Enter the Attic of Imagination: Reclaiming Strength and Joy Through Writing

When I feel exhausted from the toll of the daily grind, I regain strength and stability by turning to my creative writing practice. Grace enters into my life by engaging with the white page. 

It is as if my mind moves away from the messy living room to the enthralling attic full of magic and stories. 

Journey into the Magical Attic: Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places

However, the last time I found myself in the messy living room I didn’t want to transport myself anywhere. I was sitting next to my daughter on the couch, watching the movie, “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile”. We were, all the same, transported to an attic, when the boy finds a singing crocodile at the end of the staircase of their new home. 

I remember the feeling of browsing through kept treasures in the attic in my childhood home, and the smell when we visited my grandfather and went up a white spiral staircase to the attic to play. Or the feeling of entering the attic in The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis in the prequel to The Narnia Chronicles. 

I found a suitcase with family secrets, old toys, and hidden worlds. 

The boy in the movie finds a friend. 

Browse the Attic of Joy: Rediscovering Passion and Purpose in Writing 

Often when I feel exhausted, I have forgotten to connect with that which brings me joy. In the movie, the father returns to his love of wrestling, and the mother starts to bake delicious cakes again when Lyle the crocodile, encourages them to do so. I hope this blog post encourages you to return to the joy of writing. 

I love to write. But sometimes, I forget the pure joy of it because I bury the act of writing under ambition and goals. 

Lyle is a crocodile who loves to sing but doesn’t necessarily want to perform or make a living from it.

My daughter asked me why Lyle looked sad, and I explained that he felt alone. He was abandoned by the man Hector Valenti who taught him to sing. The man cares for Lyle but is driven by his ambitions as a performer and his wish to pass on what he knows. 

Lyle listens to great music and sings to himself before being found. When the boy and the crocodile become friends, they go to sing and dance from the rooftops.

Could you go to the attic to be reminded of what it is you love about writing? Is it reading great books, making up stories, or finding someone to share them with? 

Dusting off Limiting Beliefs: Dancing on the Roof of Writing Potential

At the end of the movie, Lyle gets to sing for the joy of it and finds a family. 

In the beginning, the boy struggles with finding friends in a new place and the parents don’t thrive with their new roles.  

In the end, the boy has friends, Hector gets a new apprentice, and the parents strike a balance between obligations and leisure. All of them get what they want and need and can make connections by being true to themselves. 

Go to the attic, leap through the window onto the roof, and dance and sing by writing about what you found in the attic. Be as true to yourself as you can.

Leap into Creativity: Embracing Courage and Encouragement in Your Writing Journey

I know that I am a writer and I know that when I practice, I discover new stories and skills. However, I still struggle with limiting beliefs around my creative writing practice. One of them is that it is boring. Then it is time to tell a different story. 

I can make my writing practice as powerful as wrestling, as delicious as cakes, as fun as singing and dancing, and as heartfelt as home, family and friends. 

Julia Cameron, the author of The Artists Way, believes that boredom is a sign of fear. 

Lyle gets over his fear of performing in front of an audience when the boy, totally off key, goes first and encourages Lyle to share his gift. Overcome fear with courage and encouragement of others and return to and journey towards what it is you really love. I love the sense of aliveness writing gives me.

So if you feel exhausted, I encourage you to take up a daily creative writing practice and make it your own. Let us read good books and become the writers we are meant to be, whether as world-renowned or stay-at-home writers. If you love to write, by all means, write. 

Me and my daughter, both introverts and a bit shy, sing along loudly in the car to the song from the soundtrack to Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, "Take A Look At Us Now".

Here are some inspiration for your next writing practice . . .

Writing Prompts: Crafting Stories Inspired by Forgotten Treasures

• The Mysterious Key: While exploring an attic in an old house, you stumble upon a dusty key. Write a story about the key's origins, the door it unlocks, and how it ended up in the attic. 

• Old Suitcase Treasures: Imagine discovering an old suitcase in your attic, filled with letters from a bygone era. Then write a letter to the person who left it there, or craft a story around the items and the memories they hold.

• The Hidden Diary: While cleaning the attic, you come across a hidden compartment containing an old diary. As you read its entries, you realize it belonged to a relative you never knew. Write about their life, experiences, and the lessons you learn from their words.

• The Puzzle: Hanging on the attic wall is a peculiar puzzle of ten thousand pieces that draw you in. Come up with how it fits into a big puzzle you hold in your mind and how the missing piece on the attic wall offers the next clue. 

• Whispers from the Past: In the attic, you discover a stack of old letters tied with a ribbon. Each letter holds a secret, a confession, or a heartfelt message. Choose one letter and use it as inspiration to write a story about the people involved.