Creating work or being creative is a process and not a destination.
I have to admit out of the gate here that this is certainly not my own original thought. In fact, I don’t know who thought of this first, but I grew up hearing my mother (a successful abstract artist, among other things) saying something along these lines. Still to this day I’ll hear her say, “It’s about the process.” There’s quite a few reasons why I find this thought SO immensely encouraging as someone who strives to live a creative life.
1. It’s OK to suck at first (in fact, it’s necessary).
To me, my mother’s sentiment of “it’s about the process” is a more articulate way of saying, “It’s OK to totally suck at something at first.” Which is just great because, I don’t know about you, but whenever I’m first learning how to do something, I’m usually not very good, at least for a while anyway (and sometimes never, depending on what we’re talking about). There are ALL sorts of examples out there of very famous artists, inventors, and other creatives whose early work wasn’t critically acclaimed or may have even been deemed a total failure. One that my husband and I always talk about is Louis C.K. We both LOVE his show, Louie. If you haven’t seen it, you’ve got to check it out. It’s funny, honest, and shockingly vulnerable at times. It’s awesome and has won a few Emmy awards, so it’s not just me that thinks so. But this is also the same guy that directed Pootie Tang, which was not, uh, so critically acclaimed, let’s just say. I think Louis has even said in some interviews before that he feels that movie is not the work is he most proud of. I am such a big fan of Louis C.K. that I almost even hate to use him as an example, but I think the larger point is that his work is amazing and I don’t know if he’d be writing and making the stuff he is now if he hadn’t gone through all the other stages that every creative has to go through. If you want to read about some other folks who failed at first, check out this article.
Another example I’d like to share is something from my own life. This past year I took my first wheel throwing (pottery) class. I did this just for fun and to spend time with my mom and sister who I had also convinced to take the class too. I have no ambition about pottery in that I don’t ever plan to make money or achieve any notoriety in the pottery world. So although I wasn’t very good at it at first (and honestly I’m still not very good), it didn’t bother me. I just wanted to learn something new and make something for the sheer pleasure of making. And I accomplished those goals easily.
One thing that this shows me is that when you’re first approaching a new creative endeavor, it’s best to come at it just for the sheer joy of making and not because you dream of doing it for a living or gaining fame in that field. You very well may be able to do these things, but you’ll probably be able to weather the sucking stage better if you don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Or at least that’s how it is for me. This is probably the number one thing I think about when I see someone just starting a blog or just taking up photography, acting, writing, painting, etc., and they want to turn it into a career. They very well may be able to, BUT they’ve already set themselves up to enjoy the process (which is necessary, and cannot be skipped no matter how talented you are) so much less. It bums me out for them and makes me nervous that they won’t be able to sustain the practice because they never fell in the love with the making in the first place.
2. It’s OK not to share your work that sucks. And it’s OK to share it if you want.
Sometimes I feel there’s this misconception that if you don’t share everything, you’re not authentic. And I just can’t get on board with that way of thinking personally. Putting your creative work out there is HARD! Like so hard that many people just can’t do it and never do. And for that reason today, I’d like to give you permission to not share anything you don’t feel ready to share. It’s fine. I don’t think you’re pretending to be perfect if you don’t show me all your mistakes. Feel free to go hide by yourself for awhile and just create a bunch of work that totally sucks. You’ll learn so much! And I don’t think you need to be worried what I think of all that work—it’s your creative journey, so feel free to keep it private if you want.
Now I’m going to tell you the opposite. And that’s because if you want to share what you’re working on that isn’t very good yet, that’s perfectly fine too. You’ll need to be real with yourself and know that you might get some tough feedback (especially if you’re sharing online—the internet can be tough), but you also might need that accountability of putting stuff out there, and I get that too. If you want to share things before you feel you’ve mastered something, go for it. I think putting work out there is one of the fastest ways to push yourself to the next level creatively because it forces you to face feedback (from others, but also from yourself) and can help to push you forward.
Side note about this: if you see a fellow creative putting work out that you think isn’t that great, be honest but kind. The honesty will help them grow and the kindness will be appreciated and repaid to you one day. Karma and stuff.
