Many of us with a creative idea, vision, or project often struggle with the same thing: the gap between having a brilliant idea and bringing it to life.
The common problems of perfectionism, procrastination, and overwhelm get in your way and prevent you from making any real, significant progress. You dither for months, years, and sometimes even decades, all without taking action on your creative dreams.
I know because I’ve been there. But over the last ten years, I’ve been able to overcome those problems and launch the passion projects of my heart — and I want the same for you.
I’m using everything I’ve learned to outline the 5 mistakes you’re making that prevent you from taking action — and the 5 solutions to fix them.
Mistake #1: Trying to “Figure it All Out”
You want to start a blog so you start researching the best web host, the best cross-posting tools, the best SEO strategies for headlines and metadata. But when do you get around to actually launching that blog?
You want to start a podcast so you start researching the best microphones, the best editing software, the best way to soundproof a room. But how long does it take before you get around to recording your first episode?
You want to start writing a novel so you start outlining every character backstory, every plot twist, and researching every setting for total accuracy. But at what point do you actually sit down and write your first page?
There’s a point when trying to “figure it all out” stops being about planning and starts being about perfectionism and procrastination.
The solution?
Limit your research and planning.
If you find yourself stuck in the research and planning phase without ever moving forward into execution, it’s time to STOP and just START. Set a limit for yourself — define the absolute most important pieces to know and figure out the rest later. Remember: as painful as it might feel, you don’t need to have everything figured out all the time.
Mistake #2: Waiting for “Inspiration to Strike”
When you wait for inspiration to strike, or when you wait until you “feel like it” you oftentimes never get around it.
The solution?
Well, here’s a secret successful creatives have discovered: Your muse doesn’t suddenly appear by itself. You can summon your muse — simply by showing up before it appears.
The great Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art, says:
“When we sit down each day and do our work... The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned her favor.”
Sitting down, showing up, and getting ready to work is how you summon your muse so you can get things done.
Mistake #3: Setting Lofty Goals
How familiar does this sound?
“Okay, I’m going to sit down and outline my whole novel.”
“All right, I’m going to sit down and wireframe my entire website.”
“Great, I’m ready to sit down and finish mixing my latest music track.”
And then what happens? You start feeling overwhelmed by the huge task. Or you start getting bogged down in details and minutiae. Or you start thinking that it’s going to take forever to finish and begin to get discouraged.
The solution?
Use time bound limits. Give yourself a set amount of time to work, and then stop when the time runs out. It doesn’t matter if you complete the task in one sitting or not. All that matters is that you made progress. Setting a time limit hinders your overwhelm and procrastination, because you know you only need to start — you don’t need to finish. Which brings us to mistake #4.
Mistake #4: Trying to Make it “Look Right” or “Sound Right”
You start writing your novel and spend hours tweaking the first paragraph or first page. You spend so long trying to find the perfect words to convey what you’re trying to say that you never move past the first chapter.
Or you start working on a design and find yourself repeatedly adjusting the colour palette and font choices, going back and forth, but never actually getting around to the rest of it.
The solution?
I have a saying: “Make Bad Art”.
Now, this doesn’t mean producing poor quality work. It simply means that you don’t need to get it right the first time, or even the second, third, or tenth time. When you create with the intention of doing it badly — on purpose! — you get rid of that perfectionism and procrastination.
Remember, you can always fix it later. The key is to simply make progress, bit by bit, even if it doesn’t look or sound the way you want it to at first. Give yourself permission to be bad at something and I promise, you’ll see life-changing progress in your creative pursuits.
Mistake #5: Thinking Your Idea is Unoriginal
How many times have you thought something like this:
“Someone else is already doing my idea.”
“What do I have to say that a dozen other people already haven’t?”
“There’s nothing original under the sun.”
Many of you worry that your idea isn’t original. You see other people doing it and think that it’s not worth doing yourself. You get imposter syndrome. “Who am I to do this, when other people are doing it better?”
The solution?
Find your “twist.”
Because here’s the secret: Being unoriginal is actually a GOOD thing! It means there’s a market for what you’re creating. It means there’s an audience for it. People want what you’re making.
You just need to figure out what YOU bring that no one else can. What’s the differentiator that comes from your perspective, your personality, your background, your experiences? Find the “twist” that is unique to you and you’ll stand out — even if you think you’re unoriginal.
