I’ve resisted writing this blog post for nearly two weeks now.
Do you see the irony?
I’m enjoying a pretty solid art-making practice these days, but when it comes to writing, resistance seems to have a special hold on me.
I’ve been rug hooking, collaging, painting and photographing, but writing…
I set out writing this post to help anyone struggling to build a desired creative practice, but it turns out, as in most cases, I humbly and selfishly write what I need to hear.
There are many ways to move forward into a creative practice. The three steps below were especially helpful to me in the past and, writing blog posts excepted, still are today.
1. Set a goal
Give yourself a clear, specific, closed-ended goal. Keep it doable and make it easy to know when you’ve met it. For example:
I will create 100 floral sketches.
I will take one photo a day for ten days straight.
I will wake up 30 minutes earlier to spend time in the studio this week, Monday to Friday.
I will publish two blog posts this month.
Then do it.
2. Evaluate
Check in on your goal and see how it’s going.
Did I complete what I set out to do? Am I on track? If not, why?
What’s working well? What could be better?
Is there something blocking me?
Do I need to simplify? Shift the timing? Shift the target?
Do I still want to do this? (It’s OK if the answer is no.)
What can I do to set myself up for success?
3. Tweak if necessary
Make the changes you identified in #2.
Don't let things get too precious, just do. Experiment and see how it goes.
At worst it doesn’t work out as planned and you’ve learned something from it, at best it creates momentum and you’ll want to do it again.
.:.
I now have a new goal: write two blog posts this month.
One down, one to go. After that I’ll see.
In spirit of discovery,
Stephanie