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Welcome to Pairings
Pairings by Jann Alexander include creativity, inspiration, books, writing, photography, art, history, travel, Texas life, lore and more
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Jann Alexander
3 days ago2 min read
The Next Best Thing To Time Travel
When you’re researching historical fiction, it would be so much easier to just rev up the Time Machine. My Time Machine was in the shop ,...
Jann Alexander
Nov 182 min read
Do Rainy Days Get You Down?
Do rainy days always get you down, or are they the best days for creativity?
Jann Alexander
Jul 154 min read
Why The Fear of Ruining Your Art Will Ruin Your Art
Don’t let fear become the biggest influence in your creative life. Find your commitment to painting and writing by delving into your fears.
Jann Alexander
Apr 20, 20231 min read
Renewed Inspiration In An Artist’s Poem
In 2006 I wrote this ode to my creative spirit, "Artist's Poem," and found renewed inspiration.
Jann Alexander
Feb 24, 20203 min read
Location, Location, Location
There’s a saying in real estate, that it’s all about location. Location. Location. Location. It’s just as true in writing historical novels.
Jann Alexander
Jul 31, 20162 min read
When The Narrow View Widens Out, It Becomes Universal
The Narrow View | iPhoneography by Jann Alexander © 2016 Behind the camera lens, you’ve got a choice. Your view can be narrow, focused...
Jann Alexander
Jan 29, 20162 min read
Ordinary Actions And Memorable Reactions
For every action, there is a reaction. Which makes choosing the right actions pretty important, even when the actions are pretty...
Jann Alexander
Jan 28, 20153 min read
Why Your First Novel Will Always Be Your Favorite
Click to Tweet This Your first novel will always be your favorite, because of your innocence when you wrote it, though it is unlikely to...
Jann Alexander
Jan 22, 20151 min read
Does Weather Influence Your Creativity?
The Rain on the Plains by Jann Alexander ©2015 On an especially rainy, chill day  (where the view from my window echoes the one...
Jann Alexander
Jan 17, 20153 min read
What’s Everyone Got Against Adverbs?
16 Dreaded Adverbs , According to the Hemingway Editor Adverbs are terribly out of favor , and I frankly cannot understand why. I...
Jann Alexander
Dec 31, 20142 min read
A Year to Measure by the Numbers
Beachgoers by Jann Alexander ©2014 When I look back upon a year , I look at it in terms of numbers. Numbers of photographs, that is. And...
Jann Alexander
Nov 7, 20141 min read
All On Board With Minimalism
All On Board by Jann Alexander ©2014 A minimalist on board a Florida yacht finds a cool drink and some shade and not much else beneath...
Jann Alexander
Oct 7, 20141 min read
Unintended Redundancies
Do you believe in signs? Sometimes they really speak to me. Other times, they’re . . . well, they may have a modicum of truth, but they...
Jann Alexander
Oct 4, 20141 min read
Does Beer Make Others More Interesting?
Drink Miller by Jann Alexander ©2014 Pop Beer Quiz! Pop a beer to answer a few questions about it on this holiest of beer-drinking days....
Jann Alexander
Sep 3, 20143 min read
How to Create Just to Create
Having trouble getting into the studio to create? Here are a few tried-and-true tricks I’ve developed. Trot these out when you need that...
Jann Alexander
Aug 27, 20143 min read
Blogging Rocked My World—And Showed Me the Greater Good
Tell a lifelong news junkie  she can’t read the morning news? Anathema. Since high school, as newspaper editor, my wakeup routine was...
Jann Alexander
Aug 25, 20142 min read
Shooting the Perfect Mexican Martini
Shooting The Perfect Mexican Martini by Jann Alexander ©2014 How to Shake the Perfect Mexican Martini: 1 part 100% agave blanco tequila...
Jann Alexander
Aug 19, 20143 min read
Practice Awareness to Tap Your Creativity
Finding Zen by Jann Alexander ©2014 The benefits of being mindful are many and well-noted. But perhaps not so acknowledged is the way...
Jann Alexander
Jun 13, 20146 min read
Ask Yourself Six Questions to Skyrocket Your Creativity
Skyrocket Your Creativity  Jann Alexander © 2014 “ It is the function of art to renew our perception. What we are familiar with we cease...
Jann Alexander
Jun 11, 20142 min read
How Collecting Art Is Also Collecting Stories—Yours
Maine Pattern by Jann Alexander ©2013 What does a photograph mean to me? To you? Photographs, like all art, elicit our emotions and our...
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