3. Your best attempt will ALWAYS be better than your best intentions.
We can fill our lives with excuses if we want to. We’re too busy to work on XYZ. We’re too tired from work, family, other demands, etc. We’re afraid of what others might think. We’re afraid of wasting our time. The list could go on and on, couldn’t it?
Don’t fill your life with excuses. Finish your best attempt, and when you’re ready, put it out there! You will learn and grow so much. No matter what else happens, your life will be enriched from the act of being creative. I know, it probably sounds crazy, but I really think it’s true. I think we were meant to make. And the rest is beyond us anyway, so don’t sweat it too much. The best thing you can ever do for yourself is set a deadline to finish and hit it. Simple, but SO hard sometimes.
The bottom line is this: a creative life is a long, messy, and super fun life. It’s not all perfect. It doesn’t all have to be lived in public. And the most important thing: it’s yours to live and to enjoy. I hope you find this as empowering as I do.
Welp, there’s well over 1000 words on the creative process. I don’t want this conversation to be one sided, though, so feel free to share your thoughts and comments too. xoxo. Emma
Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photo edited with A Beautiful Mess actions—you should try them. Nudge, nudge.
90 Comments
“Your best attempt will ALWAYS be better than your best intentions.”
YES! *fistbump*
If you haven’t read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert yet, you must! 🙂 Thanks for this post. Love it.
Louis C.K. doesn’t like how Pootie Tang was edited, after he was let go from the film. If the film had been created the way he intended it to be, like his show Louie, then I’m sure he would feel much differently about it. I think there are way better example that you could have used here. Namely because Wanda Sykes as Biggie Shortie is one of the greatest characters of all time.
I’ve heard him talk about the re-edit, but I’ve also heard him talk about not really knowing what he was doing with that movie—calling it an important learning experience, etc., etc. That said, Biggie Shortie was pretty funny.
I agree to a degree 😉 I started quilting because I wanted to make a specific quilt which was not for beginners. But I made it because I wanted it. The destination was very important to me. Most of my best artistic work continues to be motivated with a specific goal in mind. As I get older I do allow myself to play more with the process. Which is fun and perhaps helps me to improve my skill levels. But for me, I don’t get far unless I have a place to go. And I love getting there!
Love this post!
Abbie E.
http://abulouslife.blogspot.com/
The timing of this article can’t be anymore perfect. I’m giving “Hand lettering” a shot. It sounds scary, but it is somethign I ant to try just for fun. This is gave more energy to start!
Dude. Great post! I feel like social media makes people want to share everything so they feel extra bummed if they try something and it just sucks. I’m sure you guys get advice about starting blogs constantly, so I love that tip about not going into just to make money, do it because you like it. Putting your work out there IS hard. Again, great post Emma, thanks for sharing!
Cheers to this!
Thank you for this post…. I am a creative who has been stuck in a creative rut for years mainly due to fear of failure, what people think and being a perfectionist. I am slowly getting back to myself and I always give up on what I am working on because it is not good enough so loved the stuff about the process.
Sometimes you need somebody totally out of your life to give you this advice…???
Thank you for this post, Emma. I have a “creative” job, and sometimes (today for example…) I forget to enjoy the process, I will try better tomorrow 🙂
P.S “Louie” is so great!
Your post reminds me this sentence of Pablo Picasso : “Action is the foundational key to all success.”
And sometime the way to creation can take a life time, some artists have worked all their life before succeeding to express in their art work late in their life, there is no other rule than ours.
http://www.befrenchie.fr/en/
I love this post! So many true words. A creative life is a difficult one to live, but I do think it’s the only one to live, and it can be very rewarding. I’ll make sure to bookmark this post whenever I’m feeling a little on the not so creative side. Thank you so much for writing this.
Lovemelightsout.blogspot.com
good to know, what i find i’m quite good at–the sucking at first–is represented talent!
