Work In Colour - Work. Think. Live. In Colour
Wednesday 14th April 2010 | 8 comments
I'm always interested in the habits or rituals we weave around ourselves, the talismans that we develop to feel confident, safe, in charge or successful, especially in creative work. Some writers wear a favourite jumper, or can only write with an HB pencil, or need to listen to particular music, or must start before 6am, or need a special space, or...
These practices serve at least three useful functions:
However, don't confuse the talisman with the talent. The tale of Dumbo the elephant serves as a caution to those of us who get caught up in lucky charms and rituals to ward off the mysteries of life and risk forgetting that it is us who are driving force in our life, not a special mantra or a piece of red string or a magic feather. [Dumbo believed he could fly only because he had a magic feather, which of course he promptly lost...]
You can produce great work under less than perfect circumstances. Jane Austen wrote for years in her family's living room, quickly hiding her pages as soon as she heard the sound of the door opening. Stephen King wrote his first best seller in a laundry - and PD James started writing on the train to and from work.
Natalie Goldberg in Writing down the Bones goes even further. 'If you want to write, you have to cut through and write. There is no perfect atmosphere, notebook, pen or desk, so train yourself to be flexible. Try writing under different circumstances and in different places. Try trains, buses, at kitchen tables, alone in the woods leaning against a tree...at the airport, in Texas, Kansas or Guatemala, while sipping a Coke, smoking a cigarette, eating a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.'
Are there any limitations you have placed on yourself that may not need to be there? Do you say, 'I can't start art classes when the spare room is converted to a studio' or ' I can't write unless I am in my own house' or 'I must write in longhand' or 'it won't work unless I am wearing my stripy jumper'.
While it is helpful to have comforting rituals that support your work, it might be time to look at them and check whether you have become overly dependent on some of your routines - you may find that your work even improves when you step outside your comfortable patterns.
What are your Dumbo feathers?
Tags: creativity, stuck, rituals
Ha ha, mine is definitely the spare room... I am going to start so many things when that spare room is sorted! Food for thought....
Thanks Tina, I used that excuse for ages, too. Now I have a dedicated office, so I can't use that any more. So now, mine is 'I need a block of client-free time to write my book'. which isn't going to happen any time soon. So, I need to be creative about freeing up time to be creative...hence this post!
I like your reference to not confusing the talisman with the talent. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love, gave a great TED talk on this topic http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html
I love that TED talk too, Monique, thanks for the reminder!
Hi Joanna, I work from home and I find a routine helps me get going.I take my daughter to the school bus stop every morning but if I haven't "got ready" before I leave i just fart around when I get home.Showered, shaved,breakfasted,coffeed,clean desk. My main feathers I spose are my clothes and music.What I wear and what I listen to depend on my Difficult task on the to do list.creative or analytical.Mambo loud shirts for mind maps etc!!
I love the idea of different shirts for different tasks, Alan! I certainly select music for creative v routine v precision work, but you've opened up a whole new level (and at least another 10 minutes of good procrastination before starting work!). Thanks...
As I am not working full time at the moment and therefore feel guilty if I do anything except whatever will attain work, I find it hard to do anything creative. Whereas, if only I took time out to do some writing etc I would probably come up with something which I could have published and therefore fill the coffers a little - which would ease a little of the guilt. Catch 22 situation, I'm afraid. Any clues on how to ease the feelings of guilt?
I'm sure I'm not the only person who can relate to your dilemma, Gai! Thanks for sharing it. Would it be possible to carve out some time for creative work, at least of the potentially productive kind? There's no reason why that shouldn't be a legitimate part of your working week, I think? Maybe just a few hours, but if it's an appointment with yourself, in your diary, might not that legitimise it for you and assuage the guilt? You might need to have a stern chat to your inner critic, too! Good luck with all that...