One of the toughest things when it comes to creativity is bridging the gap between having a brilliant idea and bringing it to life. By limiting your research, summoning your muse, setting time bound goals, embracing “bad art” and finding your unique twist, you can overcome the obstacles that hold you back. It's time to stop dithering and start doing.
Ready to take the next step? Visit candicelee.ca to see how we can work together to finally bring your creative vision to life.
Candice is a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur dedicated to writing, music, and mindset shifts. As a multi-six-figure bestselling novelist, wellness e-com founder, affirmation product designer, and amateur music producer, she brings a wealth of experience to her role as a Creativity Facilitator. Candice helps clients overcome indecision, refill their creative wells, get rid of blocks, and take action on their passion projects. With an enthusiastic and empowering approach, she offers 1:1 coaching and workshops to guide people toward their creative goals. Candice's mission is to inspire and support others in achieving their dreams so they can find fulfillment and joy.
Let’s admit it: starting a new creative project can be scary.
Maybe you’ve gone months without writing a single word.
Maybe it’s been years since you last picked up a pencil to draw.
Maybe it’s even been a decade since you played a single note on your piano or guitar.
But there’s something inside you that wants to take action on your creative work.
There’s an itch in the back of your mind, or an urge in your heart. It’s getting harder and harder to ignore it.
But you’re scared. You start thinking, what if I’m not good at it anymore? What if I try and I fail? What if I share my creative work with the world and get crickets?
I’m here to tell you, it’s okay if you’re afraid. We’ve all been there. It’s understandable to feel
that way if it’s been a while.
But there’s a way to move past that fear, to curate your own personal inspiration, and to dive into the creative work that excites you. Here’s how.
Step #1:
Get something to write on.
Take a piece of paper and a pen. Open a notes app on your phone. Open a blank Word doc on your computer. Whatever is easiest for you.
Step #2:
Think of one thing that inspired you to make and create.
Maybe it was a video/book/blog/album/painting/animation/movie that made you think, “Wow,
I’d love to do that, too!”
Maybe it was a specific person who encouraged you.
Maybe something important or significant happened in your life.
Dig deep and find that one special moment that sparked your creative urges.
Step #3:
Note down how it made you feel, and why it inspired you. Why and how did it make you want to create?
What was it about that album that made you want to play music? What did your 8th grade
teacher say that made you want to write? What about that animation made you want to draw?
Really sink into those emotions and note it down in as much detail as possible.
And finally, Step #4:
Every time you feel afraid to pick up that pencil, every time you feel that fear of putting fingers
to keys, I want you to pull out that note you just made and remember. Remember how it feels to be inspired. Remember why you wanted to create in the first place.
Channel those memories, those moments of inspiration, and I guarantee, you’ll be able to power through that fear and bring your creative vision to life.
Candice is a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur dedicated to writing, music, and mindset shifts. As a multi-six-figure bestselling novelist, wellness e-com founder, affirmation product designer, and amateur music producer, she brings a wealth of experience to her role as a Creativity Facilitator. Candice helps clients overcome indecision, refill their creative wells, get rid of blocks, and take action on their passion projects. With an enthusiastic and empowering approach, she offers 1:1 coaching and workshops to guide people toward their creative goals. Candice's mission is to inspire and support others in achieving their dreams so they can find fulfillment and joy.
If you have pooh-poohed the idea of writing a book, yet a terrific idea niggles at the corners of your thoughts on Sunday mornings, well, welcome to the world of storytelling defined! Whether you're curious about the process or an aspiring writer, an avid reader, or a student trying to analyze a narrative, understanding the components of a story and how they interact is crucial. Allow me to give you my take on the structure of narratives, exploring character motivations, plot, setting, theme, and conflict. Ready?
1. CHARACTER MOTIVATIONS: The Driving Force
What drives a character to act in a certain way? Is it fear, love, greed, or something else? Motivations can be categorized into three broad types: basic, noble, and evil. Basic motivations include survival, fear of failure, peer pressure, curiosity, guilt, desire, and instability. Noble motivations can be love, loyalty, honour, obedience, vengeance, a fight against inequality, or the search for fulfilment. On the other hand, evil motivations consist of hatred, dishonour, pride, greed, revenge, lust, and jealousy.
