Coloring Book Clubs for adults are cropping up everywhere – and with good reason.

Studies show that coloring…

• is relaxing

• leads to better work performance and

• even lowers blood pressure (or so they say).

“I find that coloring also enhances my creativity.”

And I don’t simply mean my creativity with the colors and techniques I use to color the pictures.

Coloring also enhances my creativity as a writer. Here’s how.

As most writers do, I spend a lot of my time writing.  But I also spend a lot of time planning – and plotting when writing fiction. In other words, I spend a lot of time thinking about writing.

All too often this “thinking about writing” isn’t productive if I’m tense, nervous, or worried about my deadline or other personal or family problems. And the harder I try to think about what I’m writing – or trying to write – the more difficult it is to actually write something. But if I make the decision to stop consciously thinking about writing and relax and do something else, I allow my subconscious mind to take over the task of working out the problems I’m having with my story.

If you’re a writer, you know what I mean. No doubt you’ve gotten stuck with a story and put it away to go for a walk, take a shower, or just watch TV only to have an “ah-ha” moment when the perfect solution to your writing problem seems to come to you out of the blue.

I find that when I relax and color a pretty picture, my subconscious mind is more easily able to work on my story problems. As a result, I tend to have more of those wonderful “ah-ha” moments from out of the blue (though, by now I realize they aren’t “out of the blue”, they’re actually created by my subconscious mind).

If you’re looking for a way to enhance your overall creativity and have fun at the same time, try coloring.

And, while you’re at it, check out the new Creative Caravan Coloring Book Club for Adults that my writing partner, Wendy Dewar Hughes (who is also an artist), and I have created as a way to connect with fellow coloring enthusiasts and have fun. We’ve put together all sorts of coloring goodies in the welcome packet you’ll get right away with you join the club. But check out all the other benefits of club membership, too.

Happy coloring and happy writing!

Suzanne Lieurance
The Working Writer’s Coach