Valley of the Muse

Eye Magazine (Toronto weekly): Nine Inch Nails – The Last Canadian Show Ever?
Trent Reznor talks about NIN disappearing for a while, memorable Toronto shows, the record industry and creativity.

From Pub Rants: What Agents Talk About When We Talk about Auctions
Pub Rants is one of the best publishing industry blogs because of posts like this. Book auctions are explained from editor, agent and author perspective.

From The Simple Dollar: Rule #11- Find and Work Toward Your True Passions
Concise and thoughtful list for transitioning your career to something you’re passionate about.

I took out my cookie cutters for this one and made stars out of orange peppers for decoration. I also like that the colours are mostly brown and orange.

This bento consists of:

• brown rice and tofu, with orange pepper stars
• mini chocolate chip cookies, orange pepper stars, apple slices and peanut butter for dipping

When I first started reading about increasing writing productivity, I remember seeing a suggestion about creating a bit of a ritual to get into a writing frame of mind. The author shared theirs – making a cup of tea. It seemed like a very simple thing to do, but I’ve never been good at sticking to a routine.

I felt I was destined to be an uneven writer, at least in terms of output. If you remember the bucket principle from a few days ago, I tend to either drip away or on rare occasions have unrestrained inspiration but whenever that happens I get overwhelmed and stop writing for a period of time. My goal has always been to turn up the tap, so to speak, and maintain a steady daily wordcount, but my schedule varies so that creating a writing routine isn’t feasible and I’ve felt discouraged.

The thing is, I’ve been wrong this whole time. The point of the writing ritual isn’t to create a routine; it’s to bring you into the present so that you can focus on writing. It’s possible that I’ve spent my whole life misunderstanding what a routine is, but I’ve always pictured calendars and time sheets that illustrate a particular path of your day that looks the same as the next. It meant that if I was in the mood for chocolate tea, well, too bad, because the routine clearly states peppermint.

I’m the kind of person that lives in my dreams and in my mind, and I’m not naturally a grounded person, but I started to notice that when I introduced a certain kind activity during my week it’s become easier to sit down and get things done. I’ve struggled with procrastination and with getting distracted my whole life, but over the past few months, I’ve suddenly been able to focus enough to accomplish the things I’ve only ever dreamt about.

For me, it’s come down to activities that help me maintain a level of presence, of mindfulness, and it helps remind me and my brain that I’m capable of being in the moment. It’s not so much about sticking to a schedule or waiting for something in my head to click and make it ok to begin, but about simply being able to sit down and write.

Previously, I’ve written about the impact of equipment on your creative projects. Tinkering with the settings of the equipment is a not only a great way to reach perfection, but to spend time procrastinating and putting off the actual work.

There are as many reasons to procrastinate as there are projects and artists, and tinkering with the equipment or software you’re using can make you feel like you’re being productive, especially compared to things like playing several hundred games of solitaire. And while a certain amount of attention needs to be spent on the software or equipment itself, it will never be perfectly calibrated. It also won’t create your work for you.

I recently moved my blog from wordpress.com to a self-hosted blog here at www.valleyofthemuse.com, and I’ve had to focus some of my time on researching plugins and modifying the code of the theme I’m using. I’m not 100% happy with it, but after a week, I had to make a conscious decision to stop working on it and get back to the content.

It was (and is) hard to keep my goals in perspective. Whenever I visit the blog, I see the things that bother me, the things that I want to change. But while I can work with html, I’ve never used php before, and trying to decipher lines of code just isn’t a good use of my time right now.

This can be particularly difficult for detail-oriented personalities, who can easily lose sight of the big picture. I get bogged down by the size of the spacing between the paragraphs and by the font that I’m using. Ultimately, I can design the perfect-looking site or blog, but without new content and without readers, there’s no reason for me to be here.

I’m also a perfectionist, and used to spend all of my time perfecting systems of organization, so that one day I would have the perfect filing system or the perfectly organized and colour-coded wardrobe. Over the past decade, I’ve learned that even with the perfect system, stuff happens. I might not put the clothes away for a few weeks and live out of a laundry basket until I have time to put it all away, which means that my perfect system is thrown out the window because all that matters at that point is that the mountain of clothing just get put away.

