To Advance Your Writing, Art, and Creativity, Be the Master of Your Domain

Around twenty years ago, as I struggled to find success as a writer, I was beating myself up pretty hard about it, chastising me for not working harder, being lazy, et cetera. The typical self-loathing that mostly backfires. No one likes to be berated, especially by your own self.

Creativity is an act of joy, and joy doesn’t result from abuse. Basically, I told myself to never treat myself like a rented mule.

That said, I still have to cajole myself to get to the writing desk and get stuff done. Sometimes I use a carrot, but mostly I remind me that this is something I want. No one’s forcing me.

That mostly works. Here’s what I’ve found that might help you.

I remind myself often that what I can control is the quality and the quantity of what I write. People who find success usually keep showing up, keep producing creative work, and keep sharing it with the world. If you don’t submit your work, it can’t be chosen. If you submit a lousy piece of work, it probably won’t be chosen. And so on.

What I can’t control is the quality of the competition and the taste of the agent, publisher or editor to whom I’m submitting. Even when I self-publish a novel, there’s no accounting for the public’s taste.

You can try to chase trends, but you’re better off tapping into your original creativity and try to spark a trend base on you.

That takes us back to you, and how much you create, and how good it is.

I usually have a variety of projects going. I’m writing one or two novels at a time, I’m blogging, and I’m working on short humor. I may have other stuff happening, like practicing my cartooning or dancing.

In any given week, I have to chose one or two of the projects to be my primary focus. I’ll find my way to those projects day after day, advancing them a little or a lot, depending on what each day is like.

August Birch points this out with a course he offers called Momentum Maker. If everything is your top priority, then nothing is a top priority.

Having declared something to be most important, I often knock it off in a couple of days. I may have another task from the same project waiting, or there may be something to do for one of the other projects.

Unfortunately, I’m not great at blocking off chunks of time to “write.” I deal with interruptions, and I simply have to hang on to my creative project until the stars align and I can get busy.

The Focus gurus will tell you to schedule your entire day, every single minute, and make sure rest, relaxation, and family is in there. Oh, and also your day job. Then fill in the rest with your passion projects, and make sure everything has enough time set aside plus some extra for unplanned interruptions.

Then, every day, follow that schedule and don’t vary. Rely on your ability to add unplanned interruptions at the correct time. Also exercise and sleep. Everything will work out great.

That is exactly what I’m bad at. It makes me feel like my own employee I’m bossing around. Or, worse, I feel like that rented mule that is only here to plow the field and it better get its ass moving.

I try to create small steps for each project that I can complete and build momentum.

Each tiny step taken gets a little easier as you learn something, accomplish something, make something. As the project takes shape, momentum builds. What has been learned is used again and familiarity makes everything easier.

My wish for you is that you find the approach to your creative work that suits you and makes you feel the joy of creating, rather than the yoke of labor.