This is actually very inspiring. Thank you! http://www.hannamarielei.com
Thank you so much for this post! So inspiring and calming at the same time! it is such a dissapointment when you do something, put ur soul in it- and it literally sucks! Now I know what to do=) I love ur blog – the best blog ever!
arcticraspberry.ru
I actually totally agree with this! I used to adore crafting and did so much when I was a child; all the rugs in my bedroom were handmade and I used to make (really bad!) jewellry for my friends and family. But now, I tend not to bother crafting things because I convince myself it will look nicer if its store-bought. Really inspiring post and definitely the kick I needed to get back to crafting. Thank you!
So true! Thanks for sharing.
Lots of good stuff here. I used to be so afraid to post anything on my blog because I was worried that it wasn’t perfect and I would work and edit until it became overwrought. I’ve realized now that I’d rather just put myself out there even if what I put out isn’t my absolute best best work because the only way I’ll become a better writer is by writing and letting it go. I always try to remind myself that it’s ok not to be good at something but it’s something that I struggle with a lot still!
I tell people all the time it is the process of creating I enjoy. I often find the time flies by and I am more in the moment than at any other time. Often it is a Zen like moment for me. My blog is about exploring possibilities and has pushed me to look at things different – creativity being one of them. Thanks for the reinforcement. So enjoy A Beautiful Mess.
You make me want to take out all those acrylic paints and give painting another go! Thanks for the inspiration, Emma. You’re spot on.
Yes Yes Yes! Thanks Emma… perfectly timed post!
I am glad it is ok to suck at first…because that is the stage that I am at! (and have been for a while) ♡♡
xoxoBella | http://xoxobella.com
Thank you for this post! It’s something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I think those that succeed are the ones that just put their stuff out there and don’t get caught up in how many likes/views they have or if they get a bad review or something. They just do it for the love of it.
My next creative endeavour is vlogging. I haven’t quite got up the courage to share my videos online yet but I hope to soon, and I’m keeping in mind the fact that it’s a learning process because my first videos are leaving a lot to be desired!
Inspiring- and brilliant timing!
I absolutely love this — sometimes being creative for creative’s sake is totally worth it (without sharing it with anyone). That being said, I love seeing people’s random artistic endeavors & DIY projects.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this, Emma. I loved “Don’t fill your life with excuses. Finish your best attempt, and when you’re ready, put it out there! […] And the rest is beyond us anyway, so don’t sweat it too much. The best thing you can ever do for yourself is set a deadline to finish and hit it. Simple, but SO hard sometimes.” Thank you for this Emma (:
I love this. It’s so easy to be intimidated and fall into the comparison game when you are trying something new. I kind of see your idea of creativity being about the process not the destination as a way to avoid the trap of comparison. Hooray!
Also, I too love Louis CK. Have you heard his interview on Fresh Air podcast? It made me basically fall in love with him! He is a great guy.
Hello Emma,
After reading this post I thought you would enjoy this TED Talk. It goes over people’s common fears about creativity.
https://www.ted.com/talks/david_kelley_how_to_build_your_creative_confidence
“Sometimes I feel there’s this misconception that if you don’t share everything,
you’re not authentic. And I just can’t get on board with that way of thinking
personally.”
Thank you for saying this!! Of course, it’s no good to pretend to be something that you’re not, but I really appreciate your boldness to say this. I like to celebrate my successes and not dwell on my failures, and your statement rings true with me.
I really love the ideas and motivations behind this post. I was feeling quite down before I read this post and I feel like I can do more to get myself going again. Thank you and I really enjoyed this!:)
Great post, I’m eventually going to do a series on creativity that makes a lot of similar points!
Perfect!!!
I think you’re absolutely right Emma, being creative really is about the process. Rather than being about the perceived ‘quality’ of the finished item, it’s about being able to express yourself and taking time to really be in the present (almost like a way of practising mindfulness – for me anyway). And of course it’s often fun to share that experience with others – similar to you, I recently undertook an embroidery course with my Mum and sister and we all really enjoyed it.
Hey guys.
I recently revisited a dream of mine by opening an etsy shop and starting a blog…like, last month. It is so intimidating, especially when you admire the work of others who are clearly on another level than you and you can’t imagine anything you create ever being that good. This post is exactly what I needed to keep motivated, realistic, and happy with what I do.
