get inspired: interview with Maggie of Marvelous Meandering

graphic by Maggie

I recently started a new series of posts about my two favorite things:  creativity and inspiration.  As a "creative" person, I am constantly searching for inspiration to fuel my creativity, and I thought it would be interesting to ask others about what they are passionate about.  This is second interview of the series.  See the first here.

As a longtime reader, I have always admired Maggie of Marvelous Meandering for her love of the written word.  On her blog, she describes herself as a "generally enthused aspiring librarian and author."  Can you get any more awesome?

I know you're a big lover of literature. How does what you're reading at the moment influence your creativity?

What I’m reading influences the mood I am in, which affects how creative I feel and what I feel like creating. If a book is really well-written and has left me with that frustrating yet wonderful “Now what?” feeling, I usually am inspired to write (though often get frustrated by the “Why do I bother?” feelings that my subconscious likes to throw at me).

Where else do you look for inspiration?

I draw the most inspiration from words—individual words, quotes, stories, lyrics, and so on. I keep a list of my favorite words and am constantly writing down quotes I read and hear that strike a chord. Even when I doodle, about eighty percent of the page is words. I feel that words are most powerful tool of creation and expression at our disposal.

I am also very inspired by well-made things. You can tell when someone didn’t put their heart into something, but half-assed it or solely did it for attention or money, and that’s always very disappointing to me. I like to see things that I can tell the maker put time, love, and meaning into. Just a few examples off the top of my head are The New York Times, Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, and everything about the musical Rent.

When I read your blog, I am always so impressed in how well you write. Would you agree that writing is your biggest form of expression? Why?

Definitely. It’s what comes most naturally to me, and the element that I feel most comfortable in. If you couldn’t tell from above, I kind of have a love affair with words and the way you can piece them together a million different ways to make a million different meanings.

When you're feeling writer's block, what do you do to get over it?

Sometimes, you just have to walk away. Leave it alone for a while—go get a snack, call your best friend, watch an episode of Will & Grace, and go back and try again. Other times (such as when there is a deadline involved), your only choice is to push through it. Those times really suck.

What goals do you have for writing?

Simply to write more. I want to start writing more stories–fictional and not. I want to push myself so that one day I might write something that others find worth reading. I want to be a novelist.

What other creative outlets do you most utilize and why?

Photography, definitely. I am notorious among family and friends for having my camera in everyone’s face and making people (mainly Melany) pose for pictures. (What can I say? I like to document.)

I have also dabbled a bit in making videos. Nothing fancy, just funny bits from my friends and family mainly. I did make a video that highlighted some of my favorite things about Austin for a friend that is planning to move there, and enjoyed that. There is a lot more that I want to do video-wise, but I need/would like to get a better camera first.

How would you describe your personal style or aesthetic?

I am sure there is a common trend in my style, but I am not seeing it, and cannot think of an encompassing phrase to describe it. I just know what I like when I see it. I have a lot of superhero t-shirts and skinny jeans, but I also have twenty-seven dresses and three pairs of Steve Madden heels. I found a long white, pleated skirt that I love at an old lady’s estate sale one day, but hanging next to it is a leopard print, lace long-sleeved mini-dress with bows on the back. I have many pairs of shoes that I would feel okay wearing to a job interview . . . and then I have my vintage pink sequined Keds.

Check out Marvelous Meandering for more of Maggie!