“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, […]
Anne Lamott on Perfectionism, People-Pleasing and Shooting for the Moon
6 Ways to Liberate Your Creativity by Rebalancing Your Being
Underneath the clamour and chatter of our busy world, in the very depths of your being exists your own inner stillness. Yet because the focus is so frequently on the externals, all that exists outside of the self, it can be easy to forget that this inner sanctuary can be accessed whenever you choose. Regularly retreating to […]
Creative Yin and Yang: Making Time for Writing While Riding the Waves of Creativity
Some days nothing we write seems good enough, other days, it’s as if the nine muses themselves have descended onto the page. After one of those magical writing days, we long for them all to be like that, to all be graced with exquisite inspiration and flow but every moment we dedicate to writing, no […]
Powerful Acupressure Points to Increase Your Focus, Memory and Concentration
If you find yourself unable to focus on your work or distracted by your thoughts, both your enjoyment of and the creative process itself can become a muddled affair. This can cause your motivation and therefore dedication for your creative projects to plummet, perhaps in turn affecting your creative confidence. Yet when your mind is balanced by attending […]
How to Beat Writer’s Block: 5 Ways to Face the Blank Page
Just as an artist wouldn’t be able to rework a blank canvas, a writer cannot edit a blank page. Making mistakes is part of the process; don’t smother your creativity out of fear and doubt. Everyone has ebbs and flows in their creativity. Just as bamboo is strong but bends and sways in the breeze, be flexible […]
Jim Jarmusch on Authenticity and Stealing from Other Artists
Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, […]
Alan Watts on How to Be a Writer
“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, […]
Food for Thought: What to Eat Before a Creative Project
Sometimes you just can’t get into your creative flow no matter how strongly you wish it. If you’ve tried all the writing or artistic tricks in your toolkit yet still find yourself staring at a blank page or empty canvas, perhaps you should look to your diet. To create anything your brain needs a steady flow of […]
7 Powerful Yoga Asanas for Writers and Artists
Yoga does far more than stretch and tone the body. For writers and artists there are many benefits to having a regular practice. From on-the-spot relief from creative block and easing pains and tension, to reducing writing doubt and finding new inspiration, the following yoga asanas each hold special qualities that benefit writers and artists. Whatever the medium of your […]