Emma, you are a super cool lady and your posts about living a fulfilling and honest life (creative or otherwise) are among my favorites to read! Your insights make me feel like I’m talking with a friend and always leave me feeling encouraged and ready to try again. You are so funny and (in my opinion) a gifted story teller. Thanks so much for you learnings and for helping me keep on keeping on. Sorry my comment is long, but who cares? Keep up the awesome work, Em!
Loved reading this. Thank you for the added motivation to keep on creating!
X Mei
Thank you so much for posting this. I don’t ever comment on blog posts but this one completely opened my eyes to something I do – not even on solely a creative level. I don’t like doing things if I don’t think I will do it perfectly. But that’s not realistic. I can’t do things perfectly. Reading this post was the first time that I had this realization and I could literally feel my anxiety lifting. I need to keep this in mind daily, and just have fun with things and enjoy what I’m doing, even if it might not be perfect.
I just got myself a blog after 3 years (!!!) of thinking about it, I had many excuses. I can relate to what you are saying. I know I love being creative but now when I have it out there I feel like I suck, well not suck but I doubt myself. I would abolutely love to be able to make a living of photography but most importantly is to enjoy the ride and I try to see it that way so that I will keep going. We don´t have to make money of everything we like doing, we can just play and have fun and this is what we can never forget. Play and have fun and maybe one day become a genius doing just that 🙂 I´m just starting your DSLR course today actually, for the love of photography. It´s gonna be so much fun! Thanks for your blog post Emma!
This post is so helpful! I have a fashion illustration blog, therefore being creative definitely is a huge part of my blog.I always feel stuck during the creative process because I want to offer the best that I can to my audience. However, sometimes that I am just not “feeling it”, thank you so much for sharing those really helpful tips.
http://www.suckerscloset.com
Are you planning to do NaNoWriMo again this year? This was a great pep talk!
Thanks Emma, love this post. I am 31 years old and I think I am starting to discover that inside of me there is a creative spirit craving to do staff.. Thanks for sharing like always, have a beautiful week. Carolina
Nice thoughts! I think I am a creative person But not so much depending on creating things and more on writing. I love to do DIYs and so on and of course I often such on it.
Lovely post!
Have a great day! 🙂
mtrjschk.blogspot.com
Fantastic article, Emma!
I really agree with the idea of allowing yourself to do something creative, even if the end product ‘sucks.’ Because even if that’s the case, that process might even feed creativity in another area 🙂
Excellent food for thought!
Thank you very much for this, I feel exactly the same way! I am often creative for my own sake rather than crafting something for the audience, it gives me a feeling of inner peace.
https://www.makeandmess.com/
This is amazing! Thank you for the inspiration and motivation! I needed this today. 🙂
http://annescribblesanddoodles.blogspot.com/
Thank you for this post. I feel it’s quite relevant to me right now and my art. I am always having arguments with my oh about putting my work into galleries. He thinks I should approach galleries and shops already and by refusing to do so it shows I’m not committed to becoming an artist. He is wrong. Whilst I am happy to share your work online it’s just not good enough yet to approach galleries with and I will do when the time is right!
Thank you Emma. Your comments really resonated with me. If I listen too much to my “inner policeman” who wants me to make no mistakes, sometimes I don’t even start! And over the years I have learnt how sometimes the greatest things happen when I deviate from a pattern/plan. It’s the alterations and little imperfections that make something I make truly mine.
I don’t have a creative job, but I’m trying to make some space for creativity and practice.
I totally relate to “it’s a process” but I just want to add that if you want to enjoy the process, you’d better start.
I truly find that starting is the scariest part of all this, because you feel so vulnerable with your insecurities and lack of experience.
But like every process, you start full of insecurities, make mistakes, learn from them, and finally you discover that it is fun and your are growing from your experiences.
By the way, if I can suggest a book, “Making Art a practice” by Cat Bennett is a wonderful one about finding the artist we are, enjoying the learning process and finding our resources to start and grow.