2. PLOT: The Heart of the Story
In a nutshell, a plot is what happens in a story. It consists of the following:
3. SETTING: The Backdrop of the Narrative
The setting is where and when a story takes place. More often than not, a story has more than one setting, which contributes to the narrative's mood, atmosphere, and overall aesthetic.
4. THEME: The Underlying Message
The theme is the message or meaning of a story. It's what's in it for the reader—the lesson they might glean from the narrative, the deeper insights they might discover about life or human nature.
5. CHARACTERS: The Soul of the Story
Characters bring life to the story. They can be:
6. POINT OF VIEW: Through Whose Eyes?
The point of view determines who's telling the story. It could be
7. CONFLICT: The Engine of the Plot
Conflict is a problem a character has to solve. It drives the plot forward and can take various forms:
This is my simple breakdown of the different elements that make up a story. For more insights into the world of storytelling, how to write marketing copy, or how to develop a consistent habit of writing, contact me for a free 15-minute inspiration boost on Zoom.
Rusti L Lehay, a global editor and book and writing coach, created over 40 articles guiding writers to authordom. Witnessing writers find and speak in their own voice to serve the real boss, the audience, not the editor, is one of Rusti’s greatest joys. She offers bi-monthly online writing STAY-Treats and monthly lounges and teaches weekly creative writing classes. Her primary mission is to inspire, provide value and make writing fun and easy.
Links: https://msha.ke/rustilehay.info
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The traditional approach to editing is for the editors to take the whole manuscript off by themselves, mark it all up, and make changes without any back-and-forth conversation. As I strive to connect with the author’s voice empathically, I’m careful to honour the author’s intent, narrative style, and flow.
Editing without the author can sometimes bypass or interfere with the author's voice. Authors retain their artistic copyright with the collaborative immersion approach I have been using since 2014. This way, any in-depth suggestions for changes are discussed.
If I suggest a change that the author does not feel is a fit, we then engage in a conversation factoring in the author’s strategic objectives. Also, we explore what they want to say to the reader. Another tool to reach a consensus is to ask what they want the reader to hear.
Together, we keep in mind that the reader is the real boss, not the
editor or the writer.
How do I empower authors to structure their books effectively, and how do they organize their ideas in both fiction and non-fiction manuscripts?
Trusting the first draft is always my first direction. If it is meant to come out and you create the space to let it flow, it will arrive, often surprising the writer. Follow their hearts and be instinctive. If the author has dived into their passion, they will most likely find and submerge themselves in that mysterious state called "flow".
Listen to anything online with Stephen Kottler speaking to learn more about the flow effect. With fiction, there is more leeway regarding how to structure your book.
How to Structure Your Book
You can have the plot flow back and forth sequentially, give chapters to different characters that come together in the end, or start from the future and work your way around to link up the beginning.
As long as you drop enough sticky bits at each chapter or section end to hook the readers’ attention and fill in the gaps you purposely leave to maintain curiosity, you can do just about anything. It is good to complete one mini-mystery in the plot as you progress and plant fresh ones.
Regarding memoirs, there are as many different ways to structure them as the people who write their stories. Quite often, people will structure their books in a linear style. You can utilize all the tools and structures listed above for fiction authors.
A few ideas are to leapfrog through the years by a common number. Or pick a theme like family weddings or the dresses you wore, friends you had through the years, what Sunday dinners were like, or the things you’ve learned on a specific topic or at regular intervals.
Using the “sticky bits” at the end of sections is also essential to keep your audience reading. It can be as simple as, “In the next chapter, readers will learn the most valuable step of the process…” Many of the fiction and poetic tools can be applied to non-fiction.
Metaphoric writing is a superb teaching tool that enhances reader retention of the information and makes what might be dry material engaging, thought-provoking, and captivating. For an example of non-fiction page-turners, look at authors Gabor Maté or Dean Copeland.
The best editors help writers balance preserving their unique voice while addressing areas that need improvement, such as plot development or factual accuracy.
Working as a collaborative, empathic editor and a ghostwriter, I start with everything that works well, then ask questions to inspire the author to view it from the reader’s perspective. Any feedback I offer is always delivered as suggestions, not as a must-do, which can set us both up for a power struggle where no one wins, least of all the reader.
After calling attention to everything that works well, addressing areas that may improve with slight changes seems more natural. Authors come to editors because, deep down, we all know a piece of writing can constantly be revised and that all writers need a keen editorial eye.
