish and Roman Baths, that the water in the main bath is warm, and that you shouldn’t touch the water in the main bath …

I did wash my hands thoroughly, especially as I was told a grim story from 1979 about a person dying from the bugs in the water.

It was a wonderful day, full of history, exploration and discovery, and like the baths, a natural spring – in this case of ideas rather than water – started to refill my creative well.

Next week I’ll be reporting on what we did in the evening in Bath, but in the meantime, I’d like to know what fills your creative well.

Take care.

Laura x