Official Website of JillandKate

This post is for all of our fellow creators, writers (both story & song) and anyone that is looking for a little exercise in getting the creative juices flowing. Cause let’s be honest…we all at times have a little bit of writer’s block or writer’s barricade or writer’s great wall of China for peet’s sake–that’s what it feels like sometimes.

One time we were at a song-writing workshop where a well-known songwriter was talking about his experiences, his go-to things while songwriting and he shared something that has stuck with us. At first it might sound silly but it does get the creative juices going if there seems to be a blockage of some sort.

So, if you are feeling stuck, try this exercise. All you need is:

• a piece of paper
• a pen or pencil
• a timer
• a book or a friend

Get yourself set up to write. Set the timer for 7 minutes. Find a book or ask a friend for ANY word (or if you don’t have a friend around, take any random book, open it and put your finger down and whatever word your finger lands on…go with it). Then whatever word you get, write about it for 7 minutes. It doesn’t have to make sense, it doesn’t have to rhyme…just write about the word for 7 minutes. Write, write, write.

This sounds easy…and it might seem like a silly exercise but it’s a great one! In the workshop he had us all do this and the word was “dust.” After it was over, to demonstrate his point that everyone will think of something different he had some people share what they wrote. All of the different things were amazing…someone wrote about the dust on library books, someone wrote about their little league memories of dust rising over them as they slid onto home plate, someone wrote about the dust particles in the room… It was so cool. Everyone had a different take on the word “dust.”

Anyway–writing is definitely a practice and this can be a good way to start practicing writing. Whatever you write be proud of it. Don’t think it’s stupid. Don’t think it’s insignificant. Don’t put boundaries on your writing. Just write. Write. Write.

Cool? Cool. Now go write

-j&k-

ONE DAY

I see you
You don’t look the same
I hear you
But your voice has changed
I wanted to keep you safe
But you’re stubborn and strong
Think you found what you want
And you’ll never change

One day you might ask me why
I can’t tell you how I’ve tried
To keep you from running away but you turned your back on me
One day I might tell you why
Why I couldn’t stand beside you
Watch you take your own damn life

I’m sorry this is not enough
I’m broken by what you call love
You wanted to keep me close
When it was convenient for you
To have someone to use
So you weren’t alone

(C) jillandkate, 2012.

Not only is that one of my favorite songs by Patty Griffin, but it’s also a theme that’s been on my mind lately. Some things just don’t come easy and you wish they would. Why are things so darn hard sometimes? Ah. Why?

To get a lot done you have to do a lot. To work hard you have to work really hard. I know it sounds redundant but man, that’s really the truth. That’s where my head has been at lately…you get in the groove of getting stuff done, setting goals and then when you hit a lull or a ditch in the road it reminds me that you have to fight for all you want.

The worst part in all of it is letting your mind win by telling you that you are all alone in the fight. Tisk, tisk self. I don’t know about you, but I often fall into that mindset of thinking that it’s me against the world…that no one has been where I’ve been, stood where I stood or tried to do what I’ve done. Now, that’s just silly.

I’m not sure why I decided to write this blog. Oh wait–yes, I am. It was because yesterday was one of those days. You know…just one of those days. Those days when even a stranger can make you feel like everyone is against you.

I ate at a Thai restaurant last night here in Sydney and it was the waiter’s sole purpose in life to belittle me and be rude. Rudeness I can handle, yet when he started to make fun of a member of my group, I got a wee bit heated with him. Haha. Yup. It happened. But looking back, that waiter was just a reminder of why sometimes I feel like things don’t come easy.

In conclusion…who knows. Maybe I’m just having a sad day. Why do we get sad days? I’m a happy person. I have a great job, great friends, great family–but still find myself having a sad day every now and then. My good friend Reva has a line in one of her songs and it says, “…it’s not that bad, that’s what makes it so bad…” I can totally relate to that line.

If you are having a sad day too, I say embrace it. Let yourself feel sad. For a long time I would freak out if I had a sad day and try to make myself not feel all I was feeling. Screw that. Let yourself feel. Write down what you are thinking (or blog about it like I did..haha.) Talk to someone. Put the Rosie Thomas song “Farewell” on repeat–that’s what’s been playing while I’ve been writing this blog.

Hope everyone is okay.

-k

BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE

On many dark days I have held my breath

And driven past the graveyards

Stood outside searching in the sky

Shouting at the shooting stars

Staring at the clock every time it hits

11:11 I have made a wish for you

I wish you back to me

And I tell myself

That I’m alright

But I know it’s a lie

And so I try

To bring you back to life

To bring you back to life

On many cold nights I have driven to our door

Hoping it would open

Standing with the flowers in my hand

Wilted up and waiting

65 days, 300 more and nothing’s gonna change

Everyday

I’ll wish you back to me

And I tell myself

That I’m alright

But I know it’s a lie

And so I try

To bring you back to life

To bring you back to life

I’m blowing out your candles this year

I’m catching all your snowflakes

I’m crying all your tears

And I tell myself

That I’m alright

But I know it’s a lie

And so I try

To bring you back to life

To bring you back to life

© J. Pickering, K. Rapier, 2008.