Valley of the Muse

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.

The equipment you use can have a huge impact on your creativity.

That isn’t to say that you should go out and buy the most expensive gadget or art supplies. Or that you need to own every single tool before you can get creative. But the tools that you use greatly impact creativity and can even impede it.

A few months ago, my husband bought a new camera – the Canon T1i. Our old camera was fine – it was considered pretty high end for a non-pro camera, but I was never happy with the pictures that I took with it, so I rarely used it except on vacation. I would see something that I wanted to capture, but then when I would try to take a picture of it, it would look nothing like how I’d want it to. I remember when I received my very first camera when I was about 10 years old, and how extremely disappointed I was when the film was developed. To this day I’m sad about the quality of those photos and how they made my vacation look so dull and lacklustre.

I always thought that the crappy photos was because I had no photographic talent. Then I played around a bit with our new camera. My husband Jeff and I were at a national park with our two dogs, and we were just sitting around after a full day of hiking and a late lunch, enjoying the view of the lake. I picked up the camera sitting next to me and I took a picture where the dog closest to me was in focus, and the dog next her (further away from me) was blurred as part of the background. Then I reversed the focal points so that dog #2 was in focus and dog #1 (closest to me) was blurred.

Both pictures looked great, and I was amazed.

The new camera didn’t suddenly turn me into a pro, but for the first time in my life, I had a camera that did what I wanted it to do. Ever since then, I’ve been taking random pictures, including the ones posted here. Having the right tool for taking images I’m not embarrassed by is one of the main reasons I finally started a blog for creativity and personal development. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years, but I always held back, and was never quite sure why it never seemed to come together until recently.

I’ve had similar experiences in other areas, ranging from cake decorating, making jewellery, and even make-up application! I remember in high school saving up money for what looked like a vibrant eyeshadow, only to find that when applied, it looked washed out and barely there. Since then, I’ve invested in good quality brushes and I stick to brands that have strong pigmentation. They’re a bit pricier, but I personally find it worthwhile (although I’ve also found no-name brands over the years that are just as fantastic).

Personal Development Tip

Is there a project that you’ve always wanted to embark on but never really got going? If you’re not sure why you just can’t seem to get it off the ground, it’s worth considering you’re being obstructed by the tools you’re using. One way to test out the idea is to embark on a test run. Go through the steps, create a prototype, and then assess the final product. If the result falls short of your expectations and hopes, it’s very likely that the tools you’re using just aren’t giving you what you need.

If on the other hand you can’t complete or start even the rough version, then all the tools in the world won’t be able to change the situation, and you’re going to have to resolve other issues such as creative block, procrastination, etc., which I’ll be addressing in future blog posts.

But, just think about it – if it really is about the tools you’re using, then that’s fantastic, because it can be such an easy thing to resolve!

What have been your experiences with tools? I’d love to hear your experiences with this!

As a writer, I spend a lot of time alone.

I’m also an extrovert (and a bit of an exhibitionist) and after spending my day working from home, my husband is inevitably faced with a flood of conversation. I want to tell him about my day and about how one of our dogs kept losing her ball under the couch or how I’m just not sure what one my characters is trying to tell me. I know I’m lucky that he finds my babbling to be one of my endearing qualities, but I also know that he can’t be my sole support when it comes to my creative endeavours. He experiences creativity in a very different way than I do, and sometimes he just doesn’t understand my perspective or need for validation. What he can do is encourage me to put myself out there and submit stories to publishers, continue finding ways to work from home so I can focus on my novel, or point out the flaws in my project plans. He keeps me grounded, which is why we work so well from a relationship perspective.

From a creative perspective though, I need something more. I love talking to people about the creative process, and I’ve made some fantastic friends online who engage in picking apart their own methodology. I need critical feedback and I’ve found a helpfully brutal critique group. I also need to be nurtured, and I’ve been reaching out to friends who can fill the role of cheerleader or who will listen to me brainstorm when I’m stuck.

