How to Get Started Being Creative

For some, the hardest part of doing your art—be it writing, painting, or any creative project—is getting started. You might buy the supplies, take a class, or start reading a book, but real progress doesn’t come.

Despite your longing to write a novel, the project’s complexity stops you before you start. You long to see the beauty of your own artistry, but the list of drawing skills needed stands in your way.

If you’re completely new, you fear you have no talent. If you’ve dabbled and grown frustrated, you can only think of the problems, and possibly the shame of your crude efforts.

You’re stuck at the beginning. So how do you move forward?

Good News: You’re Not Alone

Believe it or not, nearly every artist started out with the same sense of dread, possibly embarrassed about their desire, or their lack of talent.

Sure, there are artists who seem touched by the gods and achieve mastery with little effort. Don’t let that stop you.

For the rest of us, these three things make the artist or writer succeed:

• Find your teacher

• Get started

• Persevere

Here are some tips on getting started.

The good news is that you never have to meet your teacher. You can follow someone’s work online, or through books, and learn from them. Take inspiration. Grow.

As I discussed in the first blog post, finding a creative community brings joy. Look for classes nearby, or workshops, or conferences you can attend.

The most important aspect is to find a teacher whose style matches how you learn. Do you need explicit lessons with your work reviewed? Or do you need a looser format with occasional input? Or do you mostly work on your own?

Find the right teacher (or book) for you and your odds of success increase dramatically.

The trick it getting started is to figure out what’s stopping you. Are you overwhelmed by family life, or does your job drain your energy? Is there a chaotic malaise preventing you from doing something you would enjoy?

Begin by observing your current habits to figure out what’s preventing you from taking the time to be creative. Are you an early riser or a night owl? Does your work schedule drain your energy, leaving little for you to manage the house?

When is your energy best? Hack your routine to squeeze out extra time—even as little as ten minutes—to work on your creative project.

Put the banjo front and center

A great idea I heard was from a guy who wanted to learn to play banjo but never seemed to have any time. He tricked himself by placing the banjo on its stand in the middle of his room, in front of the TV. When he came home, it was right there waiting for him.

He picked it up each day and played for a few minutes. Soon, he was mastering simple songs, and the joy of playing took over. He keeps the banjo front and center because he knows he’s too easily distracted by other things.

Put yourself in the corner

For me, I needed to have my writing desk away from the flow of our family. It was a dreary space (not ideal) but my wife and kids weren’t attracted to that area, away from comfort, toys, and television.

Once I got to that dreary corner, I made progress with my writing. I also got up before the rest of the family, while the house was quiet, to work. Once the family beckoned, I couldn’t concentrate on my art.

Hack your environment

You’ll have to find what works for your situation. Maybe stop at the library on your way home, or find a coffee shop where you can get twenty minutes during your lunch break. (I’ve done both.)

I wrote every day during lunch at a restaurant and the server introduced me to a producer making an independent film. I ended up writing two scripts for him. It only happened because the best time for me to write was during lunch.

I have stuck to my creative writing for forty years now without any financial success to propel me. It’s mostly love and hope that keeps me going.

The love comes from getting started, learning from great mentors, and seeing my talent improve. I’m better equipped now to tell stories. The writing is fun.

When you find a good teacher (or book), the secrets of the empire are laid plain before you. Hope emerges. You think, “I might be able to write like them someday?”

Sticking with creative projects is a combination of the hope of success to draw you in, and the growth in your skills to push you over each obstacle.

The satisfaction in completing each step will further propel you along your journey. Don’t let the robots have all the fun. Make your plan to chase your creative dreams today.