Working empathically with only one author in their specific genre at a time allows me to engage with their use of language, the tone they convey, and the way they create descriptions or explanations. These combined make an author’s voice unique; once I am in the flow of these aspects of personal authorial voice, I can better preserve them while suggesting changes to sections of text that can benefit from improvement.
Any suggestions for improvement are solely to strengthen the work. Sometimes, this requires structural editing, moving text around, and plot development for congruency and consistency. Again, any ideas for revision are discussed with the author from a foundation of tact and sensitivity.
It takes an enormous effort to write a complete book, and this accomplishment, while not for the faint-hearted, must always be kept front and centre in an editor’s mind. We didn’t sweat over it, lose sleep, or neglect other aspects of life to put each of those words down to create the book.
An editor’s role is to walk that fine line, preserving a writer's unique voice and addressing areas that can benefit from revision. The editor/author collaboration aims to make a more robust and polished final product.
Common mistakes or challenges writers face when trying to polish their manuscripts and some strategies to overcome these hurdles when refining their work.
Heather Robertson, a writer I admire, said writers are only as good as their editors and vice versa. We all need editors, and before an author hires one, I suggest finding friendly readers in your friend and family circle or training a friendly reader. I elucidate that latter point in my talk, “The Four Things Every Writer Needs.”
Even the thought of showing your manuscript to someone will flip a switch in your brain, and you will likely be invigorated to set aside time to revise and edit your work. This crucial stage is often missed when writers are in a rush or set unrealistic deadlines for themselves. While reviewing your work can be challenging, even for those with writing experience, setting your manuscript aside for five days and celebrating your accomplishments is a wise thing to do before digging in to find those grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that will jump out at you after a break.
Another risk is loving your little darlings and becoming too attached to them. Paraphrasing Natalie Goldberg, author of several fantastic books on writing, who says, “We must be willing to kill our darlings.”
Many authors swear by the tool of reading their work aloud. You will quickly become aware of awkward phrasing, run-on sentences, and word favouritism (every author has their overused words or turns of phrases). These issues become readily apparent when reading aloud. Even more so if you have a friend read your work aloud. They can offer valuable feedback from an outsider's point of view.
One final tip: Though I have many more that arise in face-to-face meetings unique to each author, it is crucial to be amenable to make changes and try revisions based on the feedback you receive.
Sometimes, while feedback may feel like criticism, do your best to remember people who care enough to risk offering feedback are working with you to enhance your ability to create the best possible manuscript. Almost all revisions you can make at this point to raise the quality of your writing will only increase your potential success on your publishing journey. You will know you need a break, an editor, or when you are possibly done, when your energy wanes. If you still don’t feel a charge after a break, it is ready for the next phase.
Some key considerations to keep in mind to ensure your work stands out in a competitive distribution world when you are in the publishing
marketing phase.
To reach the marketing stage, the real work begins. I have curated successful self-published authors to speak at conferences when I was on organizing committees, and they are geniuses at marketing. This stage takes some consistent effort and thinking outside of the box.
I adore arriving at this stage with my authors and am often told I should teach courses on this aspect. When you jump from the editing to the publishing phase, hang on for the ride.
The market is competitive, and with some concerted effort, you can keep your book front and centre with contests, periodic sales, and delivering short excerpts on SubStack and similar programs. This is the time to be creatively strategic to reap an ROI.
Ask local papers if they have a lit section to do a review, have SM influencers on
GoodReads review it on their accounts, and consider investing in a book trailer. Book trailers communicate the feel of the book and can create a buzz of excitement and interest.
Another small but not insignificant investment you can make is NetGalley, which will preview your book to their list of signed pre-readers who can help create a buzz before you launch your book.
Use social media as much as possible, enlist your friends and readers to make posts, and keep your target audience in mind to leverage the platforms they hang out on to influence their purchasing decisions.
Do all of this or even ninety percent, and you can gain a competitive edge in the market and see that readers enjoy your book.
Rusti L Lehay, a global editor and book and writing coach, created over 40 articles guiding writers to authordom. Witnessing writers find and speak in their unique voice to serve the real boss, the audience, not the editor, is one of Rusti’s greatest joys. She offers bi-monthly online writing STAY-Treats and monthly lounges and teaches weekly creative writing classes. Her primary mission is to inspire, provide value, and make writing fun and easy.
