Time to Get Your Hands Dirty
We've come to the end of our time together and I can't believe how fast it went. I hope the last ten weeks have been worthwhile for you.
To recap, here's what we've learned together:
How common creativity myths may affect how we view and treat our own creativity
What kind of creative person you are
How to pick the right creative tools for you
How to set a reasonable project scope for any project you take on
What creative obstacles creative people encounter
How to overcome, or at least reroute, these obstacles
Additionally, we've also heard directly from four creatives who have given us insight into their creative processes.
Ultimately, the next step is for you to apply what we've learned to your next project. There's really no other way to go about developing a creative process other than trying it out for yourself!
I want to share with you an art piece that I think you will enjoy, by artist Roland Tiangco. The recipient receives an envelope; inside is a poster smudged with black powder on one side, and the other side is left blank. Smearing around the powder reveals the message:
This is really the essence of creativity. Creativity is a messy process, no matter how much we attempt to "optimize" or streamline it. What I hope this series has done is break it down into manageable pieces so that it feels slightly less daunting.
There's no worksheet for this final email, because my hope is that you'll use the ones provided in past activities the next time you start something new. There's a quote I love (from a questionable movie called Sucker Punch): "You have all the weapons you need. Now fight!"
It's true, though. Everyone is equipped with the innate skills needed to be creative; creativity is inherent in our experiences as human beings. The trick is to share that creativity with the world, and there's never been a better time to do that.
There is one step I'd like you to consider adding to your process: a post-project review. Essentially, this is a way to reflect on the project, what you learned, and what you may do differently next time. We'll do this together now as our final activity.
Rather than provide you with a worksheet, I encourage you to use a tool of your choice to answer these reflection questions so that you can get into the habit of using your own processes!
As this series wraps up, think about the following:
What is your main takeaway from this series?
What did you learn about yourself?
What affirmed your current approach to creativity?
What is something you'll changed based on what you learned?
At present, what is your general morale toward creative work?
What creative project will you attempt next?
I invite you to share your reflections in Discord, or you can keep them to yourself. :)
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”
- Martha Graham
What Next?
Although this initial series concludes here, this is just the start of Identifying Your Creative Heartbeat! I will be turning this series into a lovely digital ebook for you to enjoy. (Eventually, this will hopefully become a print book, too.) This will be sent to you directly once it's completed in the near future.
Members of my Patreon will receive two additional "Creative Case Studies." I'll also be continuing the series of interviews on my blog, so if you'd like to share your creative process, reply to this email!
The page that currently houses the posts from this series will be going away soon as I move that content to a different part of my website. But rest assured that you will still have access to the content!
If you enjoyed this series and would like me to produce more creative content like this, consider joining my Patreon. All funds go directly to projects such as this! My mission is always to empower fellow creatives by offering actionable, well-researched, and engaging resources.
You can also share your thoughts on the series using hashtag #YourCreativeHeartbeat on social media!
If you end up creating and completing a project following the information in this series, I'd love to hear from you! Please email me, ashley@scribemind.com.
Best of luck on your creative journeys, and thanks for joining me on this one!
Ashley