Artist's Way Week 2

One week down, eleven to go. I'm glad there are a lot of weeks left, because I need a lot of help. :)

First, I'll start with my check in for Week 1. I did my morning pages every day. I can't imagine a morning without them. I tried really hard to not make them a glorified To Do list. I tried to actually write about issues I was having, and to write about my WIP and problems I'm having with it. By the end of the week, I'd figured some things out with my WIP. Which is good. Was it enough to get me writing every day? Uh, no.

I didn't really go on an Artist's Date, because the definition of an AD says it must be done alone. I did, however, go to three Oscar-nominated movies and watched the Academy Awards last night. Those are all artsy endeavors. Did I do them alone? No. Do they count as Artist's Dates? This week, they do.

I did most of the tasks. I didn't like the ones about our creative monsters in our pasts, so I didn't put much effort into those. I don't know why I resisted these. It probably means those are the tasks I need to do most...

I really liked all the information in Chapter 1 about positive self talk. I try to pound this into the heads of my personal training clients (I'm a personal fitness trainer in my day job)--if you're mean to yourself and put yourself down, you'll never reach your goals. Do I practice what I preach? No. So I've written affirmations most days and try to remember to read them throughout the day. Is it working? Not yet. I'm the meanest person I know...to myself. Not good.

Week 2 is about recovering a sense of identity. I'm looking forward to it.

How are you doing? Any breakthroughs or realizations? I'd love to hear.

Have a great week 2!

The Artist's Way Week 1

If you've never heard of/read/followed The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, you're really missing out. This book about breaking through our creative blocks was originally published in the early 2000s. I followed the 12-week program back then and saw great results.

But I wasn't really blocked back then. I hadn't been writing that long, so I was young and dumb and didn't know any better. Now, I'm older and supposedly wiser, and I have become my own worst enemy when it comes to my writing and my art (I'm an artist as well as author). I feel like I'm wearing a straightjacket; no matter how much I want to write/draw/paint, I just can't seem to make myself do it. At least not on a regular basis, or as often as I should. And when I do start a project, I have a hard time completing it.

So, that's why I've decided to do the 12-week Artist's Way program again. I'll check in weekly here with an update.

This week... I've read the Week One chapter. I've been doing Morning Pages most days ever since I orginally did the program in 2002 (or whenever it was). Mornings just aren't mornings if I miss my pages. They're usually more of a running To Do list than anything else. "I can't forget to make an appt with the vet." "I really need to clean out the fridge--it's a mess." Other times, if I'm going through a stressful time in my life, it might be full of four-letter cuss words. If anyone ever read my morning pages, they'd either think I'm 1) the most boring person in the world, or 2) a complete psycho bitch.

Both descriptions are probably fairly accurate. LOL.

I haven't done any of the tasks yet... however, I did make a list of possible artist dates (this is hard for me to do. If I have time to do an artist date, then maybe I should be writing/working out/cleaning the toilet...).

Artist date ideas:
Play the piano (haven't done this in years. Literally.)
Take a sketchbook to the park (if it's not raining)
Take a hike with my dog
Browse the little shops in my town
Go to a movie by myself
Watch an old B&W movie in my jammies
Go to the art supply store and browse
Visit the new antique store in town
 
If any of you are doing the program, even if you're ahead of me, I'd love to hear how you're doing. Tell me what prompted you to do the program and how it's working for you. I'd also love to hear your artist date ideas.

Have fun this week!

--Becky

Stepping out of our comfort zones

Periodically, I come across a blog post that I think you, my lovely readers, would enjoy. Here's once from Word Wranglers about taking chances. Enjoy. :)

--Becky

The new face of marketing

As much as I love the idea of doing all my promo and marketing from my house and in my ratty sweats, I'm learning that I might have to make myself get "out there" more and actually meet the people.

Meh.

This is SO not what I want to hear. 

Check out this great post by Esther Wheelmaker, in her blog Zombiepunk Series: The New Face of Marketing. 

If you're an introvert/shy person like me, you may not like what she has to say, but I'm thinking we should listen to her.

After reading Ms. Wheelmaker's great post, check out her newest release on Goodreads.