If you have ever burned a dream to cinders, you will understand my grief and angst after an excellent dream venture involving poetry and art popped up in my life. I leapt at it, dug right in, accomplished a lot and then stalled. The dead halt was 30 percent fearing the sales component and 70 percent too “busy.” I shudder to think how many people might use those four letters if forced to describe me with one word. One friend teases me, “You are trying to squeeze two lifetimes into one.” Guilty as charged. Interested in everything, with the single possible exception of math, I adopt new passions at high velocity despite the risk of whiplash.
Wondering if I’d ever change, my eldest sister, Charlotte, offers me a two-word solution, “Say no.”
I debate that it is more complex. Busy is a comfortable habit, an automatic “no” to some activities that may tally more karmic points than any of the junk activities seeping into my days. Thankfully, I have partially learned that lesson. I say yes to family. My neighbour is peeved at her cousin for his clipped response to her invites, “Can’t, busy as usual.” They have both been in Edmonton for a whole year and have not yet met up for a coffee. We both agree that “busy” is the new “lazy.”
Years ago, my other sister teased that I only do idleness when externally enforced, like waiting for the locksmith to retrieve her keys locked inside her Dodge Neon. It was true. I regularly borrowed my great-nieces to provide a legitimate reason to sit in the park. My challenge remains to enjoy the present moments and stop putting off pleasure or rewards into the distant future. I can tell you March 27th, 2013, is the only day in history I deliberately set out to watch movies all day, shunning all work. I informed my main clients and to their credit, only one of them phoned and inserted some work into my day. Confirming I am the problem and less than one day totally off a year is a huge red flag.
Tim Kreider in the Busy Trap says, “Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body, and deprived of it we suffer a mental affliction as disfiguring as rickets. The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration — it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done.”
To follow Kreider's wisdom, Manoush Zomorodi elucidates beautifully how "boredom leads to brilliant ideas.” That is in direct opposition to a saying I coined in my teen years, "Boredom is the misuse and abuse of what is meant to be a creative and active mind.” Zomorodi suggests that our most creative ideas arrive while folding laundry, washing dishes or doing nothing in particular. “It's because when your body goes on autopilot, your brain gets busy forming new neural connections that connect ideas and solve problems.” I know this to be true for the one thing I am good at – letting my mind wander when doing menial tasks and creating a container to write and not allowing anything else to intervene or distract me. The blank page is creativity's best friend. If you find the blank page terrifying, let's chat!
Still choking on my smoke-damaged dream venture, I had to work at not berating myself for stealing idle time after accomplishing paying work. A dream venture should have waited a bit when it doesn’t instantly produce income. Painful as it was, I understand why my business partner pulled the plug when my pace frustrated him.
This prompted some questions. What pace is comfortable and manageable? What are the costs? What can or must I let go of to insert what nurtures me? When do I give myself a break just for me? Do I even know how to strap on my helmet and take a bike ride with no destination, errand or goal in mind? I can arrange that for other people, plan wall-to-wall fun days for my great-nieces, and insert myself into the shenanigans. What do I do solely for myself?
Is a day of movies the best I can do? Do movies really count? The sloth in me just stops at the end of the day and wants to watch a movie. Does a movie enrich, teach lessons, and improve my contribution to planet earth and my community (Think Globally, Act Locally), or do they numb me out?
David Bodanis, scientist and author, informs how we burn more calories sleeping than watching television. I decided back in 1999 to kill my TV. I justify DVDs by having four cardio machines in my living room. No movie unless I bounce on my trampoline, ride my exercise bike, row or step for 30 minutes. A Fitbit pedometer informs me when I reach 10,000 steps. Then pyjamas are my reward.
If the answer to eliminating busyness is found in one word, it is yes. I need to say, “Yes,” for me. Yes, I will step off this volunteer board. Yes, I will examine what I allow in my life and in my schedule. Yes, I will give away quilting materials I keep on a wish of completion. Yes, I commit to eliminating the word busy from my lexicon. Yes, I will cultivate idleness. In the two months I have concentrated on this, it has forced me to examine my choices and become accountable for taking on too much. I commit to imagining what the absence of busyness will feel like.
