Tag Archives: art

Composition is an art form.

9 Nov

Like many arts, you must attain the proper frame of mind in order to access your muse.

Music, atmosphere, time of day, ingestions in the body, these all must be carefully managed before you can relax your conscious mind enough in order to allow the muse to whisper through your actions.

She’s fickle, that muse; she likes to be seduced, and she loves presents.

If you ignore her, or offend her, she can leave you for years; then, just as suddenly, smack you across the face with inspiration when you’re least expecting it.

I love that muse.

It’s always been through writing that I have found her to be the most intense; that’s why I am delighting in the month of November once again.

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and I’ve participated four times in the past. I have four rough draft novels that have been birthed from this annual re-commitment to my dance with my personal inner muse.

The composition of novels, long form fiction, is exhausting; utterly exhausting. That’s why having this big commitment goal, shared with thousands of writers around the world, helps keep so many of us into it.

The composition is the easy part, though; editing a long-form work of fiction is something I have never been interested in.

I just love to write.

That’s why this year, I was so excited I would not have to take my annual trek down to the muse’s lair in the long form of fiction.

I found Contentpalooza.

It’s for bloggers, marketers, and business writers, channeling a word count of fifty thousand into blog posts, ebooks, and information marketing.

In short, the stuff I love to do.

I started a business so I could spend more time on my computer, doing the stuff I really love. The business is going well, I’ve got plenty of clients, I’m making money and supporting my family, but I realized something the other day, while I was neck-deep in website code:

I actually don’t like web development that much.

(Shhhhh.)

It’s great that I have a dynamite developer on my team, and a graphic designer, and a social media strategist, and two virtual assistants. (This week I’m hiring a video editor, too.) My team allows me to outsource any tasks that I’m not interested in doing.

What I want to be doing most, as it turns out, is what I’m doing right now: writing.

The more time I can spend in raw composition, the better I will ultimately feel about my business and my life.

So it’s very timely, this month of November. This month, I get to dance with the muse, compose thousands of words, AND be a productive blogger.

I love it when everything comes together, so serendipitously.

100 Digital Ninjas #trust30

6 Jun

Dare to be bold by Matt Cheuvront

Our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion, we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us. We are parlour soldiers. We shun the rugged battle of fate, where strength is born. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Next to Resistance, rational thought is the artist or entrepreneurs worst enemy. Bad things happen when we employ rational thought, because rational thought comes from the ego. Instead, we want to work from the Self, that is, from instinct and intuition, from the unconscious.

A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. Its only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.” - Steven Pressfield, Do the Work

The idea of “being realistic” holds all of us back. From starting a business or quitting a job to dating someone who may not be our type or moving to a new place – getting “real” often means putting your dreams on hold.

Today, let’s take a step away from rational thought and dare to be bold. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to accomplish but have been afraid to pursue? Write it down. Also write down the obstacles in your way of reaching your goal. Finally, write down a tangible plan to overcome each obstacle.

The only thing left is to, you know, actually go make it happen. What are you waiting for?

(Author: Matt Cheuvront)

Boldness has never been much of a challenge for me. Thankfully, I recently indulged myself in one of the boldest ideas of my life. Successful? No. Educational? More than anything else.

The quote cited here, not of Emerson but of Pressfield, speaks to me especially strongly. I have come to realize over the past year that one of my greatest liabilities is my big brain. (more…)

The Year of Art

7 Jan

Art, or Alchemy, is the XIV Trump in the Thoth deck of Tarot cards.

Every year, on my birthday, I draw a card that symbolizes the coming year.  Last year was the year of the Fool, whence I drew the 0 of Trumps, that beginning of journeys that leads you into the unknown.

At the time, I was very excited.  Having worked for three years in corporate sales, wearing a tie to the office every day.  I was ready for an adventure.

And I got one.  A very foolish adventure, that left me unscathed, but with a healthier respect for my abilities, and an assurance that I would not go to the grave bemoaning my lack of amazing accomplishment.  My life at 32 was incredible, it shook up my whole world, it stripped me of all my comforts, and left me out on the road in the midst of a journey, wondering where I was and how to get back home.

In short, I loved being the fool.  But now I am ready to return to my Capricorn-loving stability, and I do so this year, with Alchemy. (more…)

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 354 other followers