I love your writing Emma, thanks for this post! I especially like the first point and it was kinda exactly what I needed to hear/read this morning!
I recently moved into a new home and only a few days later had a surgery on my left hand, so that I could not use it a few weeks, aka could not do anything (well, at least not anything substantial like putting up shelves) to make my new home really feel like home. So when the splint/plaster came off, I wanted to start right away and do everything at once and got really frustrated when absolutely nothing worked out the first attempt…
I guess I really concentrated only in the goal (being a nicely furnished room) instead of also enjoying the process.
When I noticed how frustrated I was I tried to sheer myself up by reminding me of the things I had learnt by failing, and in addition reading this post now really helped 🙂
So now I´m taking a small break and then gonna start again with more energy and patience 🙂
xoxo
Merle
Hello Emma, this post has made me feel so much better! I’m working on growing my blog and it’s challenging sometimes, because my skills such as photography and writing are certainly a work in progress. It can be frustrating, as I’m the kind of person who’d like to have everything immediately and just speed things up, but it’s impossible. I’ve recently realized that you have to make MANY attempts to grow and it’s inevitable. Comparing myself to other people doesn’t help, either, as in the blogging world everybody seems to have been successful from the very beginning (I know it’s not true, but this is how it sometimes appears to me). Anyway, I’m going to take your advice and enjoy the process a bit more. Maybe I didn’t set myself a clear goal to turn blogging into my career, but when I think about it, I’m still putting a lot of pressure on myself just but being a perfectionist. So thank you!
http://stylestandpoint.com
a lecturer for design recommended this talk with john cleese about creativity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qby0ed4aVpo
I create daily. I do all kinds of things and create what makes me happy at the moment.. yes I share… most things.. but I don’t do it for the feedback.. i put it out there in hopes it will inspire others. good or bad. I just use what I have and see what happens. u are right it’s the process.. it’s the joy i had in doing it… no small thing. Joy is found in the little things.
So true and so encouraging 🙂 Thank you, Emma!!
You nailed it on the head there! I struggle to truly enjoy being creative everyday because I’m too scared about the finished product. No more I say! Thanks for the inspiring post!
And if you (as in everyone) haven’t listened to her podcast “Magin Lessons” yet, you must! It too is about creativity and awesooome. Like this post. Thank you Emma!
Great! Something I’ve been struggling with for a while. I want to start drawing again and have all kinds of excuses. I did draw as a kid and was pretty good at it if I worked really, really hard at it. BUT it was always a struggle, never came easily. I don’t know why we’re always so hard on ourselves.
I’ve gotten as far as pads and pencils so I guess it’s a start!
“Don’t fill your life with excuses…The best thing you can ever do for yourself is set a deadline to finish and hit it.”
This. So, so much. We often make things out to be harder than they actually are. And wind up talking ourselves out of trying before we even start.
I do this all the time. I have an unwashed sheep fleece that has been calling my name for a few months, begging me to be washed. I haven’t skirted or washed a whole fleece before and I have this unreasonable fear of ruining it. Ruining would mean I wind up with a huge piece of felt, something that I can still find use for. Ok, so that’s now my goal for the week: wash fleece by Friday 2pm. Next week by Wednesday have 1/4 of it carded and ready to spin. Goals and deadlines.
As an freelance illustrator and designer, I can honestly say this is accurate. I mean, my experience in art school alone was FULL of experiments. We had plenty of critiques that were tough and I always had the option of seeking even more feedback online. I’ve ultimately learned that you really can’t grow much without creating and going through those trial and error experiences.
Whether or not you feel comfortable sharing your failures with the world, just make sure you’re allowing yourself to fail because that’s how you find your path! It’s also okay to change paths-that’s for the true daredevils out there! 😉
Hi Emma,
your words speak from my heart. I work in a primary school and if there is one thing I want the children to take away from my work with them it’s this: It’s ok to suck at first, if you keep going you will get better. ALWAYS!
It is something that I didn’t realise as a child and that caused me many self-doubts and insecurities. For the longest time I looked for a talent in me to define my path, I should have looked much earlier for something I love despite my abilities.