One simple choice I made amid all this angst a few years ago was strap my guitar to a small wheeled dolly and walk the nine blocks to a community hall for free voice and guitar lessons. Now on the farm, I am once again expecting myself to maintain a small footprint and have to make an effort to plan fun outings. I confess I am not doing well. Clearly, I need to put energy into the now moments and stop chasing some surreal sense of accomplishment by endless doing.
Conclusion:
Being busy can give us a false sense of importance. How do I cultivate importance just by being? My priorities need to fall in this order. Make a living, prioritize time with close family and friends, physical and mental fitness (including sleep before midnight, which is a challenge,) volunteer work (overachiever here) and self-improvement in a purely fun activity. Good slow food, healthy kombucha, an occasional glass of shiraz over inspiring conversation and ambling walks with friends must feature regularly. I fear I’m a long, slow work in progress. We all are works in progress. I am two-thirds through my life, assuming I'll live past 90. I may just have to admit I have two speeds: hyperdrive and sloth. They both serve me.
Resources:
Tim Kreider's YouTube on the Busy Trap
Manoush Zomorodi’s Ted Talk
David Bodanis The Secret Family
Learn more about Rusti:
Rusti L Lehay, a global editor and book and writing coach, created over 40 articles guiding writers to authordom. Witnessing writers find and speak in their voice to serve the real boss, the audience, not the editor, is one of Rusti’s greatest joys. She offers bi-monthly online writing STAY-Treats and monthly lounges and teaches weekly creative writing classes. Her primary mission is to inspire, provide value and make writing fun and easy. She has a new offer - Launchpad for Authors
Links: https://linktr.ee/rustilehay
Click here to sign up for the Friday Writing Video Challenge delivered every Friday morning to your inbox.
Click here to book a discovery chat with Rusti.
Click here to join the weekly Monday co-working zoom space. We complete stuff!
If you’re going to create your own logo (and you can!) ~ Follow these three steps!
You probably know already that branding is so much more than a logo.
Your logo is the visual “Hey, it’s me!” for your brand. Every entrepreneur, regardless of whether you are representing a signature product you sell (like a masterclass or product line), or it’s YOU who is the service (like a life coaching biz), you probably need a logo or a wordmark to get you or your program started.
Of course, after you’ve hit a certain level of success you will want to upgrade and re-brand using a professional design agency, but for now, you just need to get started wherever you are! (Just do it!)
Did you know that most successful companies started out with a simple, DIY logo?
Check out Starbucks, Ford, and Nike.
Ok, so now you’re probably feeling like you got this, right?
Here’s what you need:
READY, SET, LOGO!
FREE ADVICE (yes, even more of it!) Don’t fall in love with the first one you like. Yes, choosing your logo should be intuitive, but take your time to explore all the options in as many varieties. I have seen too many people say “That one!” at the very first one they scrolled through without even looking at other options.
On the flipside, if you have a tendency of getting overwhelmed by many options, or have trouble making a decision, get a trusted friend or partner to offer their opinion.
Remember, this is your logo for now. It doesn’t have to be forever.
So what’s the criteria for selecting?
You should love it.
It should represent your business.
You should feel good stamping it all over the place.
It’s not necessarily the “style” of the logo that makes a brand look amateur or unprofessional. What makes a brand look tacky is usually inconsistency.
So keep your colour codes and fonts consistent throughout all your marketing materials, no matter what.
A glimpse into my branding kit in Canva: My colour palette is 9 colours taken directly from my original hand-drawn logo. I chose two different fonts. I don’t deviate from this style guide.
For my pet product business, can you identify the wordmark? (The Cat’s Meow)
Can you identify my signature elements? (the sleepy cat & the circle)
These are parts of a logo that we can separate and use as graphical elements as we start to put together our communication and marketing assets.
Depending on how many colours are in your palette and how many parts to your logo, you could download up to 30 different image files.
So where will you be using this full logo and the key parts of it?
On promotional images, covers, social media templates, headers, email signatures, custom website graphics, posters, and all marketing materials.
So what are you waiting for?
And if you need help, call me!
Wendy Sinclair is a Toronto-based artist and designer who specializes in fine art and coaches the basics of art and design for entrepreneurs and micro businesses so they can own their aesthetic and voice, and run with their own marketing materials and website maintenance.
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What on this blue and green globe am I talking about?
