The Creativity Gene with Jess Sambuco
The Creativity Gene Pre-Release Interviews
Over the next few posts, you will discover different creative worlds from a variety of fields. I will be sharing each person’s interpretation of creativity and how it has become part of their life. When the book is released, you will be able to explore this topic yourself and understand how creativity can become your customized superpower. I am SO PUMPED to share these messages with you and look forward to working towards finding alignment with your creative potential!
The Creativity Gene with Jess Sambuco
One thing that I love is finding out that my friends are writers. Writing resonates with me in a special way (obviously), and I love when I get to learn more about the people in my life through their words. It’s an exciting and comforting feeling. We are all looking for individuals in our lives that we can relate with in thought processes and expression, and finding that connection provides an opportunity for inspiration and growth.
This is not the only avenue where I experience this deep connection, but it is the most natural for me. Finding out that my friend Jess Sambuco was a writer was so exciting!
Jess has been writing and creating art for most of her life, but just within the past few years has explored her ability to share it with others. After writing a book and WINNING a competition on Vocal sponsored by Moleskin with thousands of entries, it is safe to say that she has found alignment with her creative expression.
As creativity is the main focus of my book and through these interviews, I always begin by asking for a definition to grasp a deeper understanding of their perspective. With Jess’s definition, I felt inspired. She believes that creativity is an ever-changing concept of all that could be. *Mind blown!* It’s an incredibly widespread topic, with no direct idea associated with it. I love the inclusive aspect of this definition.
Throughout the next few questions, I’ll allow Jess to use her words to explain how creativity has influenced her life.
Why did you begin writing?
Jess: Writing was always a home for me. When I grew up, I moved a lot (college was my 13th school!). I ended up having a really hard time channeling my emotions into a healthy place. I struggled with expressing my thoughts in a way that made sense to others. Being introverted, I always felt like there was something the rest of the world understood that I just didn't quite "get". I remember feeling very lonely in my own head. It wasn't until I took a creative writing class in high school that it finally started to click.
How do you get into your flow or zone?
Jess: First comes the idea (I am lucky, I always have a few ideas spinning around). Next comes the process. I spend hours or days in my own head, multitasking between the world I live in and thinking of the words I want to write, long before I actually write them down. Sometimes, when I think of a sentence or a concept I really love, I will stop whatever I am doing (sleeping, working, eating, etc.) and make a note of it in my phone, but I usually memorize it. After a few days there is a rhythm that starts to form, with certain sentences being repeated over and over, until, eventually, I sit down to write.
What is your inspiration?
Jess: Honestly, my biggest inspiration comes from feeling like I am not necessarily a part of the world around me, but really wanting the option to be a part of it. I feel incredibly comfortable in my own skin, and I am happy in that space... but I often feel like that doesn't mesh well with the world others around me are functioning in. I think this frustration is something we all feel at a very basic human level, and this frustration drives a lot of my writing.
What are some challenges you have faced?
Jess: I have a Master's Degree in Science, so I am always caught in a battle between career paths and what makes the most logical sense. It took many years of consistently writing to put myself into the publicly creative space. I am also a perfectionist, so when I submit a piece or write something, I often obsess over it for so long I fear losing sight of why I wrote it in the first place.
How do you overcome them?
Jess: I think anyone can find logical reasons not to pursue a path of creativity, but if you want to live your fullest life and follow the voice in your head that tells you "this makes sense, let's do it", you will put that logical paranoia in your head aside. As for perfectionism, I am currently unaware of a cure and would love advice!
How do you want your writing to impact others?
Jess: I have always been very afraid of sharing my writing because it was all so personal. I struggled with OCD as a child and the wide range of anxiety many of us millennials go through, but a lot of what I struggled with came down to feeling different and frustrated by the fact that I just couldn't relax; I couldn't just be. People made me nervous; I felt like I had to keep everyone happy all the time. Writing created a space where I could express my thoughts without being on edge, I could take my time, pace it. I think my goal from writing has become much different from how it started; instead of wanting to be heard, I want other people to feel like there is someone out there who understands. On top of that, if my writing inspires someone else to write even one sentence, I am more than ecstatic.
Check out Jess’s writing and
keep up to date on her stories here!
Find out more stories like this from Jess and some other amazing creators over the next few weeks in preparation for the release of my new book: The Creativity Gene: 5 Universal Traits to Spark Success!