creativity

A Year of Yes: New York City’s Secrets and Lies Returns to Caveat on Monday, June 18th, at 7pm

Christa Avampato

I’m so excited that the next New York City’s Secrets & Lies show is happening at Caveat in exactly 2 weeks—Monday, June 18th at 7pm. This month’s all-star all-female lineup of storytellers is going to spin tall tales about the history of this incredible city we call home. 4 are truths. 1 is a lie. Your mission in the audience: separate fact from fiction for a chance to win an amazing prize from our friends at Untapped Cities. I’d love to see you there! Tickets on sale at http://caveat.nyc/event/new-york-citys-secrets-and-lies-3/.

Host:
Christa Avampato (me!)

Storytellers:
Tija Mittal (The Moth, Story District)
Hannah Frishberg (Atlas Obscura, Gothamist, Brokelyn)
Emerie Snyder (New Georges, All For One)
Cindy Mullock (5 Perry Street)
Sabrina McMillin (HXMXN)

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creativity

A Year of Yes: You can’t wait to have time to write

Christa Avampato

“No such thing as spare time, no such thing as free time
No such thing as down time
All you got is life time”
~Henry Rollins

“When I have the time…”

Does that sound familiar? We all do it. We say we’ll do what we really want to do when we have the time. The truth is that the only time you have is right now. There isn’t going to be some magical day when all of a sudden you finally have extra time. Or energy. Or money. Or resources. You have all of those things right now. And no, they may not be perfect. They may not be how or how much you imagined. You find time in drips and drabs, in fits and starts. And that’s when the work gets done, not in one smooth continuous line but in the constant, daily commitment to do as much as you can with what you have right now. I often have to tell myself, “Stop making excuses. Just do the damn thing.” It’s not the most elegant motto., but it’s how things get done.

creativity

A Year of Yes: How Neil Gaiman changed the way I write in one minute

Christa Avampato

“I’m not an outliner or someone who free writes. I’m more of a gardener. I plant seeds and I see what grows. I plant pumpkins and I expect a pumpkin. But if I get a tomato, I’ll figure out what to do with that. That’s how I write. I love that magic moment when something happens on the page we’re writing that we didn’t know was going to happen. I get to be the first reader of my work, and it’s very exciting. And quite frankly that magic doesn’t happen often enough. A lot of writing is just laying brick.” ~Neil Gaiman, International Literary Festival in Dublin, May 2018

By an amazing stroke of luck, Neil Gaiman was speaking as the headliner at the International Literary Festival in Dublin while I was there doing research for my next novel this week. He’s one of my favorite writers, an inspiration for my own work, and to see him in person was thrilling.

Of all the beautiful advice he offered (and you can see my tweets from his talk here: https://twitter.com/i/moments/1002678622765887488), this quote above is the one that affected me the most because it made me change the way I think about my own writing.

I’m a planner. If I were to self-analyze, I would say I like plans because I grew up with a lot of instability. I like order and organization of my tasks because I like to know what I’m doing and where I’m going, and I absolutely hate wasting time because I know what a precious and finite a resource time is. I can’t imagine a world in which I completely let that go. However, Neil Gaiman made me realize that maybe, perhaps, I can loosen the reins a bit. I certainly allow for new information and imagination in my writing. I’ve absolutely had moments where new characters and circumstances and obstacles show up that I never saw coming. That’s the fun, the magic, of writing.

But maybe I don’t need the next bit figured out before I sit down to write every single time. It’s at least worth trying, and giving something a try is where everything begins.

creativity

A Year of Yes: Off to Ireland to research and write my second book

Christa Avampato

I’m off to Ireland today to do research for my second book in the Emerson Page series. When I booked the trip, I didn’t know that one of the most historic votes on human rights would happen during my trip. I also didn’t know that the Dublin Literary Festival was happening while I was there. These are synchronous events where I will meet so many people and be able to bear witness to subjects and issues that mean so much to me.

I’ll be doing some on-the-ground reporting, and sharing pictures, encounters, learnings, and experiences. You can find those on Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc and Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc. See you there!

creativity

A Year of Yes: Why writers have lived on the Upper West Side for so long

Christa Avampato

Screen Shot 2018-05-24 at 9.27.14 AMMy Upper West Side neighborhood is a place where neighbors sit on their brownstone stoops when the weather’s nice to say hello and visit. For writers, this is an especially wonderful practice because we hear, see, and share so many stories. It gives us a place to observe. And the fresh air does wonders for creativity.

My dog, Phineas, is a fan of this lifestyle. Here he is wishing everyone a good morning as he lounges in the dappled sunshine. I love this dog, this town, and the opportunity to tell stories.

creativity

A Year of Yes: Heavenly Bodies at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Christa Avampato

As a recovering Catholic, I rarely spend time in the Medieval section of the Met. But the Heavenly Bodies exhibit, complete with haunting music, is stunning. I had a hard time leaving because I was so captivated by it. I plan to go back several more times to see it and will head up to the Cloisters, too. It’s open until October and I highly recommend it. Beautiful curation.

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creativity

A Year of Yes: The power of our stories

Christa Avampato

I’m thinking a lot about how stories we tell ourselves affect our paths. What we say are our strengths and weaknesses, gifts and shortcomings, triumphs and regrets. If we change our stories, we can change our minds. And if we change our minds, we change our hearts. And if we change our hearts, then we can change everything.

creativity

A Year of Yes: Being angels to one another

Christa Avampato
“I’ve seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people living ordinary lives.” ~ Tracy Chapman
“Angel” comes from the Old English word “aerendgast”, literally “errand-spirit” or “messenger”. In that definition, being an angel to one another is something we can all do without any kind of religious connotation. Our words and how we communicate them to one another is so critical. Whether it’s through our writing, teaching, art, music, or even just a conversation, we can make it useful for one another. Our words can make someone’s life a bit easier, happier, and healthier. We can help one another feel less alone by sharing our own experience as a path of connection.
What good are angels up there somewhere in the heavens? We need them down here, on this Earth, right now. I can’t imagine any work that’s more valuable or gratifying than to know that what we’ve done and said has in some way helped someone else navigate this wild world with more grace and less anxiety.
creativity

A Year of Yes: Can you hear the music?

Christa Avampato

“Because once you hear the music, you can’t stand still.” ~Billy Crystal, 700 Sundays

Sometimes I’ll walk down the streets of New York City and literally feel the rhythm of the city in my heart. I used to think there was something wrong with me because I found it so hard, almost painful and impossible, to be still. Especially in New York. I just don’t sit well. I make myself sit for 18 minutes a day for my meditation, and then that’s really it. Now I know there was nothing wrong with me. I was just hearing the music of this place. And as Billy Crystal so wisely explains, once we hear that music, we can’t stand still. We have to move with it. And so I do. And I smile.

creativity

A Year of Yes: Opportunity takes work

Christa Avampato

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” ~Thomas Edison

Look deeper. See what’s possible. Work like hell to make it a reality. Opportunity is not always bright, shiny, and finished with a bow. Many times, most times, it’s messy, chaotic, and murky. But look. Really look. Can your gifts and talents be of use, and if so could they create an environment that meets your standards? Don’t take yourself out of the equation just because it’s not perfect at this moment. It the potential is possible, go for it!