Okay, the Sun
Starting with sunlight, creatives need the warmth of a friendly listener, observer and reader and the tempered heat of quality feedback. How do we ask for that? When we're creating, it is most often a solitary endeavour. One friendly confidante can nurture our creative adventures in ways that feed and motivate us to continue creating. We can ask the observer, the reader, and the listener, to tell us what they see or hear from what we're sharing. What captures their attention and leaves them wanting to know more about what we're painting, composing, creating or writing?
By now, you know words are my medium. So I may default to the art of writing though I aim to speak to a broader group of creatives. Specifically with writing, when we want to recruit or find a friendly reader, we want to ask them a few simple questions. “Where did you stop or find your mind wandering? What made you think? Can you pinpoint a place you want to know more about? What words captured your attention? When we hear this type of feedback, we know, “Oh, wow, this part’s working!” Songs will work with these questions. Now with sculpting or painting and the visual arts, your questions might be, “What holds your gaze? What feels just so right in your hand? What do you ache to touch and hold? What grabs your heart and makes you gasp? Along these lines, form the questions that will spur you on in your craft. Having these friendly viewers and listeners is the sunlight that all creatives need.
Now, Good Soil
The soil is time to plant and claim stillness to sit in our creative zone of genius. The richest soil is uninterrupted time. A writer/colleague in the next city over from me panicked when his wife retired because he no longer had the house all to himself. It was like she was there, her footsteps above interrupting his thoughts. At any moment, she might intrude. Oh, no. What was he going to do? He was hilarious talking about navigating this change. He had to find a new way of being and creating for himself when she was in the house.
On a similar note, I heard this poem at New Mexico State University, almost 30 years ago, and it still sticks in my mind. I think it's because it's my love language, a sixth love language that is not typically known or even coined by the original author. I feel the truth of it. Some people, like me, need more distance and time alone. Some of you may know my story about the Palindrome, which is what I call a past lover I cohabitated with. His love language was quality time. He wanted all my time, and he wanted it all to himself. I kept very well in the pumpkin shell for nine years because I learned a lot about my gifts in that reclusive soil. He would work out for 90 minutes every morning in the room next to my little eight by four feet office cubby. During that time, I wrote and wrote, once challenging myself to write four poems a day after one a day was just too easy. Uninterrupted time is precious. And yes, I did blast out 1,460 poems in that one year.
The poem I remember from NMSU is about a man writing a love poem for his wife, and it's just amazing how it's coming together so well. His wife tiptoes in bringing him a cup of tea and a quick kiss on the cheek. Not a word to interrupt his thoughts, she goes out and closes the door. The poem was ruined. He went from being so pleased with his love poem to absolute dejection. That tea was love in a cup, and the silent kiss was love. Ironic. But I understand his dilemma. When I was living with the Palindrome, only 30 minutes a day were guaranteed mine without interruption. If he had an idea or something he wanted to share, he would walk through the door at any time and return to his next stretch. When he switched from weights and stretching, he skipped rope for 30 minutes of cardio and would not stop for anything. Only once in nine years because he had a cold and realized he couldn't breathe well enough for cardio. For nine years, I knew that those 30 minutes a day were mine and that he would not come walking through that door into the other side of my little space that I claimed for writing in the basement suite of his parents’ house.
Now the flow of water.
Water stands for a steady flow of inspiration. We have to take responsibility for that ourselves. Observe, as Natalie Goldberg says in her book, writing down the bones. We have to watch with two eyes and see everything twice. The clue something interests your muse is when you pay closer scrutiny to something, and your thought lingers before moving on. You may want to hear what somebody said again, or you want to rewind a program or re-read a page or paragraph, or the rhythm of the city’s bustle creates a melody in your brain or a scene you want to paint. Capture enough of it to return to what meaning that moment held during your next bit of quiet time. Explore different directions, play, expand and mould that inspirational moment and clue for yourself in whatever art form is yours that makes your heart sing.
It is an artist’s duty and pleasure to watch for and catch these moments. I used to carry old one-sided business cards and a pen in every jacket pocket or backpack. I would write thoughts down on the blank side. If you don't have the time to act on that inspiration right then, make a promise to your muse to capture enough of it in the moment to recall later. Ideas and inspiration are like dust bunnies; they roll away or disappear. Somebody interrupts the moment or comes along and vacuums them up. In the mornings, I would flip through those scribbles and turn them into poems.