As an artist, if you feel alone, think about the different friends and acquaintances you have. Make plans to have coffee and see what their reaction is to your creative projects. Or try engaging people you’ve met online by sending an email with something you’re working on. One of them might just surprise you and fill a role that you didn’t even know needed to be filled. For example, the other day, one of my friends offered to read everything I’ve written. He’s a voracious reader, and even though I warned him he would be receiving unfinished first drafts, he seemed excited and interested in seeing what I was putting out. For me though, it means that I need to turn out something, anything, by the end of today (which thankfully I have), and adds a level of accountability that I need in my life. This blog serves a similar role and it inspires me to continue creating and finishing new things to post. You may find that you need different things in your life, such as someone who will text message you every morning saying “get up and write” or maybe someone who will go to art shows with you.

Be aware though that you can’t ask a person to fill a role they’re not capable of filling. If you turn to someone looking for validation, but all they give you is criticism, then stop turning to them. All that’s going to do is destroy your confidence and discourage you from completing any work. Or if they’re great at listening to you talk about the minute differences in materials you work with, but never add anything to the conversation, don’t get frustrated with them. Instead, be as specific as you can about what you need from them and then respect their decision about how involved they want to be.

And finally, don’t forgot to appreciate the support you receive, whether by verbally thanking the person or gifting them with something you’ve created just for them, becuase their support will feed your muse and help you accomplish your goals.

I went to see a live show this past weekend. The music was pretty decent (I wasn’t familiar with the bands before), but the main difference between the opening band and the headliners was their performance on stage.

I know a lot of musicians who spend ever waking moment rehearsing so that their sound is perfect. They invest in a lot of expensive equipment, practice with their bandmates so that they can sound tight, and when they’re on stage they pay attention to what’s coming out of their stage monitors. All of that focus on how they sound is what drives a great musical performance.

But it’s not enough.

Seeing a band live means that there is a visual component, and it’s not enough to pick out a snazzy outfit and headbang at appropriate moments. The opening band I saw had a lot of promise but some of the lead singers movements seemed like the kind of thing you saw at another show and thought they looked cool. They unfortunately didn’t, and just made him look twitchy and drunk.

I’m sure there are people that disagree and are able to tune out idiotic gyrating on stage, focusing on just the music, but if you’re performing and hoping to pick up new fans, you can’t risk alienating those who are visually-oriented. Especially, since it’s a fairly easy fix.

When you’re at the point where you’re no longer worried about how you sound as a band, set-up your rehearsal space so that it approximates a stage, and then set up a video camera in front so that it captures everyone’s movements. This isn’t just for the lead singer either – guitar and bassist can also detract from a performance by standing woodenly on stage, effectively draining out any energy the lead singer can whip up out of the audience. Once you’ve recorded a few songs, view them as a group. Critique the movements. Don’t just stop at “oh, that’s cool”, but really dig into what looks weird, what you do too often, what expression you thought looks soulful but doesn’t really work. When you’re done, keep the best ones, then think about what else you can do. Repeat until you look like pros.

Oh, and the headliner? Had fans set-up at the front of the stage, not because of the heat, but because it made the lead singers hair billow during the performance. In the hands of a less experienced band it would have looked cheesy, but for these guys it only made them look awesome. They had long curly hair, and more importantly their movements were unrushed and fluid, so that when they did stand back into the fans it only added to their performance, never detracting from it. Instead of picking apart their movement, I was able to sit back and enjoy the show.

There’s something wonderfully satisfying about creating a complete story while only using 100 words. When well executed, they can be beautiful in their simplicity.

I frequently have an image in my head and I’ve found that limiting myself to 100 words is a good way to get that image onto paper (especially since I don’t draw well). It’s also a way of disciplining myself to stick to the image – the description, the senses, and the point of the interaction itself – without going off on a tangent. By sticking to 100 words (no more and no less) I’m forced to edit out unnecessary words or add more descriptors, and I find this makes my writing much more crisp and precise than other forms of writing. It also means that I’m focusing on the writing itself, rather than worrying about how its going to come out.

A variation of this is completed stories using the 140 character limit on twitter. There are several twitter-based e-zines such as “Thaumatrope” (scifi/fantasy/horror) and “Tweet the Meat” (horror). I haven’t tried this out yet myself, but I’m planning on trying it out some time this month.

Do you write drabbles? Do you write tweet-fic? Do you follow a blog or website that posts well written short fiction? Leave a link!

EDIT: I was pretty pleased with myself for making the post exactly 200 words, but then I found a great blog that uses a similar concept. “Six Sentences” publishes short stories composed of, you guessed it, six sentences. Looks like all genres are welcome.