My Creative Practice

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This is one of those subjects that is hard to write about without sounding incredibly pretentious. Lucky for me, most people find me impossibly pretentious which means I can take on this topic like I would any other. As a full-time artist, having a creative practice ends up being an entire lifestyle. Everything in my life is built around creativity. It effects when I sleep, how I schedule my life, and how I spend my time. For many artists there are plenty of other commitments besides just being creative. That’s where having a creative practice is helpful. Creativity isn’t something to be chased, it must be fostered.

I don’t have a specific creative practice but there a few habits that I have developed that help me in my creativity. I am very fortunate to be able to do this all the time. That means that I can easily run through all my creative juices. Between an active blog, multiple book projects, collaborations, and more I’m constantly creating. It’s important for me to keep the creative well filled.

I am able to do this thanks to my fans and all the people that promote me, share my stuff, and expand my reach. Thank you!

Leave Myself Open to Ideas

One of the favorite parts of writing, for me, is research. I like finding out about new things. I have been this way my whole life. The internet is a mixed blessing because its a great place to find new information. Conversely, it is also the biggest distraction to writing. I often have to hide from my internet browser in order to get my writing tasks done. However, when I give myself chance to do research I like to read a variety of things. I also like to create mood boards on Pinterest to give some visual cues I can go back to during the writing process. Recently, I was working on a book and I needed some clothing descriptions and hair styles. I was able to jump over to my mood board to find what I needed and find a way to make those pictures come alive on the page. This process helps build the world that you’re creating in your head. If your story is taking place in the present, this might not be as important but it is invaluable for historical fiction or writing in spaces where you are outside of your native expertise.

Get Ready to Write

I like to write under very specific conditions. Unlike many others, I have a hard time writing in very short spaces of time. If I know I have something to do later or I have limited time, it can be hard for me to write and I tend to do business things. However, when time does align I like to have music going (no lyrics), low lights, and comfortable clothing. I often like to have something to drink. In the past, it has been coca-cola but I am transitioning away from sugary drinks. In the winter, I like tea or coffee. I do not like to write while smoking marijuana although I have written down some good ideas or done some good research. I try to keep my space distraction free as possible. I keep my web browser (which usually houses my music) on a different desktop than the one I use to write (I use a MacBook pro). That way the whole screen is just words. I’ve recently switched from Evernote and Scrivener to Ulysses. Ulysses combines the best of both of those worlds together in an easy to use interface that allows me to publish to my blog right from it. I was not a fan of writing tools for years until I tried them seriously and it changed the game for me.

I Seek Out Story

I didn’t grow up with much TV or movies. I read heavily and widely. From books to newspapers and magazines I like to read and I read often. This exposed me to all sorts of stories and different ways to telling a story. Today, I seek out story in all kinds of forms. Sometimes it involves reading and other times it involves watching a great movie or documentary. Whatever you pick, seek out stories regularly. Even from other people. When people tell a story take note of how the events happened. What did they have to overcome? What was their goal? How did they achieve their goal or fail and recover from that? This is where television is really helpful. We are living in a golden age of episodic storytelling which allows us to spend many more hours with characters than we might otherwise. Tracking the arc of these stories and understand how the story works together to convey a message (doesn’t matter the message) is an important part of creative practice. Visual artists are constantly consuming content. As writers, we need to do the same.

Journaling

Sometimes I need to clear my mind before I write. This is a tip I am not super consistent on but I do find it helpful. I like to do a little journaling to get my thoughts about my life and things going on out of my head. It can be helpful just to clear everything out. Sometimes I do bullet journaling and sometimes I just talk with myself. Sometimes it means that I get everything out of my head for my to do lists so that I feel like I have a handle on this business and life. Sometimes the best thing we can do is sit with ourselves for a moment and just breathe. I have friends who are full-time writers that only work about 2 hrs a day. I find that I can manage about 5 hours of writing before my mind turns to mush. That is when it is time to take a break. To implement this idea, try doing some journaling before your next writing session. I like to write in a notebook but I also like to write on my phone. Use whatever tool is comfortable for you.

Final Thoughts

Creating a practice that you can do can be key to unlocking your creative potential. If you’re a seasoned artist looking to find some balance or someone who is just looking to start your creative journey, hopefully a little peek into my creative practices will give you some ideas on how to get started and how to foster your creativity. Creativity is like a house plant. It needs sun and water in order to thrive. Find a way to water your creativity.