This applies to any project. Channel your perfectionism and ability to be detailed and nuanced into your art, because a publisher or critic won’t care if you used a pencil or a text editor, or if you found a flashy new novel-writing software. If the software helps you accomplish your goal, that’s fantastic, but don’t spend more than a token amount of time with the set-up. Get it to the point where you can function and then start creating.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to figure out how to add the date and time next to each post title.

A few weeks ago, my friend Scott and I took a walk in the woods on a rainy day.

If you click on the images, you’ll see a larger version, including the mud and water streaks. I loved the idea of working on a series of pics that aren’t about looking pretty, but about trying to capture the effects of nature.

We’ve done one more series recently, so those photos should be up sometime next week.

Photographer: Scott (view his DeviantArt page here)
Hair colour: Hair by Miranda

In Part 1, I introduced the benefits of building a creative platform for new and emerging artists*.

One common attitude from new artists who are struggling with productivity is the belief that they need to produce an epic piece. They have a ton of ideas and dreams of one day leaving their day job to make money off of their creations. Sometimes, this belief can arise because of job loss, staycations, nanowrimo, etc., where there is an urgent pressure to create something right now.

Not surprisingly, this doesn’t really work, and the emerging artist feels discouraged. The reality of how much can be accomplished in a day can make it seem like their dreams will never come true, and they go back to longing for a creative outlet without ever doing much more. I think this is a shame, because there is so much creativity that could be shared with the world but isn’t, all because of a mistaken impression of creative output.

Whenever I’m tempted to think like this, I always remind myself of a visualization exercise I discovered on a financial blog. The exercise is meant to encourage people to save money, but I think can be applied to any activity.

Picture a leaking tap. If you place a bucket underneath it, eventually the bucket will fill up with water. It might be faster to fill up the bucket with a tap that’s spraying water everywhere, but being covered with water while trying to mop up the floor and counters is an unpleasant experience most of us don’t want to repeat. This analogy can be applied to creative projects, where the spraying water is your attempt to cram a novel into a week’s vacation (or a weekend) by staying up late and pushing yourself until you’re done. Even if you end up with a decent product, you’re unlikely to try it again, because of how difficult it was and how miserable you were after you were finished. If you’re going from zero output but are now serious about bringing your art to a more professional level, then you’re much better off using the first method. Maybe that means writing flashfiction every week or month, or taking the time to go for a walk every Sunday and taking photos of the things you come across. If you’re knitting, limit yourself to one or two rows a day, or if you’re a bassist and want to start performing again, schedule 30 minutes every few  days to play along with your favourite songs.

Once you get into the habit of creating, you’ll find that you’ll build up a portfolio without even noticing. And when you have an opportunity to talk to others about your projects, you’ll have concrete examples of your work, rather than just saying “well, I have this idea for a story that I’ve been thinking about for years.” You’ll be taken more seriously, and the more you create, the more opportunities you will have for paid work.

Even more importantly, on days when you’re second-guessing your own talent, you’ll be able to prove to yourself that you’re capable, because you’ll have a body of work to rest on.

—
*I’m going to use the term artist to refer to anyone creative, including (but not limited to) writers, photographers, crafters, painters, actors, musicians, etc.

Continue to Part 3

From PresidiaCreative: 55 Epic, Weird and Totally Awesome Images
Some fantastic images in this collection of digital images. My favourite ones are the lego hospital, the robot hiding an infant, and the soccer players made of fingers. It’s worth clicking on the larger images to see all the detail.

From Blood-Red Pencil: Book Trailers that Answer the Buy Questions (by Lisa Gottfried)
An excellent and pointed advice post for authors creating book trailers. Can easily be applied to promoting any creative product via youtube.

I like the mix of colours, especially on the top tier, but as with my other early bentos, I’m not completely happy with it. I should have reversed the banana slices and strawberries, so that the colour balance is better. And there’s too much cheese in the top tier. Not pictured is a small bag of blue corn chips.

