Although many artists, writers and other creative types talk about “the creative process” as though there is only one, we can actually work with a goal-less process or with a goal-oriented process. Eric Maisel highlights this critical distinction in his creativity manual, Coaching the Artist Within. Working without a goal is way easier. It’s also […]
Are you committed to the process of making art, or are you one of those creative types who, as Eric Maisel describes in Coaching the Artist Within, would much rather imagine that other (lucky!) people’s creative projects finish themselves joyfully and magically by effortless genius while you, meanwhile, refuse to get out of bed? Dilemma: […]
Creating in the middle of things is admittedly not easy and often difficult, fraught with all kinds of risks and fears and do-ability issues. If “Just do it NOW!” doesn’t push you to take action, then you may need to work on some strategies to help yourself get moving. In Coaching the Artist Within, creativity […]
There’s a newly published little book on creativity by Hugh MacLeod that I think you should read. Why? Try a sample of vintage Hugh from his CDF (Crazy Deranged Fools) newsletter, dated today. He starts out by addressing us as dear crazy deranged fools, and I love that. MacLeod (aka @gapingvoid) writes: “Here’s the reality: […]
In Coaching the Artist Within, creativity expert Eric Maisel discusses the mental energy required to create. Unlike physical energy which is based on food/sleep inputs, mental energy depends on your interest, passion, desire, concern – the intensity you apply to creating. Your mental energy is depleted by mental activity, including creating – and not creating! […]
When you think about your creativity, do you think holistically? Or do you reflexively distinguish between, for example, being process-oriented or product-oriented? Do you split personal work from commercial work? Pit disciplined work against the flow of creativity? These are the kinds of dreaded polar opposites or dualistic thoughts Eric Maisel highlights in his self-improvement […]
Eric Maisel’s book, Coaching the Artist Within, offers a twelve lesson program aimed at writers, actors, visual artists and musicians who want to learn how to encourage themselves to be more creative, or in fact everyone who wishes to develop or improve their relationship with the creative process. As a clinical psychologist, creativity coach and […]
Here I am not moving any faster than the slowest part of myself. This is awfully slow, lately. Speaking as a Type A person. But as a recovering blocked creative, if I ask myself why so slow off the mark, I find many answers. The main one lately is lack of direction no, clarity no […]
Here is a summary listing of posts I have written here at Reptitude specifically related to The Artist’s Way, meaning the book and the creativity study program. The posts generally follow the same order of topics as they are mentioned in Julia Cameron’s famous creativity manual, The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. […]
Over the past few months I have written a number of posts related to The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. This creativity manual or “Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self” is effective for an individual using it alone, reading it by yourself and reflecting on each chapter. […]