Song Writing: The Creative Process

Hello, I hope everyone had as wonderful a weekend as I did. My sisters and I went to the Orpheum in San Francisco to watch Wicked. Something about that fresh, brisk air that I love. The show itself was amazing and the fact that I was able to watch it with my sisters made it all the more special. Sometimes you just have to overlook the cost and splurge. And that's just what we did, thank God for understanding husbands that held down the fort while we were gone. A special thank you to my brother in law for driving us and just hanging out while we walked through Pier 39 (he's incredibly patient) and no trip to San Francisco would be complete without a bowl of chowder and some crusty bread and butter. Yummy!

Anyways back to the "blob" as my son Dusty calls it. The creative process for writing is different for everyone. Some people can just jot down a little ditty anytime and about anything and it's great. Writing songs for me has always been very personal, I usually write about things I myself have experienced or people that I know have experienced. At any rate writing a song is truly an extension of one's self. Your putting yourself out there because people will either identify with and love the song or they will be indifferent. It's the indifference that's hard to take, especially when your performing and people stare at you blindly. If your a singer you know what I mean! I always pray that if there's a message in the song for someone that they would simply take it and run.

I consider myself to be a very spiritual person, and I have always considered my voice a gift from God. I think we could all use a positive uplifting message - life is tough so you have to embrace all the good around you. I have tons of little scraps of paper with little phrases on them, sometimes I come across them and wonder what it was I was referring to. That's probably why I love quilting, because it's like songwriting in that you bring all these little pieces together that create a complete thought. There is inspiration everywhere, in nature, in relationships, in our hopes, and in our dreams. Really I think as we mature it just comes down to the basics, the simple things in life and songwriting is another way of capturing that moment. Wow that's probably why I love scrapbooking, because I am capturing and recording the moment.

Now the funny thing is I have no idea what direction the Iklectix are taking me in. I told you this project was an adventure and I won't know what will happen until we all come together in the studio, scary right? Not at all because I believe the boys know who I am and what I'm about. It has been about 20 years since I have written a song and I know it's gonna be hard for me to quiet myself enough to write. My life is full and I have only recently began to simplify - this is my season, my time, my dream, this is part of the legacy that I will leave my children and my grandchildren.

Thanks for hearing my heart....

<3 Lizzi