The Muse has Returned—More with Jill Badonsky

Our last post featured part one of a two-part Q&A session with JIll Badonsky, whose most recent book, The Muse Is In: An Owner’s Manual to Your Creativity, has just been released. Following is the second part of the interview in which we get into some of the nuts and bolts of Jill’s book and her views on creativity and having fun. Hope you have fun reading it.

1cover real cover with museI love the Creativity Quiz in your book. You ask: “Are you breathing?” I don’t have a question here, I just wanted to say how much I like this question because the answer for all of us is so obvious. You’re saying if we’re alive and breathing, we’re creative.

Thanks for acknowledging the quiz. I truly believe people are less alive both when they are not breathing and when they don’t allow themselves to engage in a creativity because they have a preconceived notion of what it’s supposed to be, how good it is supposed to be, how they are supposed to do it, and what they are supposed to do with. Creative is so much more. It’s a way of living and seeing.  It just isn’t always easy so we have to be willing to get past the difficulties to its sublimity.

Continue reading

The Muse is In: An Interview with Jill Badonsky

Jill Badonsky is one of the most creative people I know. Her imagination apparently has no bounds. She writes, she draws and paints and creates delightful and whimsical illustrations. She leads workshops, teaches, and trains creativity coaches. She’s a poet, a speaker, and a sister provocateur. Her newest book, The Muse is In: An Owner’s Manual to Your Creativity, has just been released by Running Press. It’s truly a work of art: every page is alive with Jill’s colorful illustrations. I think you’ll like what she has to say about creativity, too.

1cover real cover with muse

I had so many questions for Jill and her responses are so great, I don’t want you to miss one good thing Jill has to tell us, so the interview will be presented in two parts. Here’s the first part:

For a time, when we’re little kids, we just are creative, but we aren’t self-conscious of it. When did that light bulb or realization go on in your head that you were “creative”?

In high school I noticed that I valued creativity more than most people. I was drawn to the offbeat, the quirky, and the original; I was compelled to do the unexpected. I’m not sure I identified this as me actually BEING creative. I still don’t. I just think creativity is the fabric of my happiness so I HAVE to do it for my peace of mind. However being called creative is one of my very favorite compliments.

Continue reading