Tag: how to

Creativity, Meet my Nemesis, Reality

I’ve been thinking about the creative process a lot lately, so I decided to do a seven part series on it–helpful ways you can tap into your inner creative genius to produce something awesome. Whether you’re an artist, a writer, a graphic designer, or into arts and crafts, I hope you’ll find this series useful.

Why am I doing this all of a sudden?

Let’s just say that I recently had a run in with reality. I jumped headfirst into a tub of ice and got a painful reminder of how rough blindly leaping into unknown waters can be. Yes, I should have known better. I should have done my homework, and I shouldn’t have laid a first draft bare like that. My feelings = ouch.

Lesson learned.

Image originally found on Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain

But it wasn’t for nothing. It jolted me awake as if I had just guzzled down a giant can of Monster before pulling an all nighter. I am the typical, excitable American. We have a grave weakness for letting that hot rush of excitement cloud our judgment. It makes us quick to blurt out and broadcast our accomplishments only to regret it ten minutes later because we forgot something or we didn’t think our amazing plan through.

And so, I’ll be sharing my own pitfalls–all in the name of helping my fellow creative geniuses!

1. Plan Your Genius
2. The Three Ps of Making Something Awesome
3. So Edits, Many Drafts, Such Work
4. Are You Ready for Feedback?
5. You Can Haz Nerf Bat
6. What to do Next
7. Post, Publish, and Share the Hell Out of it

How to Recover From a Really Bad Day

Yesterday was one of those days where nothing went right, the spirit of Grumpy Cat was in the air, and I seemed to screw everything up. Ah, yes. It was one of THOSE days, the dreaded sort that come once in a blue moon.

♣  Make yourself an awesome dinner. Leftover pizza and hot wings never fails to satisfy a foul mood.
♠  Go on a YouTube binge and put your favorite song on repeat. I went on a Let it Go cover craze.
♥  Pick a hobby and create something (I updated an old Elrond drawing I did last year).
♦  Last but not least, go crazy in a video game! I find this method to be the most therapeutic one out there (aside from taking a walk, but I don’t take walks at night…no thanks on that!)

Screenshot is from Star Trek Online

While these ideas may not completely erase the pent up anger a bad day builds, they sure as hell help. Your mind is always going to dwell on every little aspect of things when Grumpy Cat lingers in the air. When it does, combat it with some of the things I mentioned (combine them with things that make you happy), and that pesky voice will eventually die off.

A wild Elrond appears!