All the writing advice out there mentions reading at some point. It makes sense after all, most of us start writing because we love books and want to make one of our own!
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When it comes to committing to a big writing project like a novel or book, I totally understand that feeling of resistance that pops up for lots of us. Doubt and fear play a role, definitely, but one of the more surprising obstacles can be a sense of guilt. How can we overcome this guilt and seek out a mindset which acknowledges the value in nurturing our creativity?
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One of the most important things we can do for our writing is to give it time. Uninterrupted, focused, committed - and yes, a little selfish - time.
Why then, does it feel difficult to make that time? Why do so many of us (myself included), find it difficult to protect our dedicated writing time? Perhaps we feel silly, maybe it's self-indulgent or foolish to pour all of that time and energy into a hobby that might seem frivolous or intangible to some?
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Ahh, the comfort zone. It's safe and easy, and most of us are guilty of lingering there a little longer than we should at times. I don't think a little bit of sitting in that comfort zone is all bad, but when it comes to creativity, it's not something we should rest in forever. The comfort zone is familiar and repetitive, minimising stress - so it can be really useful if you need to refocus on some of that personal enjoyment of your creative process.
Whether it's a workshop, festival, conference or convention, there's a creative event around for just about every interest area or specialism. There's Creatival, Hay Festival, the London Illustration Fair - to name just a few.
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Lots of us feel trapped or stifled when we impose a sense of structure or routine on our days. Maybe it's the inner rebel in us, the feeling that we just don't like being told what to do and when (even when we're the ones telling ourselves). But good routines, with good habits, can be hugely beneficial in building a lifestyle that allows the time and energy we need to be creative.
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A steady, flowing creative output needs plenty of input in order to keep running smoothly. We can top up that creative well with lots of different things, including time with friends, regular walks and fresh air - and of course, by consuming the art of others.
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When it comes to planning for a creative project - whether that's working towards a specific goal or more simply setting aside that time to hone your craft - putting in place a very strict structure can sometimes work against you.
It can leave you feeling stifled and frustrated, send you off course without realising and even deepen an impending period of creative block.
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Is it possible to find a balance between living your life (and living it honestly) and sharing it online?
Maybe it's just the season, but it seems as though there's been a bit of a shift in the mood on instagram lately. A bit of reluctance, a bit of resistance - a push against the way it rewards us for consistency of engagement alone. Maybe we're tired of the formulas, tired of the quantity over quality mindset - I know I am.
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Making your creative projects a priority can be an important step in building tangible progress and that helps hugely with motivation and staying power. It shifts your mindset into taking your art more seriously and makes it less of a battle to squeeze time for creativity into your day-to-day.
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When we're working on something long term, that nobody else gets to see for a long long time, when it's just us and the blank page, or sketchbook, or wherever - is it still important for us to measure our achievements, to celebrate those tiny, incremental wins along the winding path of a creative life? And for those projects which are purely personal, the ones we do to learn a new skill, or to relax at the end of the day - is the progress irrelevant or even meaningless to the process itself?
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I don’t believe in creative block. Here's what I do believe in: the difficult business of showing up to your art, again and again and again. When it feels easy, when it feels hard, when it feels impossible. Finding the rhythm and the repetition in this process is the key to shutting the door on creative block and getting the work done.
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It seems a little strange to think about creativity as something to invest in. Investing is something you do when you want to profit as a result in the future, right? And not all of us make art with the intention of making money from it. Well, not all profit is financial. When we're serious about living a wholehearted and intentional life of creativity, investing - whether that's our time and energy into a new skill or project; or in seeking external support and accountability…
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It's not always easy to tell if we need a break. With all the guilt and doubt that often surrounds taking time away from our creative passions or creative businesses, it's hardly surprising that the issue of time off is one that often feels a little loaded. Sometimes, or course, we simply can't take a break. We have income to make, clients to serve, deadlines (self imposed or otherwise) to meet.
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How is your relationship with money? Mine isn’t terrible, but a recent (and very overdue) catch up with my accounts made me cringe a little at all of the unnecessary, meaningless purchases I make in a month. When you couple that with a growing passion for minimalism (which I define as: living more simply, being more intentional with my belongings, surrounding myself with more of the things I love), I decided it could be a good opportunity to reset…
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This time last year, if you had asked me how I felt about being photographed, I'd have laughed. Including my hands or my torso in images was the furthest I'd moved towards taking a self portrait I felt comfortable sharing. I took a couple of bio/headshots when I absolutely had to for an interview - but I didn't like them enough to use on my website or blog, and I certainly would never have posted them on instagram.
I didn't start writing fiction until I was twenty two. In fact, I hated creative writing throughout school (vastly preferring the literature of others to anything I could create) - but this doesn't make me any less of a writer now. Looking back, I can recognise my dislike of creative writing then for what it really was - the fear of others (even a teacher!) reading something deeply personal to me…
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