So, thanks for throwing these thoughts at us. A beautiful reminder on this fine Tuesday!
Nadine
I’m reading that right now! I downloaded it before our trip and started it on the plane ride home. I’ve never read Eat, Pray, Love but I am really loving Big Magic. Have you heard her podcast? Magic Lessons?
-Emma
You know, I think you’re probably right. I really struggled to think of a good example for this because no matter who I used it felt like I was saying “See this great person isn’t so great.” But that’s NOT the point at all, of course. I simply meant that Pootie Tang wasn’t well received and has pretty low ratings over all (which does not mean that Wanda Sykes doesn’t kill in it). I think that was probably pretty discouraging to Louie but he’s gone on to make so many other amazing and hilarious works and so that was a stepping stone to everything else.
Anyway, I’d love to hear some other examples because I totally agree with you that there are probably better ones out there. Feel free to share as many as you have here because I think everyone would appreciate it, I know I will. 🙂
-Emma
Thank you for this inspiring post. Yes, you are so right, you have to let yourself suck to than be good at anything, and a reminder to let go of the outcome write for the joy of writing for myself an if anyone else likes it than that’s a great bonus. <3
Oh yes, goals make my world go round. Believe me. I just think that sometimes we (of course, I probably mean ME most of all) get too focused on the end result and forget to enjoy the journey or that the process is really what matters the most because it is what will get us to the end result. Anyway, I think you’re awesome for bringing up goals. I bet you and I have a lot in common. 🙂
-Emma
I do this too. All the time. So I’m totally with you.
Guys, should we all have a Louie watching party sometime??? I’m so glad everyone is as into him as I am!
-Emma
These exact thoughts have been weighing on my mind lately–thank you for this Emma! It’s hard to keep pushing for a goal(s) when there is pressure, mostly self-induced…but nonetheless. You’ve reminded me to stop and enjoy, whatever happens is okay. <3
I’ve learned from having so many first attempts that they typically suck the most when you’re trying to recreate the exact THING that someone else has done. You’re always going to compare it to the original. As an artisan, I prefer to learn the techniques shown, but then take it in my own direction. I’m kind of a “skill collector” I guess, so I tend to move on to the next thing I can learn once I’ve gotten the results I want. But when an opportunity arises to go back to an older skill set, it’s been marinating in my brain for a while, and I can really come at it in my own way. Anyway, that being said, I love all of the tutorials on the site and I’ve used a lot of them to learn new things, and to learn how things are made. Thanks for sharing your collective knowledge!
I am a watercolour artist (& a perfectionist!) I admire anyone wanting to be creative & this blog is really needed to spur people on.
I will give you a quote which I trot out to anyone who fears failure :-
Ever tried. Ever failed. Try again. Fail again, Fail Better. Samuel Beckett.
Or the Japanese proverb :- Fall down seven times, get up eight.
Also, you will only become perfect by practicing, & the practicing itself will create failures to begin with !
Good Luck with everything you try.
just loved it. thank you for sharing it!
wow. I needed this exact peptalk more than I ever could have realized. thank you so much for it. i forget sometimes the intention should be to PLAY moreso than to make everything such a serious, high-stakes endeavor from the get-go! <3
Really inspiring post! I will look at this, when im feeling like im in a creative rut. Thanks for the amazing advice!
Thank you so much for this post!
As a Fashion student, I totally recognise the tendency to focus on the end result in your mind and try to “skip to the end”. And it’s so wrong! I think one needs to be ready to fail and fail again and lose the cool to actually discover something worth discovering. What a boring world it would be if we always ended up with what we set out to find!
I try to remind myself every day that my process has failed unless in the end I created something I could not have imagined in the beginning!
I haven’t listened to it yet, but I need to! I saw Elizabeth Gilbert speak a couple of weeks ago. She is just wonderful!
Great post, Emma! I always find that my perfectionism keeps me from creating and I’m learning to let that go and enjoy the process. Thanks for sharing!