A lawyer friend in Ontario wanted to be an artist since she was a child. Her parents wanted her to choose a secure occupation because they had grown up in tough times. So she decided on the next best thing to becoming an artist – international tax law is creative, right? In her late 50s, she started having dreams of paintings which suggests early passions in life will continue to call. It’s up to each one of us to discover your purpose, your vision and your creative zone and genius. Her dreams showed her a hand painting beautiful art but never the artist. These remarkable paintings called to her, wanting to be found. She thought they must be famous. At the Louvre in France, she felt the urgency to return to her artist self. She journaled and wrote about the paintings in her dreams. She captured, in words, every aspect of those canvases. Only when she committed to returning to her artistry did the dreams reveal that the hand painting in her dreams was her own.
All those fleeting dreams she captured in the pages of her journal are now painted and tangible outside the world of wishes and regrets. If you have a chance, visit her art studio, where she offers artists' workshops in a lovely renovated 1800s farmhouse with a luscious yoga studio and a new spacious gallery in Prince Edward Wine County outside of Toronto. One day soon, I hope to hold retreats there.
So water/inspirational flow is your responsibility. Catch those ideas that pop, moments you want to repeat to maintain the flow of inspiration, the water every creative needs. Artist dates as suggested by Julia Cameron in her book, The Artist’s Way, can fill in any gaps.
Keen attention to the rotation of the earth
And that brings me to my metaphor of the spinning globe we call home. This was the main gift I received from the Palindrome. His life and routines kept him safe and comfortable, and while it grew increasingly restrictive for me, the routine structure of our week created space for a daily habit of writing. Early to bed, we’d wake at half-past four to start our day. Then I had two glorious hours to write after a light breakfast.
In that routine of showing up every day, my muse took me seriously, and practicing my craft grew my skills. I found that going to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays built a flow to the week where the writing fit into the time allowed, but the other four days offered flexibility. I could drag out the last few minutes, expanding them with the flow effect. My preparation during the day ensured that I arrived at my desk with ideas. Metaphors came easier. My mind would play with those ideas and snippets of observations because I showed up just as the sun rises every day. If we creatives honour our ideas, they will plant themselves on the page, on the stage, on canvas, on keyboards, in your clay or the vibration of your strings. If we show up, the ideas show up. Peter DeVries said, “I write when I am inspired, and I see to it that I am inspired every morning at 9:30.” Show up, play with your art and create.
Find those warm sunny friends, guard your soil of time, create a flow of ideas, show up every day or Tuesdays and Thursdays, whatever works for you and you will find a rhythm as dependable as the sun and moon.
These are the four things every creative needs. And it wouldn't be fair of me to talk about inspiration and all of these things if I didn't offer something you might be able to bank on for your creative needs. So here it is. This will work for all types of creatives, with a bit of revision for those delving into other arts beyond writing.
Click here to receive the Habit Creation Program. It is written up specifically for writers, though anyone can replace where it says to set up your journal or writing station with setting up your easel or putting your favourite coffee cup on your piano bench or set your clay up for the morning. Or whenever it's your time to create. You get the idea. Just because I'm a morning person doesn’t mean your art will fit there. Substitute morning for evening or afternoon tea at your favourite coffee shop. You’ll figure it out. Just know that inspiration and boredom are one thought apart from your next incredible creation.
Reference links in the body of the story above:
Practicing your craft, debunking the 10,000-hour theory link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY
Habit Creation Program Link: https://forms.zoho.com/wordquest/form/HabitCreationProgram
Heather Kerr’s GRACE (George Russell Academy of Creative Expansion): https://gracedcanvas.com/
Sign up for Friday Writing Challenge Ideas and Video: https://tinyurl.com/bdd3dp4s
To Join Monday’s free Writing Room: https://tinyurl.com/mt9d8dz8
Learn more about Rusti:
Rusti L Lehay, a global editor and book and writing coach, created over 40 articles guiding writers to authordom. Witnessing writers find and speak in their voice to serve the real boss, the audience, not the editor, is one of Rusti’s greatest joys. She offers bi-monthly online writing STAY-Treats and monthly lounges and teaches weekly creative writing classes. Her primary mission is to inspire, provide value and make writing fun and easy.
Links: https://linktr.ee/rustilehay
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