"Writing is very much a playground - an artistic playground. It's the most fun thing I do"

Writing unlocks a world of creativity akin to a playground, inviting the writer to explore, experiment, and revel in possibility. Shania Twain draws a vivid parallel, emphasizing the freedom and joy intrinsic to the process. Like children darting from one game to another, writers can leap from genre to style, tone to theme, without fear or constraint. Such a space fosters risk-taking, silly, heartfelt, and bold ideas coexist, unburdened by expectation. The mind, unshackled, flourishes and engages with ideas as if swinging from imaginative monkey bars.

In this artistic realm, playfulness is not at odds with depth or skill; rather, it enhances expression and authenticity. Twain’s perspective highlights that artistry is not forced labor. There is pleasure in the process, the act of creation is inherently satisfying, even exhilarating. By likening writing to play, she acknowledges that even when challenges emerge, the frustration over a sentence that won’t sing, or a story that stumbles, they become part of the game’s dynamic rather than sources of pure frustration.

This mindset fosters both resilience and inventiveness. When writing feels like the most enjoyable activity, the creator returns to it willingly, eager to discover what the next session will bring. A sense of fun eclipses the paralyzing fear of failure; mistakes become stepping stones, drafts become castles in the sand, malleable, surprising, designed with a sense of wonder. Writing transforms from chore to cherished pursuit.

Twain’s reflection resonates with anyone who seeks to reclaim the intuitive creativity often present in childhood. It encourages writers to view their craft as a living, changing landscape, where rules can be bent or rewritten and where originality thrives. For Twain, and for many artists, the act of putting words to page is not just work, but spirited play, a return to the joy of uninhibited imagination.