I needed this today! Creativity is not my problem executing it like I have in my mind is. What I make never lives up to what I wanted it to be and something that perfectionism takes over. Latily I’ve been down about my art not being where I want it to be and am wonder if it’s possible to accomplish my dreams. I need to learn to give grace and learn to love the proccess.
Thank you so much for this article, I needed to read this today. I’m trying to make changes in my personal life right now and creativity is a huge part of that. I have a great family, but the way that I was raised was so focused on making sure everything is done perfectly all of the time and there is very little focus on enjoying the journey. Also creativity is seen as a hobby and never anything you DO something with in your life.
This blog has been such an uplifting thing to read every week, or day if I can manage the time. Thank you for being so genuine and sharing these articles with everyone. It really does make a difference. It has for me.
Thanks again!
Encouraging words, it is very important for us to never shy away from trying something new due to fear of failure.
Emma, so eloquently put, and chimes perfectly with what’s going on with me. I’ve been working on my first book, and feeling dispirited because I know it’s not right, but until recently I didn’t know what was wrong…
That was until I edited Chapter 8, and realised that I’d gone horribly wrong in my story, and there was loads I could do about it. It’ll be a lot of work, but it will result in a much better story.
I’m feeling positive and optimistic about my story for the first time in a while, and it’s all because of being bad until I get good.
I’ve gone into lots more detail about what was wrong, and how and why I’m putting it right in a new blogpost, here: http://ohwedo.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/rejecting-rape-in-high-fantasy.html And while I’m embarrassed I made the mistakes I made, I’m telling people about it because I can, and should, put it right.
Thanks for sharing this post. Thought I’d share right back.
This has really filled me with encouragement. I have enjoyed being creative since I was a child but as I have gotten older the thought of failing seems to scare me more than ever. Losing confidence in my ability just leads to excuses and it is one vicious circle. I know that it is ok if the creative process takes awhile and isn’t exactly perfect it is not the end of the world but that doesn’t stop the frustration when it does look crappy. Although reading somebody else’s thoughts on it makes you feel that your not alone. Heres to being happy with what ever the first attempt looks like!
Thank you. 🙂
Czy nie wydaje się wam, że rośnie nam mało kreatywne pokolenie.
What an awesome read! Thanks for this 🙂 x
Courtney
http://www.waterlilyshop.com
So helpful to read this. I often overthink a creative idea and defeat myself before I even begin, I need to remember to not be focused on a perfect result, or way to make money off of an idea. I love when you guys write about creativity and goals 🙂
I agree it is so important to stretch your creativity; trying new things or approaching the familiar in a new way.
I just started working on a project I’ve had in mind for several years, and yes at first the things I made Sucked! But, as I kept going, I saw what didn’t work & how I could improve my methods & materials to achieve the effect I wanted. I may never show anyone those first attempts, or they may be transformed into other things, but they were important, worthwhile, and even imperative to get to the other side!
I’m all about the process in general, and I love the process of most of the things I do.
This is what my jobs (after graduating university) have been all about: The process.
But the creative site of me does it as well, I began blogging 9 years ago to improve my writing. Same goes with everything else that can be labelled creative.
I have met too many professionally where the focus was only on the product, not how we get there which (often) gives a weaker product in the end, because the process is viewed as something boring that leads to the product.
Have you ever read Art and Fear? Based on this post, I think you’d enjoy it. It talks about how your work (and your failures especially) is the only guide to show you how to move forward in your creative endeavors.
Definitely agree with all three of your points. So very true.
How encouraging. I love your advice. I’m not from a creative field by any means but I’ve recently (a year ago?) discovered the joy of making things with my hands. I could certainly relate to the “it’s ok to suck at the beginning” bit and hopefully I’ll be creating things of my own soon!
I love love love to make.
I’ve been looking to wanted to start painting but always something stopped me. And today I have read your advice and after I painted a little pic. Yes, looks suck but I’m happy) Thank you a lot, you gave me a push to start)
It’s so important to give ourselves permission to “suck”! Especially with the creative process. I find my biggest hurdle is self-criticism. I miss how easy it was as a child to get miraculously messy with paint and markers!