Contents of bento:

• Bottom tier – homemade vegetarian chili with hidden layer of rice on the bottom and grated cheese on top
• Top tier – cheese squares, banana slices, strawberries, grapes

Most people who achieve a modicum of creative success have spent time and effort on a foundation of work. Once they reach star status, it can easily appear to the average consumer of books and movies that the person came out of nowhere. I have coaching clients and friends who dream about that one moment where someone will uncover their brilliance and the whole world will bestow upon them riches and fame. We’ve all read stories of someone down on their luck who was discovered while walking down the street and now they’re a Hollywood star. If you want to rely on this method of success, then you’d better make sure you look perfect every moment of your life, buy lottery tickets each week, and settle in for a long life of dreaming. But if instead you feel a burning desire to create something, stop rewriting your Oscar acceptance speech and start building your creative platform.

Shortly after discovering online fiction archives, I posted my very first short story. I received some lovely comments, but it wasn’t the smash hit I had hoped it would be. Nobody knew who I was, and although the story was decent, it wasn’t blow-you-out-of-the-water-fantastic. This kind of experience is shared by many new authors, and I began to notice the people who had the most success had worked on building up a creative platform. What this means is that the more creative work you produce, the more people are going to have access to your work and are going to be supportive of future projects. It also means that you’re going to have more practise and experience, and ultimately, will have a more professional end result.

Building a platform is going to take time, but unlike dreaming about the day your career will take off, it will have a direct impact on your life and will help you achieve your dreams.

In part 2, I’ll post some concrete techniques for internalizing this concept and give you the push you need to stop dreaming and start creating.

Continue to Part 2

Following up on yesterday’s post of images I use in professional situations, I wanted to share some advice on how to get a great profile picture.

Here are three easy-to-follow tips:

1.  Plan

What are you going to wear? Don’t just think about what’s the newest or cleanest item of clothing in your closet. Think about past photos where you liked how you look, and notice what they have in common. Is there a particular colour you look fabulous in? Or should avoid? Is there a particular neckline that makes you look wider than you really are? Is there a shirt that just makes you feel fantastic? Once you’ve thought about all of these things, lay out your outfit, and add accessories, shoes, and even how you’re going to do your make-up and/or hair. A few days before your photo shoot, make sure the items are clean and ready to go.

A second thing to think about is location. What is the backdrop going to be? White wall? Your garden? Visit the location in advance if possible, and critically look at whether there is something that might ruin the shot, like a weathered garden shed or an uneven patch of wall.

2.  Take Your Time

The day of the shoot, take your time getting ready. A lot of people dread having their picture taken, but it can be a fun experience. Do something that will help you relax, maybe treat yourself to your favourite meal or tea, take a bubble bath, or play a few rounds of Team Fortress II.

Once you’re in front of the camera, it’s critical that you take things easy. Before the picture-taking starts, even before you smile, relax the muscles in your face and take a few deep breaths, because it will make a huge impact on how you look.

Once you’re comfortable, spend at least an hour (25-50 photos) to get 1-2 photos that you can use.

3.  Experiment with Expressions and Poses

During your hour of modelling, experiment with different poses and expressions. Try some where you’re serious, others where you’re just about to start laughing. Look at the camera. Then tilt your head up, without moving your eyes. Look away. Look the other way. Change the angle of your neck. Put your shoulders back. Keep your body in the same position but move your eyes. Go through a range of poses, each time modifying one small thing for each picture. When you look through the final versions you might be surprised at how the most nuanced movement can make a huge impact on how you look.

When it comes to selecting a photographer, you have two choices – either go with a professional, or with a trusted friend/family member. If you choose a professional, make sure you feel comfortable with them, and talk to them about what you’re trying to achieve. Try to get a sense of whether they’re going to be open to you taking your time or if they’re going to rush you through a series of photos to get you out the door as fast as you can. Don’t forget to look through their portfolio and decide if you like the way they take pictures of average people.

If you go with a friend, make sure it’s someone you trust and feel comfortable with, and who will get into the exercise with you. Don’t pick someone who will be impatient or critical, but someone who makes you feel good when you’re around them.

Once you have your profile photos done, share them! Post them on facebook or linkedin, upload it to your company directory, add it to your blog. And if the first set of photos don’t work for you, identify what went wrong (camera? outfit?) and try it again until you’ve got photos of yourself that you can be proud of.